Reviews with content warning for Toxic relationship - Call Me by Your Name

I watched the movie a few years ago (and really liked it) and now finally read the book. And I have to say the book did a phenomenal job at captivating feelings. I literally could feel my gut wrenching every other page because of Aciman‘s incredible writing style/description of emotions. Because the book is written in a „monologue“, it‘s hard to perfectly reflect everything on screen. In the film it‘s obvious that Elio is extremely in love with Oliver, but in the book it‘s just on another level (because you are in Elio‘s mind). He’s obsessive and kind of idolizes Oliver where you could say it becomes unhealthy. In the movie you don‘t really get that intensity. The endings in novel and film-adaptation are very different but both hit hard.

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rhi_'s review

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emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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hello_lovely13's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-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? Yes

2.5

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jg34's review against another edition

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challenging emotional 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

2.0

The writing was ok but not my kind of book. It was slow and repetitive and confusing and contradictory and trying to hard to be deep but was just weird to me. Many part seriously just freaked me out FOR EXAMPLE

Spoiler

boy masturbating with a peach and then Oliver EATING IT and them wanting to look at each others poop????!!?? Is that romance???? I cannot. Also could not get past the fact that the main character was a minor thirsting after an adult and the adult eventually consented to the relationship.

seriously this is bit fucked up but fearless I guess

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awrathall's review against another edition

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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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hhwanghyunjin's review against another edition

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emotional 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

4.75

"Call Me by Your Name" is a novel that speaks to me on many levels. I found the book to be a beautifully written exploration of the complexities of desire and identity, and was impressed by the skillful way in which the author wove together themes of love, loss, and self-discovery.

One of the things that stood out to me about "Call Me by Your Name" was the strength of its character development. The novel's protagonist, Elio, is a rich and multifaceted character whose emotional and sexual awakening is both relatable and deeply affecting. I appreciated the way in which the author allowed Elio's flaws and insecurities to be an integral part of his journey towards self-acceptance, and found his journey to be both poignant and thought-provoking.

In addition to its strong character development, I was also impressed by the book's lyrical and poetic prose style. The author has a gift for vividly evoking the sensory details of the Italian countryside, and her descriptions of Elio's inner thoughts and emotions are both powerful and deeply felt.

Overall, I found "Call Me by Your Name" to be a beautifully crafted novel that explores complex themes of love, desire, and self-discovery with empathy and nuance. It is a book that rewards close reading and careful attention to detail, and is sure to resonate with anyone who has ever struggled to understand their own feelings or find their place in the world.

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