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greenan26's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity and Blood
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Stalking
Minor: Outing, Alcohol, Police brutality, Animal death, and Death of parent
jenni_bear's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
only aciman would make a serial cheater sound so fascinating - main character is HIGHLY flawed, will make u want to throw the book across the room, found it quite challenging bc i don’t like multiple stories or POVs within a book, didnt grip me like his other books as much
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
burnyayhayley's review against another edition
Thanks so much to Netgalley for the access to an advance copy of this audiobook, but unfortunately this is a DNF@ 16%
André Aciman's writing is just not for me.
I was not really a fan of André Aciman's CMBYN, partly because I thought it was overly pretentious in its writing— though I will admit there were some lovely lines. But my more significant issue, which continues here, is the relationships developing between a child and an adult.
Furthermore: why is a straight-identifying man writing about homosexual relationships, especially between minors and adults? This is less of an issue in CMBYN, in that the minor is 17, which is the closest you could get to "adulthood" without being there— So it's hitting this scandalous point, thrilling for the reader, while remaining largely excusable (for some).
This book, "Enigma Variations" opens with a young boy (somewhere between 8 and 13yo???) who is in love with the family's cabinetmaker (a man). This is all well and good if approached carefully and with tact. But for a young boy to vividly fantasize about a man touching him sexually... Why is this necessary? Also, even though it is well established for the reader that this beginning of the book is from a child's perspective, it does not sound like a child speaking. Again, this would be fine, if approached carefully. The effect of the narrator/protagonist being a child actively desiring a grown man sexually is one of neutrality or complicity with sexual assault or abuse.
I have read a good number of books which have included and described the sexual abuse or misconduct with minors as a plot point. And while this is ALWAYS upsetting, there is a way to write about it and include it in the narrative without putting it on a pedestal, dismissing the wrongfulness, or just directly glorifying and fetishizing the idea (which this first chapter very much does).
I will refrain from ranting further and stay focused on this book (but there is a pattern between even these two Aciman books I have read ANY of)— even if this relationship were between two adults, and thereby in a safer place for the story to venture, again, I want to know why a straight man loves to include gay male relationships as a plot point in his work?
It's one thing to be establishing diversity and inclusiveness, but it is another when that person or relationship is the central plot device. GROSS. I highly disapprove.
André Aciman's writing is just not for me.
I was not really a fan of André Aciman's CMBYN, partly because I thought it was overly pretentious in its writing— though I will admit there were some lovely lines. But my more significant issue, which continues here, is the relationships developing between a child and an adult.
Furthermore: why is a straight-identifying man writing about homosexual relationships, especially between minors and adults? This is less of an issue in CMBYN, in that the minor is 17, which is the closest you could get to "adulthood" without being there— So it's hitting this scandalous point, thrilling for the reader, while remaining largely excusable (for some).
This book, "Enigma Variations" opens with a young boy (somewhere between 8 and 13yo???) who is in love with the family's cabinetmaker (a man). This is all well and good if approached carefully and with tact. But for a young boy to vividly fantasize about a man touching him sexually... Why is this necessary? Also, even though it is well established for the reader that this beginning of the book is from a child's perspective, it does not sound like a child speaking. Again, this would be fine, if approached carefully. The effect of the narrator/protagonist being a child actively desiring a grown man sexually is one of neutrality or complicity with sexual assault or abuse.
I have read a good number of books which have included and described the sexual abuse or misconduct with minors as a plot point. And while this is ALWAYS upsetting, there is a way to write about it and include it in the narrative without putting it on a pedestal, dismissing the wrongfulness, or just directly glorifying and fetishizing the idea (which this first chapter very much does).
I will refrain from ranting further and stay focused on this book (but there is a pattern between even these two Aciman books I have read ANY of)— even if this relationship were between two adults, and thereby in a safer place for the story to venture, again, I want to know why a straight man loves to include gay male relationships as a plot point in his work?
It's one thing to be establishing diversity and inclusiveness, but it is another when that person or relationship is the central plot device. GROSS. I highly disapprove.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, and Sexual content
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