Reviews tagging Alcoholism

Cleopatra and Frankenstein, by Coco Mellors

125 reviews

hizettee's review

hopeful 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

Moderate: Suicide attempt

Minor: Alcoholism

meow_vixen's review

slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

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

heather3086's review against another edition

dark emotional funny informative reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual violence, Self harm, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

mishshell's review against another edition

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Suicide attempt, Drug use, Addiction, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

angelaaaa's review

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Addiction, Transphobia, Infidelity, Death, Animal death, Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, Self harm, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Injury/injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Grief, Dysphoria, Death of parent, Violence, Fatphobia, Blood, Mental illness, and Homophobia

Moderate: Drug abuse, Suicide, and Fire/Fire injury

kellyung's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Self harm, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Animal death, Body shaming, Infidelity, and Mental illness

isabellaklucia's review against another edition

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Alcoholism, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Death of parent, Self harm, and Animal death

katharinastb's review

dark funny inspiring reflective sad tense 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Alcoholism and Alcohol

Minor: Animal death

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

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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.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Animal death, Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, Racism, and Dementia