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48 pages 1 hour read

Call Me By Your Name

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2007

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Book Brief

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André Aciman

Call Me By Your Name

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2007
Book Details
Pages

248

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Northern Italy • 1980s

Topic
Publication Year

2007

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman follows Elio, a 17-year-old who falls in love with Oliver, a 24-year-old American scholar staying at his family's summer home in Italy. The book captures their passionate and evolving relationship, exploring themes of identity, desire, and self-discovery, as they navigate the complexities of love and separation. The narrative includes themes of sexual awakening and explores intimate relationships between men.

Bittersweet

Emotional

Romantic

Contemplative

Nostalgic

Reviews & Readership

4.4

568,192 ratings

77%

Loved it

15%

Mixed feelings

8%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Aciman's Call Me By Your Name is a poignant exploration of first love and longing, praised for its evocative prose and deep emotional resonance. However, some readers find the pacing slow and certain narrative elements implausible. Overall, it's a compelling, if sometimes divisive, meditation on desire and identity.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Call Me By Your Name?

Fans of Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman often appreciate introspective and evocative narratives exploring themes of first love and self-discovery. Readers of Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin or A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara will likely find this novel's lush prose and emotional depth compelling.

4.4

568,192 ratings

77%

Loved it

15%

Mixed feelings

8%

Not a fan

Character List

Elio

Elio is a 17-year-old intellectual and sensitive young man living in Italy, who navigates his summer immersed in music and reading while experiencing a sexual awakening.

Oliver, a 24-year-old American scholar, arrives in Italy for a summer workshop and is noted for his outgoing personality and the impact he has on Elio.

Marzia is a teenage girl in B. who becomes involved with Elio during the summer, acting as another interest in his journey of sexual exploration.

Mr. Pearlman is Elio's liberal and open-minded father, who encourages Elio to embrace life's risks and explore his desires.

Vimini is a 10-year-old neighbor of Elio's, known for her precociousness and maturity, whose life serves as a reminder of the fleeting nature of youth.

Book Details
Pages

248

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Northern Italy • 1980s

Topic
Publication Year

2007

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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