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chelseeaa's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
it was… something. for a minute you forget that there’s a seven year age gap between the two. it’s written beautifully but, i found it difficult to pick back up after i’d finished reading a couple pages. it’s a pretty but ultimately strange book filled with feet, swimming trunks and.. peaches.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Cancer, Death of parent, Child death, and Death
jesstriestoread's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
chao3's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Beautiful language and descriptions of nature. Emotional but lighthearted story. A great summer read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual content
joeykills's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Excrement, Cancer, Sexual content, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Child death, and Chronic illness
vicixyz's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Toxic relationship
_marco_'s review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I had heard both amazing and awful things about this book, so I had to at least try to read it; I’m an empiricist.
I adored this book. At once simplistic yet poetic, Aciman’s writing conveys the complex emotions of first love (or is it something more spiritual?). First glances, growing desire, to denial, shame, guilt, followed by acceptance, friendship, romance, and all the transitional thoughts and feelings in between were rendered with such perfect clarity that I could have mistaken them for my own. Maybe they were, and this story put into words what I had never been able to do myself.
I adored this book. At once simplistic yet poetic, Aciman’s writing conveys the complex emotions of first love (or is it something more spiritual?). First glances, growing desire, to denial, shame, guilt, followed by acceptance, friendship, romance, and all the transitional thoughts and feelings in between were rendered with such perfect clarity that I could have mistaken them for my own. Maybe they were, and this story put into words what I had never been able to do myself.
He was my secret conduit to myself—like a catalyst that allows us to become who we are, the foreign body, the pacer, the graft, the patch that sends all the right impulses, the steel pin that keeps a soldier’s bone together, the other man’s heart that makes us more us than we were before the transplant.
I’ve read a lot of literary books, but Aciman’s light and airy narration is my personal favourite. Thorough psychological descriptions and minimal dialogue propel the story very well, and subtle wordplay and recurring afterthoughts create layers of meaning in every sentence. Even his descriptions of place—the Villa, Rome—are rendered in such a dreamy light that I pictured everything as if in a watercolour.
The Italy that Aciman presents to us is also beautiful in itself. I loved how real it was: this isn’t a tourist-washed view of the country, where people go about singing Pavarotti in the unrealistically clean and well-maintained streets of Rome. This is an Italy that is lived in, yet still beautiful, where people speak their dialects and cast judgement over a game of briscola in the languorous heat of summer. La Società dei Magnaccioni was a nice Roman touch.
Once again, I love the theme of nostalgia and ephemerality that sets the tone in the very beginning and punctuates the story beautifully at the end. Something about brief experiences in our youth that will come to shape the rest of our lives, like the tart taste of lemon that stays on your tongue… delicious.
I cannot recommend this book enough, especially to queer men. The more I think about this book, the more I can say it’s my favourite out of all I’ve read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual content
Minor: Terminal illness
While Elio and Oliver’s relationship falls under the adult/minor umbrella, it wasn’t predatory or manipulative, and it was completely consensual. The author presented it in such a way that wasn’t uncomfortable or graphic at all. While I’m still unsure as to how I feel about this aspect, I definitely wasn’t triggered in a way that affected how I experienced the core of the story.bernard_black's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
4.25
Lana Del Rey released Honeymoon so there is something fitting to listen to while you're reading this, I am convinced.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual content
Moderate: Terminal illness, Vomit, Death, and Alcohol
sarahthenerd's review against another edition
reflective
relaxing
slow-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? Yes
4.0
TW: age gap, adult-minor relationship & sexual harassment
“Do I like you, Oliver? I worship you.” –Elio
The way Elio describes everything is so beautiful. The way he uses his words is beautiful. This book gives a good picture of having a crush. The longing of the crush when they give you the silent treatment, when they briefly touch your hands, the looks they’ll give you, the jealousy when they're with someone else and also the longing to confess the undying love. I love how Elio is just like all of us when having a crush.
Honestly I don't know what else to say abt this book. There are quotes that I highlighted and all of them are so beautiful.
Also, Elio is so unhinged when he's horny. This book seriously has no filter when it comes to sex.
This book is so Gorgeous and august by Taylor Swift.
“Do I like you, Oliver? I worship you.” –Elio
The way Elio describes everything is so beautiful. The way he uses his words is beautiful. This book gives a good picture of having a crush. The longing of the crush when they give you the silent treatment, when they briefly touch your hands, the looks they’ll give you, the jealousy when they're with someone else and also the longing to confess the undying love. I love how Elio is just like all of us when having a crush.
Honestly I don't know what else to say abt this book. There are quotes that I highlighted and all of them are so beautiful.
Also, Elio is so unhinged when he's horny. This book seriously has no filter when it comes to sex.
This book is so Gorgeous and august by Taylor Swift.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Sexual harassment
reni1223's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
relaxing
sad
medium-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship
paradicsomleves's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit, Homophobia, Sexual content, and Adult/minor relationship