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Cleopatra and Frankenstein is a book whose narrative changes as the story goes on. LIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD FOR STRUCTURE -
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!
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Alcohol
Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Death of parent
Minor: Fatphobia
I laughed out loud at sections (which is really rare for me) and had a very soft spot for the chef, so I can’t give it lower than this rating. I appreciated how complex the characters were and in scenes of conflict I really felt like I was there with them, I could hear their voices and see their faces and feel their energy. So that’s gotta count for something! But not enough to redeem the initial rating I’d given.
I agree with other reviewers who are wondering what the point of this story was. It made New York sound like a dump, the art installation at the end made me furious and nauseated, the fact that Everyone is so Charmed by Beautiful Stunning Cleo got so old so fast (especially after seeing the author might have been writing those descriptions about herself 🥴) and why some characters are redeemed and others aren’t had little rhyme or reason. Anyway, it was fast and entertaining!
Graphic: Drug abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Cursing, Drug use, Blood, Grief, Death of parent
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Abandonment
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Death of parent, Alcohol
Moderate: Cursing, Eating disorder, Self harm, Suicide attempt
The author does have a way of digesting hard themes with her easily flowing writing style, which made this book actually readable.
Wouldn't recommend this to anyone, but I am going to see what the author comes up with next 🪩⚡🤍
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Alcohol
We follow Cleo and Frank who meet and quickly marry. He's much older, successful and an alcoholic and Cleo is a young English artist who is seduced by his charm. We follow their relationship, their friends, family and life as it changes.
This was beautifully written with so many tender moments. I listened to the audiobook and immediately bought the physical copy after so I can sit and go through tabbing all the moments I want to remember.
As a modern romance story with some very dark themes, this is still easy listening, fun in parts and honestly raw in others. It's been compared to Sally Rooney and I agree but would say this felt well rounded and darker, like the 18 rated version of Conversation with Friends.
An author to keep an eye on in the future for me!
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cursing, Drug use, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Death of parent
Soooo many ts songs reminded me of this book!!!
Deeply flawed characters and toxic relationships. Everyone struggles.
I Never liked Cleo and Frank‘s Relationship (i don’t like the age gap) and I don’t like them both that much. I like Cleo sometimes too, she can be relatable. The chapters are quite long but that didn’t bother me very much- the usual POV‘S are Cleo and Frank but you got like 1-2 chapters in the POV of Zoe, Eleanor, Quentin and Santiago
The two chapters that were Eleanor‘s POV i didn’t like, I don’t know why there were that many small paragraphs with stuff I don’t care about. Her and Frank‘s relationship was something I also never liked. A lot of things were predictable in this book but there were also plottwists so it’s fine if.
Quentin is very strange and I was always a bit scared of him tbh because he’s just so uncomfortable. I kneeew that Alex was bad for him tbh (I thought it was cute in the beginning in Quentin‘s POV but then in the other people‘s POV i saw the problematic)
I loveee Zoe. I think she was my fav person in the book. I could sympathies with her (more in the end not so much in the beginning) Santiago is I think the only unproblematic character in the book. I love him and I’m sooo happy for how his life‘s like now.
My fav scene is the one where Audrey, Cleo and Zoe spend time together (p 82- 91) especially the part when they went home to Cleo‘s (i think) ❤️❤️❤️
Cleo:
+ an artist
+ a feminist that puts people in their place
+ „ you want credit for not leaving me? Are you joking? Sorry Frank, but you married me…“ (p261)
+ she has a smooth way of feeling and she feels so much
- she complained about her pain when they had THAT fight but didn’t care about Frank‘s pin at all
- in general made some poor ass arguments in that fight
- „Could it be? Are we back here again? At Frank pity party?“ (p261) HUGE L
- compared her trauma to Frank‘s 💀
- had an affair
Frank:
+ changed for the better!
+ cares about Eleanor
+ finally cried in the end
+ supported Cleo financially
+ super rich but then not too cocky
- a man
- killed their pet that they loved and lied about it
- bought an illegal pet
- had an affair
- gave his sister money all the time
- alcoholic for the most time of this book
Zoe:
+ has her struggles but powerful
+ sweet and kind
+ the whole thing with Jiro :))
+ the way she connected w Cleo
+ idk but her sexual struggles make her so much more sympathetic
+ the scene were she layers on the ground next to Cleo (p 312) ❤️❤️
- asking her brother for money all the time
- doesn’t know how to spend money
„The parties, Sex, alcohol and drug use is so New York City aesthetic“…. Girl wtf no it’s literally not.
„ everyone we know in NY is an addict, aren’t they?“ (p355) lol yeah they are. The way drugs are used in the book is sooooo bad holy shit especially like Quentin and Alex and stuff but actually they all.
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Outing, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Outing, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Classism
Moderate: Animal death, Violence, Vomit