Cleopatra and Frankenstein

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of substance use, mental illness, addiction, animal death, and death by suicide

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Cleo and Frank rush into marriage within months of meeting despite differences in their ages and circumstances. What aspects of their relationship felt most authentic to you? Did you find yourself rooting for them?

2. What other novels about age-gap relationships have you encountered? How did their depictions compare to Cleopatra and Frankenstein?

3. Manhattan serves as more than just a backdrop in this story. In what ways does the city itself become a character that influences the decisions and mindsets of the people living within it?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Family trauma significantly impacts both Frank and Cleo’s approach to love. When have your own family experiences shaped your approach to romantic relationships or friendships?

2. Each character copes with emotional pain differently throughout the story: Frank drinks, Cleo makes art, and Quentin parties. Which character’s coping mechanism feels most familiar to you, and why?

3. Believing that love can replace medication, Cleo stops taking her antidepressants after meeting Frank. What does this decision reveal about cultural attitudes toward mental health treatment? Have you observed similar thinking about medication versus “natural” happiness in your own life?

4. Wealth creates both opportunities and problems for nearly every character in the story. Has money or the lack of it ever complicated your relationships or sense of self in ways similar to what’s in the book?

5. Among all the characters, Eleanor stands apart by maintaining strong family connections while pursuing her own goals. Which character represents values closest to your own approach to life?

6. Zoe’s epilepsy affects how she forms relationships and sees herself. Have you or someone close to you navigated a health condition that others misunderstood? What challenges did this create in forming authentic connections?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. Characters with the most money (Frank, Quentin, Anders) often seem the most unhappy in this story. What critique of capitalist values does Mellors convey through these affluent but unfulfilled individuals?

2. From Cleo’s privileged British background to Santiago’s journey, immigrant experiences vary dramatically in the novel. What insights does Mellors offer about immigration and belonging in contemporary America?

3. Green card marriage drives the plot forward when Cleo needs to stay in America. What statement might Mellors be making about immigration policies that force such personal compromises?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Serving as both a pet and a symbol, the sugar glider represents a pivotal moment in the story. How does its fate mirror the trajectory of Cleo and Frank’s relationship?

2. Why might Mellors have chosen Cleopatra and Frankenstein as nicknames for her protagonists? What do these specific literary and historical figures reveal about the main characters?

3. First-person narration appears only in Eleanor’s chapters, while the rest of the novel uses third person. What does this narrative choice reveal about Eleanor’s role in the story? How does it influence your understanding of her compared to other characters?

4. Frank accidentally kills the sugar glider while intoxicated, marking a turning point in the plot. What does this incident reveal about his character that wasn’t previously evident?

5. Attempting suicide transforms Cleo’s character and her relationship with Frank completely. How does this climactic moment alter the trajectory of both their lives? What does it reveal about the true nature of their connection?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagining a soundtrack for this novel, what songs would you include? What would your opening and closing tracks be?

2. Five years after the novel’s conclusion, Cleo’s life has likely evolved significantly. Would she have found stability in her art career? Would she have built a lasting life in Rome or returned to New York? Would she have found a healthier romantic relationship?

3. Warner Bros is adapting this novel into a television series. Which scenes would you consider essential to include? Which actors would bring Frank and Cleo to life most effectively?

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