Publisher: Picador
Page Count: 250
Call Me By Your Name was my final read in the year 2017 and I fell completely and utterly in love with the book. Originally, I decided to pick it up because I saw the trailer for the movie and had very few expectations for what was to come, I only knew that I liked the concept. To my own surprise I couldn’t help but declare it my absolute favourite book of the entire year (and maybe even longer than that?).
For a lack of better word, I would describe reading Call Me By Your Name an experience. The writing is extremely lyrical and raw, so much so that I felt like I was intruding on someone’s most private thoughts but at the same time it was impossible to put down. It was truly such an intimate affair that I fear I won’t do the book justice with my review, because I am not sure I will find all the right words, but I will try.
17-year-old Elio is a fantastic narrator. Sounding much more mature than his age would suggest and then again just like the boy he still is, he is not afraid to sometimes contradict himself in what he says and feels. All that makes it easy to follow him as he figures out his romantic life and sexuality.
“It would never have entered my mind because I was still under the illusion that, barring what I’d read in books, inferred from rumors, and overheard in bawdy talk all over, no one my age had ever wanted to be both man and woman-with men and women.”
It was thrilling but also a pain to watch him circle Oliver. Both romantic infatuation and sexual obsession radiated off Elio and that made the story over the course of its four parts beautiful and awful, intimate and sad, relatable and then again going that one step too far.
All I wanted for Elio and Oliver was to openly be able to show their feelings, but aside from the age difference, the 80s weren’t the kindest years for people to come out. I was rooting for them the entire time, but you always know from the get go that it is a bittersweet kind of story. Still, it was beautiful to read how they got closer and their relationship develops and builds up.
“I want to know your body, I want to know how you feel, I want to know you, and through you, me.”
If I had to pick one part of the book that bothered me, it would be that despite me loving the intimacy and palpable chemistry, I just simultaneously felt like I didn’t need to know every single detail of Elio’s deepest and innermost sexual fantasies and thoughts. For example, the infamous peach scene wasn’t badly written, but it was something that I, personally, didn’t need.
Aside from that, I adored basically the whole thing! I loved all the relationships, platonic, romantic and the ones that crossed borders. I loved how it is mentioned several times that Elio is an avid reader.
“This is my spot. All mine. I come here to read. I can’t tell you the number of books I’ve read here.”
“Do you like being alone?” he asked.
“No. No one likes being alone. But I’ve learned how to live with it.”
I loved how complex Elio’s relationship with his parents was presented. How they had very few rules and basically left him to his own devices but also really cared for him and where there when it counted.
I loved how the book made me feel like being in the Italian countryside during summer (during the actual middle of winter for me), without ever telling us where exactly we even were. That mystery about the location weirdly just added to the realness of it all, while I simultaneously just appreciated the European setting in general.
I have so many thoughts and emotions just thinking about this book, but aside from struggling to express them, I also don’t want to spoil the book for you entirely. I just hope that this little review gave you a nudge towards picking Call Me By Your Name up for yourself! I can only recommend it.
P.S.: I’d recommend listening to “Mystery of Love” by Sufjan Stevens (from the soundtrack) while reading! It gives you the perfect atmosphere.
Fazit: 5/5 stars! An instant classic and addition to my all-time-favorites-list!
Have you read Call Me By Your Name? Watched the movie? Do you want to?
Life and Other Disasters 
Well, Kat, you did a pretty amazing job at convincing me to read this book, haha. I don’t really think it would be for me, though, as you mentioned it to me before, with the whole sexual thoughts and everything? ANYWAY, I am really glad this book made such an impression on you, that was a fantastic review ❤
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Hahaha if you can get over the bit more graphic parts, I think you would enjoy the book as well. But I wouldn’t pressure you into reading it and I think your TBR has you busy as it is 😉
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AMAZING REVIEW! I completely agree with literally everything you said, my thoughts exactly. Especially concerning The Peach (it’s also in the movie btw, but it’s not as graphic and I didn’t dislike it as much as in the book, but still unnecessary).
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Thank you so much, Rafaela! I definitely didn’t feel like my review did the book justice, but I am very glad to hear that it represents your thoughts on it as well. ❤
Oh gosh, THAT peach scene *rolls eyes* I am a bit relieved to hear it's not as bad in the movie. Did you know that the director was concerned that it wasn't physically possible, so he one day came on set and proclaimed "I tried it, it's possible." and only then did they film it?
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OMG o.o he was certainly commited to this film (but at the same time ew)
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RIGHT!? It’s like TMI hahaha
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Haha I was following along with your Goodreads updates and tweets about this one so I was waiting for this review! You’ve got me so excited to read it. My friend keeps begging me to see the movie but I’m determined to read it first. It’s summer here so I might get on it soon. Loved this review! 🙂
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I was so freaking in love with this book! I hear it’s better to read the book before watching the movie, even though both are fantastic in their own ways. I haven’t seen it myself yet, but all the scenes and trailers and reviews are VERY promising.
