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Quick answer: If you liked Cleopatra and Frankenstein, read Normal People, Conversations with Friends, Writers & Lovers and Queenie. All are fast, emotional novels about young adults, messy love and the cost of wanting to be seen.
Coco Mellors's 2022 debut follows Cleo, a young British painter in New York, and Frank, a much older advertising executive, who marry quickly and then face the mess of their pasts and friends. It is sharp, funny and tender. The books below offer similar contemporary relationships, flawed characters and lively prose.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal People | Sally Rooney | Adult | two lovers |
| Conversations with Friends | Sally Rooney | Adult | triangle of friends |
| Beautiful World, Where Are You | Sally Rooney | Adult | friends and love |
| Writers & Lovers | Lily King | Adult | creative lives |
| Such a Fun Age | Kiley Reid | Adult | race and class |
| Luster | Raven Leilani | Adult | messy desire |
| Queenie | Candice Carty-Williams | Adult | London heartbreak |
| Ghosts | Dolly Alderton | Adult | modern dating |
| Maame | Jessica George | Adult | caring and growing |
| Fleishman Is in Trouble | Taffy Brodesser-Akner | Adult | modern marriage |
| Heartburn | Nora Ephron | Adult | funny betrayal |
| The Idiot | Elif Batuman | Adult | campus comedy |
| Everything I Know About Love | Dolly Alderton | Adult | memoir of friendship |
| Open Water | Caleb Azumah Nelson | Adult | young love in London |
| Pizza Girl | Jean Kyoung Frazier | Adult | restless young woman |
1. Normal People by Sally Rooney
Marianne and Connell drift together and apart over the years. Quiet, intimate and addictive.
Best for: two lovers.
2. Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney
A young writer becomes entangled with a married couple. Cool, witty and honest.
Best for: triangle of friends.
3. Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney
Two friends write to each other about love and the state of the world. Reflective and warm.
Best for: friends and love.
4. Writers & Lovers by Lily King
Casey, a waitress and aspiring novelist, grieves her mother while juggling two men. Honest and funny.
Best for: creative lives.
5. Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
A young babysitter is caught in a public incident. Sharp and thoughtful.
Best for: race and class.
6. Luster by Raven Leilani
A young Black artist becomes involved with an older married man and his family. Daring and funny.
Best for: messy desire.
7. Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
Queenie unravels after a breakup. Funny, moving and bold.
Best for: London heartbreak.
8. Ghosts by Dolly Alderton
A woman in her thirties deals with ghosting and her father's illness. Funny and honest.
Best for: modern dating.
9. Maame by Jessica George
A young Ghanaian-British woman cares for her father while seeking her own life. Warm and funny.
Best for: caring and growing.
10. Fleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
A divorced doctor is left with his children, and the story shifts to a surprising point of view. Sharp and honest.
Best for: modern marriage.
11. Heartburn by Nora Ephron
A cookbook writer discovers her husband's affair. Witty and delicious.
Best for: funny betrayal.
12. The Idiot by Elif Batuman
A Turkish American freshman falls for an older student. Dry, funny and observant.
Best for: campus comedy.
13. Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton
Alderton writes about her twenties and friendships. Funny and warm.
Best for: memoir of friendship.
14. Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson
Two Black artists fall in love. Lyrical and moving.
Best for: young love in London.
15. Pizza Girl by Jean Kyoung Frazier
A pregnant pizza delivery girl becomes obsessed with a customer. Funny and tender.
Best for: restless young woman.
How to Choose
For close matches in tone choose Sally Rooney or Lily King. For funny, messy London novels pick Queenie, Ghosts or Maame. For sharp social comedy read Such a Fun Age or Luster. For older-reader versions try Fleishman Is in Trouble and Heartburn. Cleopatra and Frankenstein has big emotions and a large cast, so character-driven novels suit it best. The novel deals with addiction, loss and difficult relationships, so check content notes if you prefer lighter reads. If you want something quieter and more literary, Normal People and Open Water are the best fits. If you want something funnier, try Ghosts or Queenie. If you want to see how the genre began, Heartburn is the classic. Most are available as audiobooks, and the dialogue-heavy style works well when narrated. Readers who like the New York setting may enjoy pairing the novel with a playlist of the era's music, which suits its restless mood.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cleopatra and Frankenstein about?
A young painter and an older advertising executive marry fast and face the consequences.
Who wrote it?
Coco Mellors.
When was it published?
2022.
Is it a love story?
Yes, but it is also about friendship, addiction and family.
Is it set in New York?
Yes, mainly in New York.
Is it funny?
Yes, with dry wit.
Is it a quick read?
Yes, with short chapters.
What should I read next?
Try Normal People or Queenie.
Are the characters likeable?
They are flawed and sometimes frustrating, which is part of the appeal.
Is the age gap important?
Yes. It drives much of the conflict, along with questions of money, power and addiction.
Is it similar to Sally Rooney?
It shares the focus on young adults and relationships, but Mellors is warmer and more comic.
Does the book have a happy ending?
It is bittersweet, with room for hope.