Scan barcode
jfield351's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Wow. That about sums up what I thought of this wonderful, brilliant book. Of course it doesn’t hurt thats it’s set in my favourite time period in beautiful country.
I have never read a book with so much imagery and description that completely relates to what I feel. Elio’s irrational and impulsive thoughts somehow reflect my own invasive and irrational thoughts - they change as the slightest external detail changes, they swing to both extremes, they are selfish and sad and powerful. The description in this book is - and this is not an understatement - god tier. Aciman creates sentences in a way that leaves you with a feeling that depicts what has happened, rather than an image. one i can think of now is “his reaction to Vimini’s death, rather than soothe an open sore, seemed to graze one that had healed on its own” but there are so many more beautiful descriptive sentences in this wonderful book. i wish i could write like this.
the ending is what hurt most. the type of love elio and oliver have actually scares me, because in the final pages you see just how much of an impact they each had on each other’s life from a period of six weeks. it’s insanely powerful .
Another aspect I liked was how malleable the time aspect was. Time wasn’t linear or even, it was all over the place and would be stretched out or skipped over. It was very much Elio’s perspective of time and how Oliver influenced him.
Something else i liked - the only time the name Elio is mentioned is when Oliver is saying it, and it doesn’t happen a lot. When the name is finally mentioned it has a more powerful impact, especially considering the title of the book.
I may come back to this review when I reflect on other aspects I loved. the only reason i didn’t give it 5/5 stars was that while it was interesting, for the most part it wasn’t compelling (although i have been very busy at work and with exams so that could be why). It gives me Lana Del Rey vibes. The movie did not do it justice, though it was very good.
I have never read a book with so much imagery and description that completely relates to what I feel. Elio’s irrational and impulsive thoughts somehow reflect my own invasive and irrational thoughts - they change as the slightest external detail changes, they swing to both extremes, they are selfish and sad and powerful. The description in this book is - and this is not an understatement - god tier. Aciman creates sentences in a way that leaves you with a feeling that depicts what has happened, rather than an image. one i can think of now is
the ending is what hurt most. the type of love elio and oliver have actually scares me,
Another aspect I liked was how malleable the time aspect was. Time wasn’t linear or even, it was all over the place and would be stretched out or skipped over. It was very much Elio’s perspective of time and how Oliver influenced him.
Something else i liked - the only time the name Elio is mentioned is when Oliver is saying it, and it doesn’t happen a lot. When the name is finally mentioned it has a more powerful impact, especially considering the title of the book.
I may come back to this review when I reflect on other aspects I loved. the only reason i didn’t give it 5/5 stars was that while it was interesting, for the most part it wasn’t compelling (although i have been very busy at work and with exams so that could be why). It gives me Lana Del Rey vibes. The movie did not do it justice, though it was very good.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Vomit, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Terminal illness
sashatheoptimist's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Cancer, Vomit, Terminal illness, Homophobia, Death of parent, and Cultural appropriation
maess's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Vomit
Minor: Self harm, Alcohol, Death of parent, Cancer, Child death, and Death
murcurymo's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
the scenery descriptions of 1980s Italy are beautiful, it's so nostalgic for summers in the countryside, has such a raw insight into falling in love from 1st person perspective.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual content
Minor: Alcohol
j4cq's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
this is not a love story
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Cancer
Minor: Alcohol and Death of parent
dice_reads's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Sexual content and Alcohol
kashby's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.25
first book ive cried to
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Antisemitism, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, and Grief
thewordsdevourer's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
finishing this book is like waking up from a stupor, one where my heart has been ripped out and ive been punched in the gut in the process. call me by your name is a devastating story of love and loss, bone-deep aching and longing and desire and shame and fear and an unbreakable bond forged during an unbelievably idyllic, languid summer. the language is simple yet lucid and breathlessly stirring--it was as if i was elio himself--the setting and mood are superb, and the book's final part is a treasure. never has a book been so masterfully, acutely aware of all the ways we second-guess and subtly manipulate, all the heady push-and-pull we maneuver to draw out others or to protext ourselves, yet this is such an affecting, evocative, heartbreaking read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol and Injury/Injury detail
onthelam's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
i was confused and uncomfortable at some points. Like fucking a peach i could still bear but then comparing it to a rape victim was just ugh and ofcourse the creepy underwear scene. But the writing was amazing, everything was beautifully worded and some parts made me feel like i understood myself better. the characters were complicated as was the story and the ending left me feeling sorta empty but in a good way?
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcohol, Death, Drug use, Excrement, Grief, Homophobia, Rape, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, and Vomit
abby_p's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, and Alcohol
Minor: Terminal illness and Death of parent