Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Cleópatra e Frankenstein by Coco Mellors

58 reviews

laylay2's review against another edition

3.5

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I was a little disappointed after reading blue sisters. While I love the writing style of this book the “no plot, just vibes” critique was too adamant to ignore. It felt like nothing was happening then BOOM suicide attempt. Like HUH??? While I really sympathize for Cleo’s situation, that really drew me out of it. But I liked Elenor and Santiago. I much preferred blue sisters tho. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Suicide attempt

sofia_elena's review against another edition

1.0

slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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A book about people stewing in their self-absorbed misery, without any ability or willingness to reflect, grow or feel empathy. Somehow the characters felt shallow and a bit caricature-like, and the book was just too long overall. The meaningful topics it does touch upon are not really developed, such as what it means to be so wholly dependent on your much older husband for money, love, a greencard. While it had some short, thoughtful moments and I didn't hate all of it, and admittedly some character development was squeezed in in the final pages, overall it did not make for an interesting read to me.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse

Minor: Animal cruelty, Suicide attempt

oceanwriter's review against another edition

1.0

dark tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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If I hadn't had this on my 'must-read in 2025' list that was glued into my reading journal, this would have been a DNF. I regret my compulsion to be a completionist. I feel ashamed for having even skimmed it; it was such an affront to my usual reading taste and content preference. I found some parts to be gratuitously graphic, empty, offensive, and even bigoted. I'm usually all for a darker premise with flawed characters, but these characters felt hollow with no redeeming qualities. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide attempt

Moderate: Animal death, Antisemitism, Death of parent

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Suicide

rileyguts's review against another edition

2.0

dark sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse

kjvita's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

eefjeee's review against another edition

3.75

emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent

Minor: Forced institutionalization

supermormongirl's review against another edition

0.75

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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There’s racist tropes of angry POC, a LOT of fatphobia, and a wildy misogynistic fantasy rape and murder scene- literally none of this was necessary at all.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Acephobia/Arophobia, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Deportation

caiitydid's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Easily my favorite book. The novel is heartbreaking and beautiful. It details, in brutal honesty, what the reality of living within a toxic relationship looks like from every point of view in a person’s life. Mellors is an author with a deep understanding of the human condition. Cleopatra and Frankenstein explores the importance of grief, sympathy, endurance, optimism, compassion, honesty, sobriety, sex, self worth, therapy, art, and love both platonic and romantic. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Alcohol

susan2424's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I found that there were a lot of distressing moments in this novel, but having said that, the characters were so well written that I wanted to continue reading to the end. The final chapter was beautifully written, and the ending was very satisfying. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting

Moderate: Bullying, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Blood, Grief, Death of parent

kelsfishy's review against another edition

4.5

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Cleopatra & Frankenstein is such a tender, human story. I have tremendous gratitude for any book or author who leaves me feeling more open-hearted than when I started the book. I have issues with Frank, but my issues are less with Frank specifically and more with the broader trope of how characters LIKE Frank are often found at the center of these narratives, which feels a bit tired considering the characters in this novel who could’ve been centered more. I wanted more of Quentin! All in all though, really loved reading this

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail