I, like every vaguely creative young person, have multiple diagnoses, but my brain chemistry failures never include installing art with my self harmed body at the center for my loved ones to find, I will tell you that. He offers her the chance to be happy, the freedom to paint, and the opportunity to apply for a green card.

everybody seems to love eleanor because she is down to earth and funny but to me she was so mediocre.

She offers him a life imbued with beauty and art-and, hopefully, a reason to cut back on his drinking.

It is thrilling to read a book that articles with nuance and compassion the way gender impacts every part of our lives. It reshapes their lives and the lives of those around them, whether that’s Cleo’s best friend struggling to embrace his gender identity in the wake of her marriage, or Frank’s financially dependent sister arranging sugar daddy dates after being cut off. Sure, dining in chic restaurants, and taking in the NYC art scene is fine for a while, but before long, things to begin to unravel. Either described as poignant and relatable or shallow and pretentious, this debut novel from Coco Mellors feels like the personification of an Instagram filter—something that simultaneously enhances and yet covers up reality.Cleopatra and Frankenstein is a journey and yes, it isn’t for everyone, but if you can get past the change in form and tone, I think you’ll be able to appreciate the fact that Mellors has managed to build a relationship with the reader and several very complicated characters in her very first novel while paying homage to New York.