Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors

503 reviews

baroness_in_red's review

challenging emotional funny 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

I enjoyed the variety of characters and real life problems, including childhood trauma and coping mechanisms people have. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, and Suicide attempt

libby_thibeault's review

emotional reflective 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Self harm, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Death of parent

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Terminal illness

acdt's review

challenging dark sad 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

3.0

 This book made me think manic pixie dream girl. But then I went down a rabbit hole on the phrase because deep down I had a feeling it was not appropriate to use anymore. The more you know! See here: I'm sorry for coining the phrase "Manic Pixie Dream Girl"

So my thought on this book? The core character doesn't really change from beginning to end. The only likeable characters are Santiago and Eleanor, and they are belittled and/or considered boring by other characters. Which makes sense, since the other characters live in a glam NYC bubble. An addictive read, but also frustrating. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Self harm, Blood, Grief, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Animal death and Alcohol

pencil6556's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, and Alcohol

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship

asb51's review

dark emotional funny hopeful 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual harassment

mybestfriendsarefictional's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

4.0

Melancholy personified.

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Content Warnings

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

jules11jem's review against another edition

emotional funny sad slow-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

There are passages in this book that are really beautiful. I really enjoyed the writing style. But I am discovering that ‘sad in NY’ is not one of my preferred book vibes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Self harm, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Drug use

madzsmiled's review

challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective sad slow-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

Please read all content warnings if applicable!

I initially picked this book up for the title - Cleopatra and Frankenstein, how unique - and found I could hardly put it down. Mellors' mastery of the mundane made every moment magical (alliteration absolutely intended). It was by no means a fantastical story, rather one of pain and humanity. Self-discovery and change can happen at any age, at any stage, and the lessons that Mellors teaches are gentle in a way I didn't expect. I was brought to tears time and time again, dancing from highs to lows. I railed at each character for poor choices, but not once did I feel that they were constructs. They felt like real people, and Mellors simply pointed the camera at their lives. 

Cleo and Frank were childlike in so many ways. Their brash decisions and whirlwind of parties and events represented all that New York could offer, everything and anything. Cleo was unmoored from her mother's death, her own struggle with mental illness, and her search for purpose. Frank was aching for belonging, but chose to muffle the pain instead of facing it. His alcoholism didn't make him a villain, but his choices and ways he treated others soured his relationships. They were yearning for stability that neither one could offer, so they ended up spiraling. 

The other characters were no less interesting than the titular duo. Each were undoubtedly intertwined with the Cleo and Frank, moving like a complicated dance, pushing and pulling. Each had their own sets of longing and battles to fight - Zoe searching for something to ground her, Quentin struggling with drugs and identity, Santiago aching for love and acceptance, and Eleanor learning to love herself. And not everyone had a happy ending, but each finds their own path for better or for worse. 

I loved the writing style between perspectives. The first and last chapters are evenly split between Frank and Cleo's thoughts. The rest of the book is regimented to one character per chapter, looking through their eyes. Where it shifts is Eleanor - her perspective is in short snippets and thoughts, focusing on the world around her. It's a refreshing change of pace and from the first person instead of the third. It becomes more personal.

Overall, this story left me feeling emotionally drained in the best way. It was introspective and beautifully written. 

 #bookrecommendations #bookreviews #litfic

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Drug use, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Moderate: Dementia

Minor: Suicide

lisapisa8's review

challenging dark sad tense slow-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

3.0

It’s a story about a toxic couple with friends around them who have bad influence on them. It makes the characters live in this devil circle where everyone makes bad decisions. The very very End shows character development. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

gewrgia_lightwood's review

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.25

give me a toxic, raw and complex relationship over any cringy, smut-and-trope-driven romance!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Alcohol