This is soulful writing at its best; one that tugs at your heartstrings. This is not your typical summer romance, but a love story that aches in its rawest form and last a lifetime.
What is it about
Elio Perlman is a seventeen-year-old boy who lives with his parents in Italy. One summer, he meets Oliver, a doctoral student from America. Elio’s father is a university professor who has invited Oliver to spend a few weeks with them. Elio is used to giving up his room every summer to a student, and he resents this. Before Oliver’s arrival, he is already moaning about vacating his room.
At first, Elio shows his disdain for Oliver and his constant use of ‘later’. He finds Oliver a little arrogant, though he admits that he is social and charming with everyone he meets. His own mother affectionately calls him ‘la muvi star’. He starts to observe Oliver and becomes obsessed with him. While he pretends to be aloof around Oliver, he realises that he is developing strong feelings for him.
Elio and Oliver begin to connect with each other and start spending time together, with the two of them professing their attraction to one another. They spend a few days in Rome, falling in love with each other. The title of the book comes from Oliver who tells Elio to “call me by your name, and I will call you by mine” – connecting them mind, body and soul.
Oliver then returns to America, and shortly after, announces his marriage. Oliver and Elio soon fall out of touch with one another. Twenty years later, they meet again and recall their time together.
What I love about this book
This is one of the most incredible stories I have read, one which leaves me with a bittersweet aftertaste and a yearning for the continuation of Elio’s soulful narrative. André Aciman is gifted, who writes with emotions and then weaves those emotions like poetry. He makes that one summer of Elio’s youth part of ours and suddenly we are reminded of the first time we fell in love or lusted over somebody who got away. He makes us want to be Elio, walking barefoot across the sun-kissed floor and enjoying a carefree summer.
The ending suggests they have an unfinished business, which allows readers to make up their minds on what they think happens with Elio and Oliver. I like that the author has left the door wide open for any possible interpretation. I love the ending, that last prose, which is so heartbreakingly beautiful.