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Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Dementia, Classism
"Wherever you're going is waiting for you" is a phrase that will stay with me.
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Alcohol
Graphic: Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Dementia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Suicide attempt, Death of parent
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Blood
Minor: Animal death
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Sexual content, Death of parent, Alcohol
Moderate: Chronic illness, Racism, Dementia, Abandonment
Minor: Body shaming
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Alcohol
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Dementia, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Alcohol
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Toxic friendship
I initially picked this book up for the title - Cleopatra and Frankenstein, how unique - and found I could hardly put it down. Mellors' mastery of the mundane made every moment magical (alliteration absolutely intended). It was by no means a fantastical story, rather one of pain and humanity. Self-discovery and change can happen at any age, at any stage, and the lessons that Mellors teaches are gentle in a way I didn't expect. I was brought to tears time and time again, dancing from highs to lows. I railed at each character for poor choices, but not once did I feel that they were constructs. They felt like real people, and Mellors simply pointed the camera at their lives.
Cleo and Frank were childlike in so many ways. Their brash decisions and whirlwind of parties and events represented all that New York could offer, everything and anything. Cleo was unmoored from her mother's death, her own struggle with mental illness, and her search for purpose. Frank was aching for belonging, but chose to muffle the pain instead of facing it. His alcoholism didn't make him a villain, but his choices and ways he treated others soured his relationships. They were yearning for stability that neither one could offer, so they ended up spiraling.
The other characters were no less interesting than the titular duo. Each were undoubtedly intertwined with the Cleo and Frank, moving like a complicated dance, pushing and pulling. Each had their own sets of longing and battles to fight - Zoe searching for something to ground her, Quentin struggling with drugs and identity, Santiago aching for love and acceptance, and Eleanor learning to love herself. And not everyone had a happy ending, but each finds their own path for better or for worse.
I loved the writing style between perspectives. The first and last chapters are evenly split between Frank and Cleo's thoughts. The rest of the book is regimented to one character per chapter, looking through their eyes. Where it shifts is Eleanor - her perspective is in short snippets and thoughts, focusing on the world around her. It's a refreshing change of pace and from the first person instead of the third. It becomes more personal.
Overall, this story left me feeling emotionally drained in the best way. It was introspective and beautifully written.
#bookrecommendations #bookreviews #litfic
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Drug use, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Alcohol
Moderate: Dementia
Minor: Suicide