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rosiesreadsx's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-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? Yes
5.0
it is the best book ever, guaranteed to make you cry atleast twice while reading🥹🥹
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Excrement
leahloura's review against another edition
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Aciman's prose are truly jaw dropping. The prose in this book are lyrical, and honestly almost homeric. The setting in a beautiful Italian summer in the 80's had me hooked. That said, there is controversy surrounding this book because of the adult-adolescent romance that is the main focus/ plot of this novel, and because of that I would say that this is a book that should be read critically. I think that this novel is intended to make us reflect on how disturbing, strong, and complex human desire can be. I think it is a book that could make anyone who has experienced intense romantic obsession, infatuation, or lovesickness feel seen. Elios thoughts and feelings are written in a way that is so honest, it feels like you are reading someones most unfiltered and confidential thoughts and actions, the sort of things people would never say aloud.
I would recommend this book, especially as a summer read. Approach it like you're reading a diary, with enough open-mindedness to empathize and love the characters, but also enough objectivity to cast judgement where it is due.
I would recommend this book, especially as a summer read. Approach it like you're reading a diary, with enough open-mindedness to empathize and love the characters, but also enough objectivity to cast judgement where it is due.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Biphobia, and Sexual content
natraf_reads's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
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? No
3.0
have a lot of mixed feelings about this -
The first being the prose was beautifully written. It felt like poetry the way descriptions flowed off the page. However, I felt that this thought stream coming from a 17 year old boy was incredibly unrealistic.
17 year old Ellio, finds himself magnetically drawn to 24 year old Oliver, a postdoctoral student studying abroad and staying with Ellio’s family. What starts as a fascination becomes more of an obsession. Every waking thought Ellio has is of Oliver.
Having a young person interested in an older, seemingly cooler, more put together person seems normal. But Ellio’s thoughts become focused on fantasies he has had about he and Oliver’s pairing. There is a lot of sexual content that seems very one sided. These are Ellio’s thoughts and fantasies. It’s not until over halfway through the book we see Oliver reciprocate any feelings or interest.
At which time there’s the pretty disturbing scene with Ellio and the peach that I’m just going to pretend I never read… but it’s fine.
Once joined, I feel that Oliver has continued to take advantage of Ellio and his obsession with Oliver.
We see once Oliver moves back home and comes back a few months later to visit, that he is engaged. He has a woman he’s been seeing the last few years, and pretty much just ends everything he and Ellio shared.
Years later, he still has pieces of memories they shared, Ellio who is still hoping for a chance to see his long lost love , knows he still wants more with Oliver, but can’t. Oliver even acknowledges that his eldest son is the same age as Ellio was when they met, and that he would never want that for him.
I thought the writing was beautiful. I felt that the emotions conveyed and the deep feelings Ellio held were beautiful - but kind of crossed into the territory of obsessive. I feel that Oliver took advantage of him. I feel that their whole relationship was unsafe.
It’s a hard balance between seeing the true romance this was intended as, and the twisted obsession it was.
The first being the prose was beautifully written. It felt like poetry the way descriptions flowed off the page. However, I felt that this thought stream coming from a 17 year old boy was incredibly unrealistic.
17 year old Ellio, finds himself magnetically drawn to 24 year old Oliver, a postdoctoral student studying abroad and staying with Ellio’s family. What starts as a fascination becomes more of an obsession. Every waking thought Ellio has is of Oliver.
Having a young person interested in an older, seemingly cooler, more put together person seems normal. But Ellio’s thoughts become focused on fantasies he has had about he and Oliver’s pairing. There is a lot of sexual content that seems very one sided. These are Ellio’s thoughts and fantasies. It’s not until over halfway through the book we see Oliver reciprocate any feelings or interest.
At which time there’s the pretty disturbing scene with Ellio and the peach that I’m just going to pretend I never read… but it’s fine.
Once joined, I feel that Oliver has continued to take advantage of Ellio and his obsession with Oliver.
We see once Oliver moves back home and comes back a few months later to visit, that he is engaged. He has a woman he’s been seeing the last few years, and pretty much just ends everything he and Ellio shared.
Years later, he still has pieces of memories they shared, Ellio who is still hoping for a chance to see his long lost love , knows he still wants more with Oliver, but can’t. Oliver even acknowledges that his eldest son is the same age as Ellio was when they met, and that he would never want that for him.
I thought the writing was beautiful. I felt that the emotions conveyed and the deep feelings Ellio held were beautiful - but kind of crossed into the territory of obsessive. I feel that Oliver took advantage of him. I feel that their whole relationship was unsafe.
It’s a hard balance between seeing the true romance this was intended as, and the twisted obsession it was.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Vomit
marthomelew's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content
litoreads's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Child death, Drug use, Excrement, Vomit, and Death of parent
By today's American standards, this would be considered an adult/minor relationship which would automatically make their sexual endeavors statutory r*pe; that being said, this takes place in 1980s Italy where the age of consent is 14 (not that that makes it right) but Elio is 17 for most of this book and Oliver is college-aged. If that offends you, don't read it.spectralspawn's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-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
0.5
This book was a gross display of a predator using his power and influence over a teenager to completely twist and warp his mind. To the degree where he spends his entire life being in love and obsessed with this man. Meanwhile the predator had his fun with a child and then moved on with his life like he wasn't even a blip on it. Would not recommend reading unless you are someone who likes reading about that sort of thing... In that case... Have fun I guess
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Sexual content and Toxic relationship
bluestar_apologist's review against another edition
Romanticization of an adult/minor “relationship.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
macks_bookshelf's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual content
mels_reading_log's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
When I watched this movie there were a lot of times when I felt I was missing something. Now that I have read the book I understand. This author writes in a poetic way, very descriptive and flowery language as he delves deep into feelings and memories. That is hard to express on film. This story is about a 17 year old and his affair with a visiting professor who is staying in his parents’ home in Italy for the summer. This relationship is problematic from an age perspective but also a maturity perspective. The teenager falls in love hard, in that completely obsessive way that teenagers love everything. And the older man takes advantage of that admiration.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death and Drug use
lucyatoz's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
4.0
Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman tells the story of 17 year old Elio, who's father invites a guest to their home on the Italian Riviera every Summer to assist him with his paperwork. This year it is Oliver, an American, who is getting his book translated by a local into Italian.
What starts in the beginning with an awkward tour of his home, then develops into passion feelings with Elio for Oliver and, over the course of barely 6 weeks, they have a Summer romance filled with intimacy and obsession that takes them to the edge with a final few nights in Rome before Oliver returns home to the USA.
I appreciated this story with its flowing narrative that is tender and naked yet brutal and unsparing by turn.
I borrowed a copy of this book from Taunton Library and listened to it on cloudLibrary. I read this for prompt 41, a sticker on the cover, for the 52 Book Club Reading Challenge 2024.
What starts in the beginning with an awkward tour of his home, then develops into passion feelings with Elio for Oliver and, over the course of barely 6 weeks, they have a Summer romance filled with intimacy and obsession that takes them to the edge with a final few nights in Rome before Oliver returns home to the USA.
I appreciated this story with its flowing narrative that is tender and naked yet brutal and unsparing by turn.
I borrowed a copy of this book from Taunton Library and listened to it on cloudLibrary. I read this for prompt 41, a sticker on the cover, for the 52 Book Club Reading Challenge 2024.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, and Vomit