Cleopatra and Frankenstein is a grand and expansive novel about Cleo and Frank, a couple who meet and quickly marry. Frank is twenty years her senior and Cleo is in need of a visa. Their friend group is a dynamic bunch of misfits, and much of the book dives into this side characters in great detail. Cleo and Frank's marriage is wrought with challenges, including his alcoholism and her tendency to isolate herself. 

If you are a fan of Sally Rooney, I think you will love this book. If you wanted to be a fan of Sally Rooney but weren't, I'd recommend giving this book a try. It delves into the emotions of finding yourself in your twenties, but also relationships and how sometimes we don't give our best to one person but then are able to give more to someone else. 

Ultimately, I think this book was far too long for the experience it offered to me. At a generous 14 hours, it was a long audiobook that I think could have been a more powerful experience if condensed. I spent much of the middle trying to get myself to focus. The final hour had me incredibly engaged and was completely beautiful. This book wasn't a perfect fit for me, but I don't want that to reflect on the book. If you love a deep, messy character study, give this one a look.