Reviews with content warning for Adult/minor relationship - Call Me by Your Name: Ruf mich bei deinem Namen

I loved the writing style of this book - I would describe it as eloquent, overwritten, unreliable narrator vibes. The main characters are both terribly flawed and are destined to lose each other and yet there is so much in the story about relationships, self-discovery, the passage of time, memories, families, etc.
This is not a sweet love story, and I don't think it is trying to be one either. I would definitely recommend looking at content warnings before reading this book.

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toonkatie's review against another edition

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Was very boring with little development in the plot

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emilyandthewhippet's review against another edition

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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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jessicabearbooks's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

Our hearts and our bodies are given to us only once. Most of us can't help but live as though we've got two lives to live, one is the mockup, the other the finished version, and then there are all those versions in between. But there's only one, and before you know it your heart is worn out.

This book is so different. I fell in love with the writing style but also did struggle with it. If you're not a reader who usually reads classical novels, this one could take some getting used to. Although it took me a few chapters to really get into the way Aciman writes, I was touched by the story from the beginning. I would definitely recommend reading this while in Italy! Specifically the North though, I read this in the South and it didn't quite have the same effect. That being said, I started to see Elio and Oliver and their world everywhere I went.

Elio as a character should not be overlooked or underestimated. He is definitely unreliable and I found myself struggling to accept a lot of his decisions and thoughts. I also struggled to work out what was really happening and what was just Elio's imagination? However, it is crucial when reading this book to understand that this is NOT a romance. This story is from the perspective of a teenager discovering who he is. Call Me By Your Name is a coming of age story. Elio's mind is twisted, confusing, horny to a fault, and should be accepted as such. And if you can get past the preconceived negatives surrounding Elio and Oliver's relationship, then you'll be able to appreciate the innocence and gentleness of the story.

I found the whole thing unexpectedly funny! What do you mean I'm reading things such as "his apricock" and "Whoo-hoo the Witching hour". A lot of the characters are sweet and their motives are easy to get behind.

No I've never had sex with a peach, but parts of this story were relatable. I think It's important to take a step back while reading this book and remember we have all been in love. We've all been helpless to the thoughts of someone, and we've all been desperate to be noticed. This book is troubling on the bare occasions, but it is beautiful throughout.

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marc_le's review against another edition

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reflective sad 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? Yes

2.5

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shaleen64's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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? No

3.75

The exploration of sexuality and love is beautifully detailed. As are the views surrounding these topics.

Each of the characters have a lovable or relatable quality to them. However, for me the most impactful scene was the conversation between Elio and his dad.

Had the book not been overly wordy at times with exceptionally long chapters, making the beginning in particular difficult to get through, I would have rated higher but nevertheless I would still recommend this book.

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emmabagshaw'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? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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