A review by sydapel
Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors

emotional hopeful reflective slow-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

3.5

This book is ostensibly right up my alley, and if we were judging on the last chapter alone, this would get five stars for the sheer audacity of making me cry alone at a wine bar. However, I found myself more drawn to (most of) the side characters who were brought in for a single chapter before then disappearing to the background, and desperately wanted to spend more time with them. I also have some concerns about one of the queer side characters being used as a potentially problematic plot device, which casts a further shade. Ultimately though the writing in this is quite good and I love the arc it takes, it feels very emblematic of Sally Rooney without actually creating a broader theme or heart to it. 
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