Cleopatra and Frankenstein

5☆ You never know where this book is going to take you next and if you're going to be crying or smiling (spoiler: you'll be doing both). But no matter if you love or hate the characters on the final pages of the book, the end will just feel right.

It is possible to compare this book to "Normal People" - in writing and story - but then again it is something totally different and unique. I had to get used to the different narratives at first, but at the end that's what really made this book a great read. I felt with all of the characters, even the ones I did not like at first. It's raw, tense and honest but also tender and endearing.

Coco Mellors' debut novel is definitely a rollercoaster ride of its own type. Without unnecessary chit-chat, the author dives right into the story and introduces Cleo and Frank as two very different people who nevertheless form an almost instant bond on a chance meeting on New Year's Eve. As a young British artist who has emigrated to the USA, Cleo struggles for her place in society and a loving home where she is fully embraced for who she is. Frank on the other hand is a very succesful 40-years old stand-up entrepreneur who offers Cleo the chance for a Green Card through marriage and the opportunity to pursue her art without the need for a 2nd or 3rd job on the side. Their passion for each other runs deep and leads to an explosive marriage in which they both struggle with the consequences of an unhappy childhood, mental illness and the need to find one's feet on firm ground. Even though Mellors' themes are deeply melancholy, her novel is pepperd with humour that made me laugh out loud and lifted my spirits. Cleo and Frank were so real to me that I truly related to them and I especially enjoyed that Mellors does not only show how their lives change over the years but also how friends and extended family are affected by an unhappy yet exceptionally rare emotional connection.

Cleo und Frank stürzen sich Hals über Kopf in eine leidenschaftliche Romanze, die viel zu schnell in einer überstürzten Heirat mündet. Der Altersunterschied, die überbordenden Erwartungen an die Ehe, an den Partner ansich und das extravagante, aufregende, unangepasste Umfeld, in dem sich die beiden nicht nur bewegen, sondern regelrecht verlieren, tun das ihre dazu, diese Verbindung ins Wanken zu bringen. Coco Mellors Roman ist eine Gesellschaftstudie par excellence. Schonungslos legt sie uns die Schwächen der New Yorker Szene vor die Füße. Lässt uns durch den nächtlichen Strudel der avantgardistischen Boheme taumeln, reißt uns mit hinein in die dunkle Parallelwelt des Drogenmissbrauchs, der daraus entstehenden Depressionen, Alkoholexzesse und toxische Beziehungen. Das erratische Handeln der Protagonisten macht es dem Leser nicht unbedingt einfach die Charaktere sympathisch zu finden, dennoch haben sie allesamt eine liebenswerte Seite an sich. Was mich besonders angesprochen hat, sind die schmissigen, schlagfertigen Dialoge, die diesem Werk Leben einhauchen, dem dramatischen Inhalt von Zeit zu Zeit gekonnt eine Prise Komik verleihen. Ein gelungenes Debüt, das ich sehr lesenswert finde!

One evening, Cleo and Frank meet at a party and quickly decide to get married. The book's progression focuses on their relationship and their relationships with those around them. The book deals with the topic of growing up and the associated difficulties in everyday life. Unfortunately, the narrator fails to convey this theme clearly and comprehensibly. Right from the start, it's unclear who is actually narrating, and the perspective changes frequently and abruptly, making reading difficult and confusing. Although numerous interesting topics are touched upon, the book lacks depth. Much of the content remains superficial, as too many different aspects are treated simultaneously without any of them being explored in depth. The large number of characters also doesn't contribute to clarity: their relationships with one another are too weakly developed and difficult to follow. Overall, the narrative seems overloaded and at times exaggerated, which diminishes the authenticity of the story. The potential of the topic is palpable, but the execution leaves much to be desired.