Cleopatra and Frankenstein is a book written by debut novelist Coco Mellors.
Published in 2022, Cleopatra and Frankenstein was a Sunday Times bestseller and Goodreads Choice Award finalist. It was also hailed as perfect for fans of Sally Rooney books, so Coco Mellors certainly had big boots to fill.
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Plot
Cleo, a 24-year-old artist from Britain, fled to New York City to start anew and explore her artistic pursuits. As her student visa nears expiration, she meets Frank, a self-made man twenty years her senior, who leads a life of luxury that is entirely foreign to Cleo.
Frank presents Cleo with the possibility of happiness, artistic freedom, and the chance to apply for a Green Card. Their spontaneous marriage has unforeseen consequences that alter not only their lives but also the lives of those around them.
Cleopatra and Frankenstein Book Review
When I first started reading Cleopatra and Frankenstein I wasn’t sure I was going to like it. I really struggled to get into it at the beginning. I think this was mostly due to not warming to the main characters. It all just felt a bit superficial and pretentious but the more I read, I think that was actually the point.
The more I read, the more I actually wanted to read. The characters had more depth as the book progressed and while I can’t say I warmed completely to the Cleo and Frank, I began to understand them better.
I felt as a whole the mental health aspects, including addiction and depression were handled sensitively. If I was to be slightly critical, I felt Cleo’s depression was slightly glamourised. Beautiful, suicidal Cleo who no man could resist.
Despite there being potentially triggering moments, I didn’t feel depressed when reading Cleopatra and Frankenstein. It was more melancholic than outright depressing. It doesn’t descend into misery porn in the way books like A Little Life did.
I liked the writing style. It felt fresh and current but it was also full of almost surprising drops of wisdom. The story, though bleak in places, was full of tenderness and hope and I particularly enjoyed the ending.
Cleopatra and Frankenstein: Characters
Cleopatra and Frankenstein is definitely a character driven book rather than one with a fast paced plot. Neither Cleo nor Frank are particularly likeable characters and I found them to be quite shallow and pretentious, especially at the beginning.
I found it hard to relate to arty and vulnerable Cleo and the rich and impulsive Frank. However as the story progressed I began to empathise with them both. I was infuriated by them one moment and then rooted for them the next.
While I didn’t fully warm to Cleo and Frank, there were characters in the book that I did really like. I really enjoyed Eleanor’s sections written in first person narrative. Her interactions with her mother were both amusing and poignant at times. I also adored big-hearted Santiago.
The author offered different perspectives throughout the story, not just from Cleo and Frank, but from their friends and family members. It gave an insight into these characters’ motivations and feelings, as well as showing how they were perceived from the outside looking in. Where Zoe could be seen as flighty and irresponsible by her brother Frank, we realise that she’s actually quite vulnerable and scared. These insights made the characters feel more authentic and relatable.
What to read next
If you enjoyed Cleopatra and Frankenstein, I would also recommend Another Life by Jodie Chapman and Love Me Love Me Not by Kirsty Capes. I also felt Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason and Snowflake by Louise Nealon had similar themes, despite having completely different plots.