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Lovely write-up. I’m hoping to read the book before I get a chance to see the film at the cinema… fingers crossed!
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Thank you! I hear it’s better to read the book first, but I unfortunately haven’t gotten around to seeing it myself yet either. I am keeping my fingers crossed for you!
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I didn’t actually know this was a book- I saw the trailer and thought it was just a movie. Now I definitely want to read it- your review makes it sound really beautiful and with wonderfully drawn characters. Even if it does overshare thoughts (I’m not big on when books do that either) it sounds like there wasn’t anything about it that fundamentally detracted from the book. Stunning review!!
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For the longest time, I didn’t know either! I think I actually saw someone retweet that the movie’s fanclub was doing a giveaway for the book and that’s when I looked into it some more.
Not gonna lie, there were 3-4 scenes where I was like “TMI !!!” or where Elio’s behaviour turned a tad too obsessive for me, but I could EASILY overlook it for what else was given to me in that book. I cannot say enough how deeply I fell in love with that story.
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Oh that’s cool!!
Ah yes I completely get that- sometimes it’s enough to really put me off, but I get why you were able to overlook it here, because of the story and writing here.
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Exactly! Sometimes it just has to be one small thing and it will ruin a book for me, but here it wasn’t a part I loved but in the end it didn’t really matter overall.
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Yes I totally get that! But that’s great 😀
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This is so not the kind of books I usually even look, that’s why I love you 😀 Your fabulous review makes it sound as if you just can’t miss this opportunity to dive deep into emotions and a forbidden relationship that’s bound to make you feel! I love that you’re able to give it 5 stars despite the oversharing! I’d probably have the same feeling as you about it, but you manage to still enjoy it so much, your passion is contagious!
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I marked all the scenes that really bothered me with red sticky notes and quotes and passages I liked with other colors. Overall, I only had 4 red stickers in the entire book and in the end, I didn’t really care? I mean, I’d rather not have those scenes, but in the scheme of things, it is such a heartbreaking and raw story. It’s as if you found someone’s diary and you know you shouldn’t read it but at the same time you cannot keep your hands of it, you know?
Glad my passion caught on ❤ ❤ ❤
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Love your review! I watched the film last night and now I’m obsessed. The book is already ordered and on its way! You’ve somehow made me even more excited for it to arrive. I can’t wait to get started:)
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Thank you so much! I am so glad to hear it 😀 I hope you will enjoy the book just as much as the film, or maybe even more? haha
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Great review!
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Thanks ❤
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I don’t think I’ve heard a single bad review of neither the book nor the movie, so I’m curious to read it.
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Oh wow, that means your expectations are sky high! I truly hope the book holds up.
I do think that both have their faults here and their, but in the overall scheme of things I could overlook them. I touched upon some things in the review, for example Elio’s very detailed sexual fantasies that I absolutely did not care for, but overall, this book was magnificent. I hope it will bring you as much joy reading as it did me! ❤
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Oh my, I’m reading it right now. One thing I can definitely say I agree on is that the book also came across to me as very human, raw and vulnerable. I definitely got the feeling of intruding on his thoughts- it got me in this weird melancholic vibe… It’s weird because I find myself not being able to read too much of it at once but also wanting to finish it to see what happens (I’m about one third into the book).
Definitely agree on the fact that it’s sometimes too detailed:)) I probably came across The Peach Scene already haha :))
So far, it’s definitely shaping up to be a very good read of mine… We’ll see how we progress!
Great review ❤
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It’s definitely a very different style of writing, but I think that’s why it’s so memorable to me. I read it all in two days and there was this feeling of not wanting it to end but also needing to know where it goes next. It’s such a simple story, but a very effective one. Hope you keep enjoying it. The most emotional parts are still ahead of you!
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I’m scared now :)) I hope I’ll keep enjoying it too! Fingers crossed it won’t mess me up too badly :’)
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Good luck on that haha
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I like this book very much, and I wonder if there are any other books like this one? Do you have any recommendations? ⊙▽⊙
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Sorry, Call Me By Your Name was quite the unique experience, so of the top of my head I can’t really think of anything similar
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Thank you all the same. My native language is not English so I think it’s a barrier to know more good books. But I think the feeling of the two characters in this book is really beautiful, I love it^_^
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Absolutely! It was such a gorgeous love story. So tragic and raw and just full of emotions.
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This is the only movie that striked me on the core as well as the book maybe this will be my favorite movie and book lifelong.
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I can definitely relate!!!
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They you can definitely feel😊
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