Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

Call Me by Your Name by André Aciman

39 reviews

williamgideon's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Racial slurs, and Vomit

Minor: Rape, Terminal illness, Cancer, and Death of parent

cgibson25's review against another edition

dark 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? It's complicated

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Pedophilia, Cursing, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Stalking, Cancer, and Classism

Minor: Blood, Death of parent, Vomit, Antisemitism, Child death, and Death

qspeaks's review against another edition

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

The way Aciman writes really makes you feel all of the raw emotion of being 17 and experiencing your first real love again. There are moments when this book brought back memories and emotions that I had completely forgotten I had ever felt. It's a slow read and feels almost stream-of-consciousness in some areas, which is incredibly charming and oddly adds to the immersion. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Sexual content, Vomit, Grief, and Excrement

Minor: Cancer, Alcohol, Drug use, and Terminal illness

amberrenfrey's review against another edition

emotional 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Homophobia, Biphobia, Cancer, and Alcohol

Minor: Child death, Vomit, Death of parent, Excrement, and Terminal illness

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.

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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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Cancer, Vomit, Terminal illness, Homophobia, Death of parent, and Cultural appropriation

dniespal's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective relaxing sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.5

We are not written for one instrument alone; I am not, neither are you.

Amazing, poetically written piece on desire and longing. Aciman is able in his words to take you to the summery italy and really feel the heat of the sun.
The only thing I can point out is that the main character, Elio, isn't a particularly believable 17-year-old. The way he express himself and analyse emotions and gestures is way too mature for his age. And his actions are somewhat toxic and a bit eerie.
But still, really worth a read!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Vomit

Moderate: Child death, Grief, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent

Minor: Homophobia

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?

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Content Warnings

Minor: Alcohol, Death, Drug use, Excrement, Grief, Homophobia, Rape, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, and Vomit

aliceloyallaleon's review against another edition

emotional funny 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Vomit, Chronic illness, Child death, Terminal illness, and Cursing

Minor: Blood

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, and Alcohol

Minor: Terminal illness and Death of parent