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dany_casimiro's review against another edition
- 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!
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!
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
virgcole398's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Self harm, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Toxic relationship, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Sexual content, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Drug use, and Medical content
Minor: Antisemitism and Animal death
jordkuba's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Animal cruelty, Alcoholism, Addiction, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Death of parent, Infidelity, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Dementia, Eating disorder, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, and Grief
Minor: Self harm, Violence, Fatphobia, Adult/minor relationship, and Dysphoria
kashmore's review against another edition
- 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
1.5
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Racism, Drug use, Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Drug abuse, and Animal death
thetainaship's review against another edition
2.0
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Drug abuse, Drug use, Alcohol, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Addiction, Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Blood, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Sexism, and Toxic friendship
lochnessmonster's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
It’s also interesting to see our titular characters from not as glamorous but relatable Eleanor’s perspective and through her I warmed up to Frank a bit. Also loved what little we got of Zoe and her journey.
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Grief, Drug use, and Blood
km49's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Suicide attempt and Sexual content
inlaraland's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, Sexual content, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Drug abuse, and Suicide attempt
lilalhreads's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Alcohol, Drug use, Addiction, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship
avasreads_'s review against another edition
- 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
4.0
⭐⭐⭐⭐
4/5
what a book to get me out of my reading slump! i haven't read a full length novel in a couple of months, and this one was kind of perfect for the occasion.
cleopatra and frankenstein follows the impulsive marriage between 24-year-old cleo and 43-year-old frank, to, broadly, secure cleo a green card. their marriage (inevitably) has far-reaching consequences, and the novel explores themes such as loss, complex relationships and addiction.
this beautifully vivid portrayal of the new york of the early 2000s makes me feel nostalgic for a time i don't remember, and the central characters lead a glamorous life of art, culture, drink and drugs. i loved how the characters felt painfully real - although the plot, at times, seemed almost unbelievable, readers recognise that they lead a ridiculous life. almost certainly backed up by a hefty trust fund, many of the characters don't seem to be burdened by student loans, paying the rent and bills, and can therefore gallivant around new york city. despite the perhaps unrealistic lack of financial struggles, this places emphasis on the mental and emotional journeys of the characters, which is objectively far more important. the characters are far from simple, and can be perceived to be both protagonists and antagonists, having both a positive and negative impact on each other. i love the unrealistic realism, it gives the novel an ethereal quality.
for me, the most interesting storyline was that of zoe's, the younger sister of frank. she is broke, nineteen years old and navigating a large city. i seemed to identify with her, whether that's because we are similar in age or i deeply sympathise with her and her situation i don't know. i hope she is happy, she deserves the world 🤍
it certainly won't be everyone's cup of tea, and definitely feeds into the 'sad girl' trope (i was delighted with the lana reference, or just delusional). regardless, i ate this the fuck up.
Graphic: Addiction, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Infidelity, Eating disorder, Drug use, Drug abuse, Cursing, Alcoholism, and Alcohol