Reviews tagging 'Infidelity'

Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman

20 reviews

sleepywhippetbookclub's review against another edition

slow-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? Yes

3.0

Bloody hell. I mean, it's well written but Elio just gives total serial killer vibes doesn't he?

Like his

low key stalking, wishing Oliver was dead, forcing sex on others, his secretly wanking into Oliver's swim trunks when they're not even on speaking terms, wanting to EAT his swim trunks...

!? And that's just the start. Or perhaps it's his wanting to

cut Oliver's heart out

?

And that's before we get onto him

fucking the peach

!? Then describing it like

it'd been raped

? Not to mention

leaving it for hours on the side whilst he has a sticky nap covered in peach slush, only for Oliver to pop right in and willingly, INSIST on EATING. THE. DAMN. THING

!

When I read the blurb, I thought this was going to be, and I quote "like Saltburn but without the disturbing stuff". If anything, this felt more disturbing than Saltburn 😂

Ultimately is a book about obsession. Is it love? I'm not sure. At it's heart it's about a horny 17 year old, obsessively lusting over 24 year old college professor who's only there for the summer.

One quote from Elio sums the story up pretty well:

"Do I like you? I worship you"

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Vomit, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

violet_carson's review against another edition

emotional reflective relaxing sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Minor: Infidelity and Vomit

librarymouse'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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Call Me By Your Name really reminds me of Bernhard Schlink's The Reader, and despite its literary merit, I am similarly unsure that I enjoyed reading the novel. The writing is beautiful in some parts, but Elio's unhinged obsession and Oliver's acquiescence to the sexual advances of a minor are both cause for concern and not particularly enjoyable to read. Elio is damaged from the experience, unable to let his history with Olive go in order to form new and lasting bonds in adulthood, in a way that Oliver is not. The power imbalance in this novel is stark. Call Me By Your Name is considered a romance, but I don't see it as such. It's about obsession, miscommunication, and social expectations. There are also an egregious number of scenes that focus on feet.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Alcohol

Moderate: Cancer, Child death, and Terminal illness

Minor: Death, Homophobia, and Abandonment

singalana's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Tämä kirja herätti ristiriitaisia tunteita, koska kokemus jakautui pääasiassa kolmeen tunnetilaan. Kirja kertoo, kuinka yhtenä kesänä 17-vuotias Elio rakastuu itseään seitsemän vuotta vanhempaan kesävieraaseen, Oliveriin. 

Kirjan alkupuoliskolla seuraamme Elion suorastaan pakkomielteistä ihastumista Oliveriin. Seuraa kiihkeä (ja hyvin graafinen) romanssi, ja sen jälkeen katkeransuloinen loppu, koska kesä on lopussa ja Oliverin täytyy mennä. 

Kirjassa kuvattiin elävästi kesää, Italiaa ja ihmisiä. Silti en päässyt päähenkilön kanssa oikein sinuiksi, ja osa kirjan sisällöstä sai aikaan vaivaantuneisuuden tunteita. Olisin halunnut tutustua enemmän muihin hahmoihin, etenkin Elion isään, mutta näkökulma pidetään hyvin tiiviisti Eliossa ja hänen suhteessan Oliverin. 

Suuren osan kirjasta vietämmekin Elion pään sisällä, siinä mitä hän ajattelee, suunnittelee ja muistelee. Hänen suhteensa Oliveriin on hyvin elävä, ja lopussa katkeransuloinen. Silti en voi antaa kirjalle tämän korkeampaa arvosanaa, sillä jotain jäi puuttumaan, ehkä jokin lopullinen yhteys hahmon ja lukijan välillä, jotain sellaista, joka olisi saanut lukijan rakastamaan Oliveria yhtä paljon kuin Elio. 

Tämän lisäksi loppua kohti kirjassa on paljon lainauksia italiaksi, ja itse koin ne hieman turhaksi.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Rape, Excrement, Vomit, Antisemitism, Death of parent, and Alcohol

paigem4rrie's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

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

luciovalencia's review against another edition

adventurous 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Infidelity and Alcohol

Minor: Cancer, Child death, Terminal illness, Antisemitism, and Death of parent

awrathall's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Cursing and Alcohol

Minor: Homophobia, Infidelity, Antisemitism, and Death of parent

lindasoderlundd's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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

2.25

The writing was beautiful and atmospheric, and I really liked the last part of the book. Other than that, this book was just... meh. There was a lot of stuff that I found boring, and a lot of stuff that weirded me out. And for the most part, the love story didn't even feel like one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual content

Moderate: Alcohol

Minor: Biphobia, Cancer, Child death, Cursing, Infidelity, Transphobia, Excrement, Vomit, Antisemitism, Dementia, Stalking, and Death of parent

vanesst's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual content

Moderate: Alcohol

Minor: Cancer, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Infidelity, Rape, Vomit, and Death of parent

oflifeandstuff's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

This is one of the best books I have ever read.
It’s such a poignant capture of a young love that pokes at its drama as much as it takes it seriously. 
I don’t know how it’s possible to portray someone’s inner life so well. A literary masterpiece and one that will go down in the annals of literature.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual content

Moderate: Cancer, Death, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Vomit, Death of parent, and Classism

Minor: Homophobia, Transphobia, Antisemitism, and Dementia