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Graphic: Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Self harm, Blood, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Toxic friendship
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Dementia, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Alcohol
Cleopatra and Frankenstein is a book whose narrative changes as the story goes on. LIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD FOR STRUCTURE -
For people who would like to read this, be warned that there is a lot of drug use and sex throughout this book, and some topics that some people may dislike or be triggered by!
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship
Graphic: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Toxic friendship
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Alcohol
Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Death of parent
Minor: Fatphobia
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Fatphobia, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Abandonment
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
I laughed out loud at sections (which is really rare for me) and had a very soft spot for the chef, so I can’t give it lower than this rating. I appreciated how complex the characters were and in scenes of conflict I really felt like I was there with them, I could hear their voices and see their faces and feel their energy. So that’s gotta count for something! But not enough to redeem the initial rating I’d given.
I agree with other reviewers who are wondering what the point of this story was. It made New York sound like a dump, the art installation at the end made me furious and nauseated, the fact that Everyone is so Charmed by Beautiful Stunning Cleo got so old so fast (especially after seeing the author might have been writing those descriptions about herself 🥴) and why some characters are redeemed and others aren’t had little rhyme or reason. Anyway, it was fast and entertaining!
Graphic: Drug abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Cursing, Drug use, Blood, Grief, Death of parent
Mellors writes in the modern style, I first encountered when I read “Girl. Woman. Other.” It’s pervasive, a book on my tbr list, “I’m a Fan” is also written in a similar style. Morally grey characters who make morally ambiguous decisions. Cheat on their partners, humiliate themselves in public and are never sober.
I can never read more than a couple of these books a year. They’re too modern. I prefer confronting my emotions through several layers of illusion. This one, was brilliant however.
The characters are well-crafted, written with such empathy that it’s easy to see yourself reflected back in them, even the bad bits. Frank’s story particularly resonated with me.
Theme exploration in this book felt like a caress. It felt like someone had dug deep underneath my defences and helped rearrange things. Finishing this felt like I’d shaken something out of a favourite coat. I understand myself better now.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Alcohol
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria
Minor: Animal death
Cleo and Frank have had a shit childhood and although they’ve 20 years difference their darkness pulls them together to try to make light. Green card or not Cleo loves Frank and a few months after they met they get married.
This is really a story about the group of people surrounding the recent couple and Cleo and Frank themselves, a story where the characters move the plot, which is a picture of addiction, pain, broken childhoods, depression and to be an adult filled with grief and confusion, to still be finding yourself, to realise sometimes it takes forever, the journey is it, sometimes it’s laugh, friends, finding a support system.
I did saw myself in the details of many of them and none.
It’s weird, it moved me but it didn’t fill me, maybe my own grief and depression made a barrier between me and this grief stricken story so I wouldn’t hurt - it’s been a rough year.
Still, loved it just not immensely.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Death of parent, Abandonment
Moderate: Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Toxic friendship