Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

Cleópatra e Frankenstein by Coco Mellors

729 reviews

batniss's review against another edition

4.25

emotional hopeful reflective 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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt

meaghanslibrary's review against another edition

3.75

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I’m confused how to rate this book. I’m maybe between a 3.5 and 3.75 because the ending was kind of a “huh, that’s it?” kind of ending to me, but the writing really did have some great quotes.  I’ll go 3.76 because I’m feeling generous today but could be lowered.

This book barely has a plot.  It is definitely more of character driven studies.  My favorite character comes in at what felt like the 75% mark where we get first person narration and chapters almost written like short stories.  I found that writing and the quotes in Eleanor’s chapters to be the most engaging.  The rest of the book is written in close third-person pov.  There is one random chapter following a side character Quentin.  And a few chapters that follow a side character Zoe, but otherwise the book mainly follows Cleo with some more sprinkles of Frank.

I did think the writing was very beautiful but this book took quite a while for me to read. It felt like it dragged in parts. I do generally prefer more plot driven books to character driven books.  I probably will read another book by this author.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment

Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Dementia

peanat's review against another edition

5.0

inspiring reflective 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: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Self harm, Toxic relationship

siena_reads's review against another edition

3.0

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-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: Self harm

Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, Suicide, Toxic relationship

ana_aaa's review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

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: Alcoholism, Animal death, Drug abuse, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Death of parent

juhmeejohns's review against another edition

2.0

dark emotional funny reflective sad fast-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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I hate this book. It’s like fleabag but less smart. I dont think

its fair that Frank gets to live a happy changed life and we get stuck with not knowing what happens with Cleo. I think its a disservice to not give an inkling of hope that she can be better. I don’t think Frank was redeemed. Santiago was the only one with a happy ending. The emotional and physical violence thats described to happen only to Cleo was devastating. No one got what they deserved, it was deeply disturbing and unsatisfying. 

Upon reflection i hate this book

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Alcohol

barbara_schm's review against another edition

2.5

challenging dark emotional medium-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: Self harm, Suicide attempt

abihainsworthh's review against another edition

4.25

dark emotional 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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The character development in this book made me feel truly wrapped up in the story, one in which I felt as though I was in the centre of it.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Self harm, Grief

mvriew's review against another edition

2.0

dark tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I felt like this book was written with the intention of describing a relationship that couldn’t be more depressing and cruel. All of the characters are suffering to an extent that felt unnecessarily horrible and thus unauthentic and almost stereotypical at some point while reading. Many passages were too lengthy without any development in the plot, leaving me mostly confused as to what is actually happening and what I am supposed to feel as a reader. At the same time, I didn’t really enjoy the writing style of Mellers, as I got confused in her constant change between blunt dialogues and sudden almost poetic passages. I think overall the writing was too cliché for me, making the dialogues predictable and simply frustrating.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Self harm, Suicide attempt

clairebartholomew549's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional hopeful reflective 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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This book was really satisfying. I loved the writing style - it felt like we followed each person's thoughts and actions in a natural and interesting way, and Mellors seems to know exactly when to leave a person's perspective for maximum impact. Cleo and Frank are deeply interesting and complex, and the vignettes of their lives over the first year of their marriage paint a thoughtful portrait of two people trying to make when they are so different. I found many parts of this book profound and loved getting insights into the people in Cleo and Frank's lives, especially Zoe, Eleanor, and Santiago. New York City is also a vivid character in this book, which I always love. I found this book really affecting and will definitely be reading more of Mellors' work.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexual content, Suicide attempt

Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Classism