Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

Cleópatra e Frankenstein by Coco Mellors

727 reviews

tea_aunt's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Alcohol

melonpea's review against another edition

2.0

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Suicide attempt

faenth's review against another edition

3.5

challenging 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

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Self harm

Moderate: Animal death, Blood

Minor: Death of parent

sydapel's review against another edition

3.5

emotional hopeful reflective slow-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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This book is ostensibly right up my alley, and if we were judging on the last chapter alone, this would get five stars for the sheer audacity of making me cry alone at a wine bar. However, I found myself more drawn to (most of) the side characters who were brought in for a single chapter before then disappearing to the background, and desperately wanted to spend more time with them. I also have some concerns about one of the queer side characters being used as a potentially problematic plot device, which casts a further shade. Ultimately though the writing in this is quite good and I love the arc it takes, it feels very emblematic of Sally Rooney without actually creating a broader theme or heart to it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Alcohol

Moderate: Animal death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Abandonment

Minor: Death of parent

salomemoerl's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark emotional funny sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt

Moderate: Animal death

fernhughes's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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A gripping and gorgeous read, Coco Mellors’ writing style is beautifully descriptive. As others have said, Frank and Cleo’s actions are irritating and I sometimes found myself gobsmacked — but I believe this is the point of this book. My only complaint is that the wild, substance abusing NYC lifestyle felt unrealistic and fantastical which slightly took away from the otherwise relatable characters.

As I got towards the end I wasn’t sure whether there would be a second ‘plot’ - ultimately, I was glad there wasn’t.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Dementia, Suicide attempt, Alcohol

maureen2506's review against another edition

4.25

dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Ein wirklich tragisches, aber auch wirklich schönes Buch. Man fiebert bei den Schicksalen von Frank und Cleo echt mit. Ich bin echt kein Fan von Elenor, deswegen war das Ende nur mittelmäßig für mich.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Suicide attempt

maria_k2000's review against another edition

4.5

dark funny hopeful medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Alcohol

iaeke's review against another edition

4.5

dark 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: Self harm, Suicide attempt

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse

violarosa's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective tense 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

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I truly enjoyed all the characters had their various journeys. Every character felt well drafted and given their own unique developments.
Because perspectives (all given their own voice very smoothly) change a lot, I sometimes had a hard time coming back into the story after a chapter break.
But that is my only complaint.
Beginning and ending are both not only beautifully written but frame the story as a whole in a wonderful way.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse