Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors

291 reviews

alexandram's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful 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

5.0

i don’t usually cry reading books but i cried reading this one. it was a fucking journey and i lived every second of it. my heart ached so much for the characters and i really felt like i learnt a lot. and it’s so well written like aghhhh!! i’m not much of a re-reader either but i’d read this again.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Blood, Drug abuse, Self harm, Drug use, Animal death, Death, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship

mookisbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Terminal illness, Transphobia, Grief, Addiction, Drug use, Alcoholism, Blood, Dementia, Death of parent, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment

lailajm's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Addiction, Drug use, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Blood, Toxic relationship, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

aina21's review

2.75

This book had way too many drugs for me. I understand that they where there to illustrate point but I honestly felt like the point could be made without it. Addition was a big theme in the book and while the taking drugs and drinking lots was definitely explored,  I feel like the harm that is done to the individual and those around the person dealing with an addiction was not.

At the end of the book Cloe mentions that she feels jelouse of Elenor, because she gets sober Frank, while Cloe had to deal with Frank the addict. I felt like this was a very poignant reflection to make and a theme worth exploring, how addiction does not only effect the addict but also those around them. I felt that Cloe could have been painted with a lot more depth and a less glamorisation, she felt very much created for the male gaze. A deeper exploration of how it felt to be with Frank as he drank his way through the marriage would have been much more interesting. And lastly I feel like Frank never took any responsibility for anything, and got a happy ending. We didn't even get to explore how difficult it is to quit an addiction and how that too has a huge mental impact on those around you. Instead in 5 pages he had quit drinking and was moving in with Elenor. 

Overall I felt like it was a book that could have been very interesting, and touched on very relevant themes, but instead opted for a glamorised and shallow version of what it could have been. 

I enjoyed the focus on some of the side characters, but again we find ourselves with the issue of glamorisation.

Zoe would have made for a very interesting discussion of desperation, when she decides to look for a sugar daddy. Instead her sugar daddy is the nicest and most wonderful person imaginable and makes Zoe's life better.

What is the point of introducing complex themes if they aren't even going to be adressed? I found Andres boring, and Elenor insecure.

Elenor's insecurity is another place where the story fell flat. The way Elenor talks about herself is very sad, but this is not explored. Literally she is used to be like she is ugly but then she isn't vapid, instead of exploring insecurity, and how it can lead  individuals to very dark places here frankly absuive relationship is treated as something funny, except in one line at the end. She is also used as the archetype of Cleo's shadow as she is everything that Cleo is not, ugly and has substance. Except Cleo has substance, she is also living with multiple addicts, something that has a huge impact on mental health, not to mention that she was previously also struggling with depression. It feels much more like the author wants to play into the pretty but vapid stereotype than anything, and uses Elenor to highlight that, through juxtaposition. And then magically Frank is into her and all her problems are solved. We simply gloss over the fact that her insecurity makes her very easy to take advantage of, or the fact that she is frankly depressed. No because Frank likes her so it's okay, that's all that matter is the end.

And don't get me started on Frank.

He is horrible. He treats Cleo like a trophy, he doesn't care about anyone and this serves no purpose in the plot whatsoever. Cause then oh he magically quits drinking because that is so simple and suddenly he is an am amazing guy, and he gets the happy ending.

I hated Quinten and if I wrote about him this review would never end. Santiago was the best character by far, and tell mw why was he the only one with character development?? I quite liked Cloe though I felt like she deserved much more. 

The book it introduced multiple heavy themes, and ignored all of them to talk about parties and drugs. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship

Moderate: Self harm, Fatphobia, and Suicide

Minor: Misogyny

lenadierie's review against another edition

challenging dark sad fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Addiction, and Suicide attempt

ktwoolen's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

5.0

Tore me apart in the best way. I  love the reflective writing in this book and the raw depiction of human nature and relationships. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Self harm, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Dementia, Grief, Mental illness, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Vomit, Domestic abuse, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, and Death

aislinn_h's review against another edition

dark hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug abuse, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Addiction, and Death of parent

_marycappiello3's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Drug use, Addiction, Grief, Death of parent, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Death, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Self harm, and Sexual content

skane's review

dark 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

5.0

While none of the characters are particularly likeable, the writing is wonderful and descriptive.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Addiction, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts

dany_casimiro's review

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

Check out the trigger warnings beforehand!

Long Story Short: New York in a whirlwind of art, sensible depictions of mental illness and heartbreak seasoned with a strong sense of irony.

Coco Mellors has terrific writing skills: each POV reads like being inside the character's mind, and the recurring humor never gets old. I particularly enjoyed the switching between Cleo and Frank and their friends and acquaintances. The pacing helped to maintain a constantly refreshed narrative while providing each character with the breathing time they needed to be explored and developed. This includes the city as well since we get the feeling that New York is always present, its lights glistering in the background.
Perfect for anyone who enjoys Sally Rooney's representation of toxic relationships looking for a more hardcore read! 


 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Drug use, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Self harm, Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, Animal death, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Blood, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Infidelity, Mental illness, Medical content, Vomit, Animal death, Toxic friendship, Self harm, Cursing, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Abandonment, Alcohol, Drug abuse, and Drug use