LGBT · Italy · Summer
Call Me by Your Name by André Aciman — Summary, Key Ideas & Quotes
2007256 pages✦ 3-min Big ideas★ 4.1 (73)
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What is Call Me by Your Name about?
It's the summer of 1983, and precocious 17-year-old Elio Perlman is spending the days with his family at their 17th-century villa in Lombardy, Italy. He soon meets Oliver, a handsome doctoral student who's working as an intern for Elio's father. Amid the sun-drenched splendor of their surroundings, Elio and Oliver discover the heady beauty of awakening desire over the course of a summer that will alter their lives forever. Call Me By Your Name
A glimpse inside
The Intensity of First Love
Aciman captures the all-consuming nature of adolescent infatuation through Elio’s perspective. The narrative immerses readers in the protagonist’s obsessive longing, uncertainty, and exhilaration as he navigates his feelings for Oliver. The story does not shy away from the confusion, fear, and anticipation that accompany a first romantic experience, making the emotional stakes feel both universal and deeply personal.
Desire and Ambiguity
Desire in Call Me by Your Name is layered with ambiguity—sexual, emotional, and intellectual. The relationship between Elio and Oliver unfolds through subtle gestures, coded language, and moments of hesitation, reflecting the difficulty of articulating and acting on forbidden or unspoken feelings. This ambiguity heightens the tension and realism of their connection, inviting readers to reflect on the ways desire is often veiled and fraught.
Ratings at a glance
Open Library
★ 4.1 / 5
73 ratings
✦
Get smart in 3 min
6 key ideas, distilled
- 1The Intensity of First Love
- 2Desire and Ambiguity
- 3The Role of Setting
- 4Memory and the Passage of Time
- 5Identity, Shame, and Acceptance
Popular quotes from Call Me by Your Name
“We rip out so much of ourselves to be cured of things faster than we should that we go bankrupt by the age of thirty and have less to offer each time we start with someone new.”
“Call me by your name and I'll call you by mine.”
“Is it better to speak or die?”
Frequently asked
It's the summer of 1983, and precocious 17-year-old Elio Perlman is spending the days with his family at their 17th-century villa in Lombardy, Italy. He soon meets Oliver, a handsome doctoral student who's working as an intern for Elio's father. Amid the sun-drenched splendor of their surroundings, Elio and Oliver discover the heady beauty of awakening desire over the course of a summer that will