A review by _maia3_
Find Me by André Aciman

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? No

2.75

Find Me is arranged in multiple parts, with the first two being the longest by far. These deal with Samuel’s new love who is a much younger woman, and Elio’s new love, a much older man. I was able to buy into Samuel’s story as a “sometimes you find love in odd places” since the characters seemed to have some chemistry, but Elio and Michel had exactly none, and it was at this point that I grew tired of the age gap relationship trope this book seems to rely on. 

Whilst in parts a beautifully reflective piece on time, death, the “correct path” in life and most notably, ageing, it was overshadowed by what felt like a compulsive need to write in an unconventional love story. The strength of CMBYN was the fact that the sex seemed intimate and earned, here it is superfluous. However, once the book moves onto Oliver it gets stronger as we get a glimpse of his life still haunted by the Italian Rivera. Unfortunately, the book ends not long after.

This isn’t really a continuation of Elio and Oliver so much as a reminder that life isn’t a straight line, time is a loop, and that life is too short to stay unhappy (with random unconvincing love stories thrown in).
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