theoverbookedshelf's review
dark
emotional
reflective
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, and Self harm
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Grief, and Animal death
Minor: Sexual harassment
bookswithchaipai's review
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
What first made me believe is a love story, gave way to a very deep tale which touched lightly on a lot of heavy subjects. First off, I was carried away by the title which was quite a mouthful. But what I was not ready to discover hiding under such a frivolous name, was something which would change my perspective on a lot of matters, the first of which is love. The book takes us through a repertoire of emotions, ranging from laughter, sadness, disgust, dread all the way to rapture.
Cleo, at the tender age of twenty four, bumps into Frank who is twenty years her senior and a whirlwind romance ensues. But then we are jolted out of our pleasant reverie with marital problems.
At first I thought it was only about Frank and Cleo, but then their bunch of crazy friends join the melee and we watch their lives intermingling, interweaving and then spontaneously combusting, as each of them are put in the spotlight to narrate their story.
Infidelity, fat-phobia, racism, depression, suicide, dementia, toxic relationship, addiction, alcoholism, Dysphoria are given a large stage to perform and showcase its abilities. The number of content warnings are shocking. Moreover, the drug-addled, quick New York life and the way it changes a person is examined.
The book is divided into chapters, months apart, with vignettes portraying the viewpoint of different people and their relationship with Frank and Cleo. I found the writing style akin to Sally Rooney, but where Rooney failed to grasp my attention, Mellors burrowed herself into my heart. Especially the Sugar Glider called Jesus!
I am so glad this book did not have the cliche happily-ever-after ending, making love and marriage triumph. It was all about the discovery of two souls letting them live the way they want and finding happiness in their individuality.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Animal death, Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, Racism, and Dementia
hello_lovely13's review
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Infidelity, Addiction, Animal death, and Death of parent
Minor: Transphobia, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, and Homophobia
tiffanyc's review
dark
emotional
funny
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
Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors is an exploration of relationships – the good, the bad and the ugly. It follows the story of Cleo and Frank. As readers, we are swept into their world of lust and attraction. In the first chapter, we are introduced to Cleo and Frank as they meet for the first time. There is an instant connection - Cleo is in her 20s and is an art student and painter, and Frank is in his 40s and is a highly successful advertising executive. The two marry early on in their relationship and we start to see an array of weird and wonderfully flawed characters. Mellors masterfully manipulates the reader into thinking that Cleo and Frank’s relationship is going to make it. I became so invested that when things started to get messy I felt uncomfortable, angry and sad. It takes skill for an author to make you love a character one minute and the next minute hate them. There are side characters of ex-lovers, friends, family also depicted in this book faced with their own individual dilemmas.
Cleo and Frank are tumultuous, destructive, and toxic, and we are just going along on the ride. It was fun, provocative and heartbreaking all at once.
Cleo and Frank are tumultuous, destructive, and toxic, and we are just going along on the ride. It was fun, provocative and heartbreaking all at once.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Sexual content, Drug use, Alcoholism, Addiction, Mental illness, Self harm, and Drug abuse
calais_'s review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
fast-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
3.75
I thought this book was good but just CANNOT do age differences 😫 this man was 20 years her senior! Leonardo DiCarpiroass can leave.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Cultural appropriation, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Toxic friendship, Cursing, Drug use, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship
lilawsahar's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I liked the different perspectives throughout the book. I just wish there were more perspectives from the main characters. I feel like I didn’t see how their relationship fell apart. Chloe said frank is like a black hole and boom their relationship was deteriorating. Too sudden for me. I wish this book was longer. I wanted to hear everyone’s endings and journeys.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Addiction, Alcohol, Body horror, Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, and Infidelity
Minor: Animal death and Death of parent
danaaliyalevinson's review
challenging
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
5.0
This book did things to me. An impulsive marriage is a star at the center of a galaxy orbited by friends and family. And when that star simmers and explodes, everyone feels the aftershocks.
I forget exactly when, but at one point midway through the book I noticed the structure of the narrative. Not in a bad way. In a 'fellow writer albeit in another medium appreciating form' way. And I was struck by how complicated it is to pull off a multidimensional ensemble story like this, and yet how effortless the author made it all feel. Not to mention the emotional pay off.
That is real skill.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Animal death, Dementia, Drug use, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, Blood, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Dysphoria, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, and Toxic relationship
hannalizzy's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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
If the song “I’m wearing his boxers/I cry in his bathroom, he turns off the big light” song “Complex” by Katie Gregson-MacLeod from tiktok was a book, this would be it. Or “You’re On Your Own, Kid” by Taylor Swift from Midnights. Or “Moon Song” by Phoebe Bridgers. Take your pick. If any of those songs break you, this book will finish the job 😭❤️🩹
Cleopatra and Frankenstein is a literary fiction masterpiece and in-depth character study. It’s the type of book that readers need to put some work into — you learn about the characters passively, by connecting the dots between their dialogue and their actions/behaviors. It’s a book worth annotating because so much is said between the lines.
Throughout the book you go from loving Cleo and Frank to hating them both, individually and as a couple. They’re messy, flawed, toxic people who bring out the worst in each other, and yet: “when the darkest part of you meets the darkest part of me, it creates light.”
It’s as beautiful as it is heartbreaking. It’s raw, it’s messy, it’s human. 5/5 stars⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Definitely adult content w/ triggering subjects. Check for content warnings ❤️🩹
Cleopatra and Frankenstein is a literary fiction masterpiece and in-depth character study. It’s the type of book that readers need to put some work into — you learn about the characters passively, by connecting the dots between their dialogue and their actions/behaviors. It’s a book worth annotating because so much is said between the lines.
Throughout the book you go from loving Cleo and Frank to hating them both, individually and as a couple. They’re messy, flawed, toxic people who bring out the worst in each other, and yet: “when the darkest part of you meets the darkest part of me, it creates light.”
It’s as beautiful as it is heartbreaking. It’s raw, it’s messy, it’s human. 5/5 stars⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Definitely adult content w/ triggering subjects. Check for content warnings ❤️🩹
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, Transphobia, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicide, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Alcohol, Cursing, Infidelity, Grief, Addiction, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Gaslighting, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Death of parent
clxrxdxvxs's review
dark
emotional
slow-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
2.0
Toxic characters who are miserable in NYC. Join the club.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Infidelity, Death, Drug abuse, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Alcoholism, Blood, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Injury/injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, and Self harm
daismcvic's review
- 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
5.0
Cleopatra and Frankenstein was beautiful and addictive. The story follows Cleo and Franks relationship and how the relationships successes and failures impact them and the friends and family around them.
It explores topics of gender identity, mental illness, alcohol and drug use, financial issues - a whole plethora of issues included delicately within a deep but also very human story of love and friendship.
The characters were unlikeable at times but also relatable and in my terms that makes a good character to read. Similar to acts of desperation though it was more focused on outside factors within the relationship and the affect the relationship had on others not just Cleo and Frank.
I really enjoyed the novel and different perspectives, Eleanor’s viewpoint was my favourite, where the writing turned from third to first person. I also liked the ending which for me makes the book and I am often disappointed by them but I thought it rounded up well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt