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.

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.

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

- André Aciman wrote Call Me By Your Name initially as a short story, but the vivid characters and setting led him to expand it into a full-length novel.
- The novel was awarded the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Fiction in 2008, celebrating its contribution to LGBTQ+ literature.
- Aciman originally intended to set the novel in Liguria, Italy, but settled on the small town of B., inspired by his own experiences in the Italian countryside.

**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**  
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**  
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.

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

**Vimini**  
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.

André Aciman

Adult

Novel

Call Me By Your Name

Fiction

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Background

Call Me By Your Name Background

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Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1: “If Not Later, When?”

Part 1 Call Me By Your Name Part 1  Summary & Analysis

Part 2: “Monet’s Berm”

Part 2, Pages 66-117

Call Me By Your Name Part 2, Pages 66-117 Summary & Analysis

Part 2, Pages 117-163

Call Me By Your Name Part 2, Pages 117-163 Summary & Analysis

Part 3: “The San Clemente Syndrome”

Part 3 Call Me By Your Name Part 3 Summary & Analysis

Part 4: “Ghost Spots”

Part 4 Call Me By Your Name Part 4 Summary & Analysis

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Character Analysis

Call Me By Your Name Character Analysis

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Themes

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Important Quotes

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Call Me By Your Name

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