Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors

124 reviews

gabby_stay's review against another edition

emotional funny sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

So emotional but a cozy read. Definite trigger warnings to consider but overall I resonated with the experiences Cleo was going through. I really understand why Mellors took so long to write this - she took her time to ace perfection and understanding of everyday people's experiences.   

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Medical content, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Violence, Alcoholism, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, Addiction, Self harm, and Toxic relationship

livangel's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Honestly, it’s a very interesting take on every day life. I think it shows how “Cleopatra” and “Frankenstein“ are both monsters and victims.  It shows that no matter how hard you try, no matter how much you love each other, sometimes relationships are sometimes bad or toxic. It makes you think about how you view or judge people and reflect on where the problem truly lies. Definitely worth a read. The book does drag on sometimes, but that’s just part of its charm. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Addiction, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Cursing

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Grief, Drug use, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Medical content, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Blood, Sexual content, Vomit, Suicide, Animal death, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, and Physical abuse

victoriakvitnes's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Self harm, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Drug use, Mental illness, Animal death, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Toxic friendship, Dementia, Drug abuse, and Grief

carolina_c's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

"Cleopatra and Frankenstein" is a book about a 20 something year old woman and a man 20 years older than her that impulsively get in a marriage that will change everything around them.
just even before reading the book I felt as if this was going to be a reading experience different from other books. before even reading the book I either read really good reviews or horrible reviews of it.
I would say that for me it was a very unique reading experience. I basically devoured the first half of the book in a week or two. After that I think I would avoid reading it. Either because I didn't want it to end since I've become attached to the characters not because of some feeling of being like them but just because I was reading about them and felt like I should watch out for them. On the other hand I think some parts of the book can be very stress inducing and sometimes I even felt sick. I think that's great when a book can do that much. But because of that I think a 3.75 review is good enough.
I liked this book but I'm a bit biased since I tend to like the sort of no plot books. I'd say the characters aren't that relatable to most of the people reading the book... Expect for Eleanor maybe. I don't see that as a flaw though since books aren't meant to just be mirrors of things we already know or of what we already are.
I'd say this book is very character driven and since I don't want to spoil anyone and I think the characters are what makes the story go on and keep the readers on the tip of their toes I think I should rate the characters and not the plot itself!
Starting with Cleo our main character. I personally liked Cleo. She could come off as too melodramatic but I think that's just how she was. At the end of the day she was still just in her twenties trying to figure herself out. Still I have to say it was a bit mean and painful when she shows Frank her final art piece.
It's Frank's turn now. I also liked Frank. I think he got the ending he needed and I was glad to see him get better by the end of the book though I find it unfair to Cleo how he only did it when he did it...I think Frank was a very flawed character and unfortunately for me I tend to like those characters a lot. Still he was very imature.
I think for Anders I can just say...The bathroom scene in his chapter...The man has some serious issues. I found it quite sweet how he took care.of his ex girlfriend's son even though he didn't have too. I think that gave him some depth but it still didn't make me like him.
Eleanor seemed to me the realest of all the characters. Her chapters were always quite comforting and seemed private like we were reading her diary's entries. When she made jokes I laughed and when she was sad I cried with her. I liked Eleanor and I was happy for her. Even though I'll admit that I kinda didn't like her in the beginning...
Quentin is Cleo's troubled best friend. I have to admit that in the beginning of the book I found him funny even though his behaviour was probably questionable...I mean his wedding present...? As the book went on I started to get tired and annoyed of him. I think for me he truly remembered me and encapsulated a toxic best friend I once had...And I had to say it hit a nerve every time he was reckless and every time he dismissed Cleo's problems. So I would have to say he is definitely not on my top 3...
Santiago is on my top 3 though! I quite liked Santiago and his whole character development. I liked to read about his past as I liked to read about his present. The way he cared for Cleo and also for Frank always made me smile.
Last but definitely not least I'm rating Zoe. Zoe is Frank's younger sister. I found her to be quite funny and it was entertaining to read about her life. I liked to read about her development and the way she grew as the narrative went on.
I think that's is all I have to say. I enjoyed reading this book and maybe a couple of yours from now when I'm in my twenties I'll reread this and find it even more realistic.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Animal death

jj_xx's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Toxic friendship, Self harm, Mental illness, Medical content, Drug abuse, Blood, Animal death, Transphobia, Gaslighting, Grief, Eating disorder, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Infidelity, Homophobia, Alcoholism, Fatphobia, and Death of parent

whatannikareads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny lighthearted reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

while at times it felt a little long and the characters were a little annoying, it was overall a great read that gripped my heart. it leads you on a journey of two people with so much love for each other, but are dealing with their own demons so intensely that it causes a fissure between them. or maybe they were always doomed from the start. but i guess it follows the question of whether or not a love so deep is worth the immense hurt afterwards. cleo and frank's tumultuous relationship is an overwhelming rollercoaster ride at times. i also didn't really care for eleanor's chapters; i think it either should've been developed more or cut shorter. but man that last chapter alone bumped it up from a 4.25 to 4.5. a very devastating but fitting ending in my opinion that felt like it was written with rainbows and shimmering gold. probably one of the most touching final chapters i've ever read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Self harm, Toxic relationship, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Mental illness, Medical content, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Animal death, Drug use, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Drug abuse

joeykills's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Dysphoria, Violence, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Animal death, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Infidelity, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, and Grief

salalander's review against another edition

emotional relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Simpele 5 sterren. Wat een boek! Meer kan ik er niet over zeggen!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Blood, Death of parent, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Toxic relationship and Toxic friendship

nenya's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

this is the kind of book where you can’t really tell that the characters are becoming your comfort characters until you find yourself looking forward to keep reading it because of them. the book is incredibly character driven and provides a very diverse set of nuanced and delicately crafted people who all, in a sense harmonize (or conflict) with one another. cleo and frank, the protagonists are both lovable and also deeply flawed and traumatized, something you and the characters themselves come to understand throughout the course of the book. what i loved most about it was that the narration style gave you insight into every single person’s thoughts and sentiments (or at least of the most important ones) not only through different POVs separated into different chapters, but also sometimes within the span of a paragraph, switching back and forth in revealing each persons internal dialogue. 
the book felt like an anti-romanticizing telltale of several New Yorker lifestyles while also being deeply philosophical and thought provoking 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Suicide attempt, Blood, Body horror, Drug use, Dysphoria, Grief, Self harm, Sexual content, Addiction, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Suicide, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Drug abuse, and Suicidal thoughts

nai__reads's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Blood, Infidelity, Self harm, Drug use, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent