Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors

38 reviews

mariaminthebooks's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

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

3.5

I'm torn between giving this 3 or 4 stars. Let's settle for 3.5/5 

Stating the obvious, the book flows like a river. The writing's great, descriptions' great yada yada yada...

Finished the book in 3 days. That says enough.

Now, the interesting stuff...

I found the main character insufferable, which is absolutely fine, characters do NOT have to be likeable, but Mellors tried SO hard to make her  likeable by mentioning just how likeable she is (how convenient) which made me dislike her even more. 

TW// 

The book also features PRETTY heavy themes like alcoholism, drug abuse, animal cruelty, su!cide, self-h@rm, and the list goes on....without ever really diving into the complexity and complications of each struggle, thereby making the character's problems seem shallow (they are not!!!) 

Along with having like a bazillion unnecessary characters, this, too, was unnecessary. Towards the end of the book, it felt as if Mellors was just throwing in as much trauma as she possibly can for that shocker effect. Unfortunately, that had a counter effect. It made me desensitised to much of the events in the novel. 

traumatised characters ≠ unconditional sympathy

I've read books with way fewer events going on but had a much deeper attachment to the characters.

Frustratingly, this could have been such a good book....

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Chronic illness, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexism, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, Blood, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Self harm, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Death, Toxic friendship, Terminal illness, and Suicide attempt

jamieholton's review against another edition

challenging funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

The author made me relate to people I wouldn't think I'd be able to relate to. She has a smart wit and poignant observance that makes me appreciate all the small interactions in life.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Self harm, Suicide attempt, and Suicide

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Vomit, Terminal illness, Infidelity, and Death of parent

philippmk's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Addiction, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Terminal illness, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Blood, Death, Toxic relationship, Drug use, and Self harm

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Animal death

ashblersch's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense slow-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Drug abuse, Suicide attempt, Drug use, Death of parent, Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, and Mental illness

Moderate: Sexual assault and Terminal illness

culown's review against another edition

3.75

Generally good and engaging book, however lost me at times. Also I felt like we got just a glimpse of these characters and I git left wanting to know more. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Infidelity, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Death, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, Blood, Death of parent, and Self harm

charliewarliee's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

Cleopatra and Frankenstein is a stunning novel, especially as a debut one. Coco Mellors puts so much passion into this novel and it just makes you love the characters and then rips them apart. I love this book so much! Mellors may have written my current all-time favourite! I will 100% be reading her other works!

Cleopatra and Frankenstein is a book whose narrative changes as the story goes on. LIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD FOR STRUCTURE -

During the start, when everything is happy and fine, the narrative is joyful and happy, however once everything goes downhill, it switches to an emotional and beautiful narrative that honestly just makes you want to cry. Once everything begins to get better, the narrative once again changes, this time back to the start, where everything is getting better, however it's like the narrative is like the start, but with experience from the middle part.

For people who would like to read this, be warned that there is a lot of drug use and sex throughout this book, and some topics that some people may dislike or be triggered by!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Drug use, Terminal illness, Dementia, Infidelity, Sexism, Drug abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Death of parent, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Self harm, and Suicide

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Cursing, Toxic friendship, and Suicidal thoughts

addie's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Drug use, Eating disorder, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Animal death, Addiction, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Transphobia, Alcoholism, Blood, and Grief

Moderate: Fatphobia, Abandonment, Terminal illness, and Death of parent

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

writingcaia's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.25

Haunting and beautiful.
Cleo and Frank have had a shit childhood and although they’ve 20 years difference their darkness pulls them together to try to make light. Green card or not Cleo loves Frank and a few months after they met they get married.
This is really a story about the group of people surrounding the recent couple and Cleo and Frank themselves, a story where the characters move the plot, which is a picture of addiction, pain, broken childhoods, depression and to be an adult filled with grief and confusion, to still be finding yourself, to realise sometimes it takes forever, the journey is it, sometimes it’s laugh, friends, finding a support system.
I did saw myself in the details of many of them and none.
It’s weird, it moved me but it didn’t fill me, maybe my own grief and depression made a barrier between me and this grief stricken story so I wouldn’t hurt - it’s been a rough year.
Still, loved it just not immensely.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Abandonment, Death of parent, Suicide, Drug use, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Animal death, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, and Forced institutionalization

juleg's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense 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

4.0

I really enjoyed this book. The entire bouquet of characters was really fascinating and well written- Though I can also understand how it could be too much for some people.
It was intense, it was overwhelming at times, it was coming of age. Your twenties. Deep Unhappiness. Finding yourself. Loosing others. I really enjoyed it (though the ending  felt less “whole” than the rest of the book somehow. but i can live with that. i have learned to value the experience of enjoying the book more than the ending anyways). 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Terminal illness, Alcoholism, Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts

helloodrea's review against another edition

dark emotional funny sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Self harm, Addiction, Drug abuse, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, and Terminal illness