Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Cleópatra e Frankenstein by Coco Mellors

290 reviews

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

anna_lizzy8's review against another edition

4.0

challenging emotional sad tense 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: Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment

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

drswetasaran18's review against another edition

3.75

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

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, Sexual content

skyfluff's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional funny reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Outing, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail

jesscm's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Cursing, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship

overtsentio's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment

limchaerin's review against another edition

5.0

emotional funny reflective sad 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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt

martina96's review against another edition

1.0

sad slow-paced

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I really struggled to read this book, if it can be defined such. If it wasn't the chosen reading for the book club I am part of, I would have been given it up. There was no plot and Cleo (the main character) was a Mary Sue with no personality. She was insufferable, yet everyone liked her somehow. To be honest most of the characters were awful and insufferable. The only positive ones were Eleanor and Santiago, which were the better characterised ones and not a caricature. The thing I despised the most about this book was the vulgarity of the language used. At some point I thought I was reading a fanfiction written by a nymphomaniac because there was a constant mention of sex. I don't think you need to be so vulgar and explicit. Also, I felt there was almost a glorification of alcohol consumption and substance abuse. 
It was such an unpleasant read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt

trlshah's review against another edition

4.0

emotional hopeful reflective 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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Cleo and Frank—two people at different stages of life—meet by chance in NYC, fall in love, and  marry on a whim. Frank embodies the stereotypical 'work hard, play hard' mentality as the Creative Head of an Ad agency. He believes that he is doing everything for Cleo, except for the one thing she asks: to stop drinking daily. Meanwhile, Cleo feels creatively stifled and increasingly alienated. Cleo’s friendships feel hollow, and she no longer connects with those around her. Frank and Cleo's idyllic marriage begins to unravel within a year. Frank is attracted to a new hire, Eleanor but refrains from pursuing her. 

While Frank is away on a two-week shoot, Cleo has a torrid affair with his best friend, Anders. When Frank returns, she cannot bring herself to tell him. Convinced that she will never leave Frank, Anders moves to Los Angeles. The breaking point comes when Cleo attempts suicide. Though Frank and Cleo try to mend their relationship, they realize that separation is inevitable. Cleo moves to Italy to attend Art School, rekindling her creative self. Frank acknowledges his alcoholism, joins AA, and starts dating Eleanor. Anders remains in Los Angeles, and his affair with Cleo stays a secret.

In many ways, the characters embody the traits of their private monikers—Cleopatra and Frankenstein. Cleo, like Cleopatra, is breathtakingly beautiful, attracting lovers and friends who dote on her. Yet, at her core, she is lonely, wanting, and vulnerable. Frankenstein is defined as "a person who creates a monster or a destructive agency that cannot be controlled or that brings about the creator's ruin." Similarly, Frank appears to be sorted-out, hardworking, and accomplished—the ideal husband. However, his latent self-destructive tendencies surface as he refuses to acknowledge his drinking problem until it is too late.

A poignant read showcasing Coco's fluid prose and memorable characters. The novel explores how family trauma, loneliness, and addiction erode relationships. What starts as a passionate romance quickly fractures under the weight of unresolved past wounds, revealing the insidious ways that trauma can shape love, self-worth, and relationships.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Suicide attempt

Minor: Sexual content