A review by abbyjoyw
Call Me by Your Name by André Aciman

emotional reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

First and foremost, I would like to mention, although contrary to my rating, I did enjoy reading this book very much, but I have to say I found the film better.
There are so many beautiful descriptions and paragraphs written with upmost eloquence and thought, where I often found myself wishing I could read it again for the first time. 
Elios feelings, obsessions and over- interpretations towards Oliver were written in a very relatable way and captured the rollercoaster of emotions of having a crush very well. I also enjoyed how the author wrote about loss and not being able to let go of someone, even after many, many years. 
What I didn’t enjoy as much was that the book had some references, to music interpretations for instance, or some italian/ french, which you didn’t understand unless you actually googled it. Not to mention the often uncomfortable (sex) scenes and elios constant horniness didn’t necessarily motivate me to continue reading. I guess I enjoyed the film more because it was  less extreme than the book was.
Overall I would say I do appreciate the authors work and writing style but would’ve enjoyed it much more if it were less intense and it wasn’t so sex- based. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings