Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

Appelle-moi par ton nom by André Aciman

45 reviews

alyssadavis's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I suddenly realised that we were on borrowed time, that time is always borrowed, and that the lending agency exacts its premium precisely when we are least prepared to pay and need to borrow more.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

char233's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful reflective relaxing sad slow-paced

3.5

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

sloanadrouny's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional reflective tense slow-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? Yes

4.0

the prose in this book was insanely beautiful, and the story did really tug on my heartstrings at times. and THE LAST PARAGRAPH holy shit. however, there were some elements in this book that did make me quite uncomfortable, and for that i don’t think i can comfortably give this 5 stars.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

epellicci's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.0

Unfortunately, I could not get along with this book. The writing tried too hard to be poetic and instead came off as vague and cold. I found Elio's character unbearable - obsessive and pushy, the way he felt entitled to Oliver was creepy, not helped by the fact that almost his entire personality was written surrounding his relationship to Oliver, so he felt very two dimensional and boring. Communication between the main characters is stunted, which along with the age gap gives their relationship a decidedly toxic undercurrent. I wound up skimming most of the end. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

emmaoline's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I am left with one question after reading this book and that is how was this ever published?
Not just in terms of content but the writing seems like nonsensical drivel only found in a first draft. At times it felt like Aciman had recently purchased his first thesaurus when writing this book, but had yet to learn anything about punctuation. Whilst what is supposed to pass for plot feels more like horror than romance.

There are no likeable characters in this book. There are no people in this book, only aliens masquerading as people. Although I did enjoy the character Ada whose only purpose was to say "I am Ada," in a crowded room. If this was spoken to the main characters or not, or in the background is not really clear, which made it funnier.

But in the end, I am left reeling from the racist colonial ideology that came out of nowhere and had way too much time spent on it as if it were Shakespeare. This disgusting language was so disturbing I forgot the earlier passage where a peach was described as "bruises and damaged, like a rape victim,"[sic]
Expand filter menu Content Warnings