I always avoid watching an adapted movie before reading the book. This time was an accident. I was taking a flight by myself, and this movie looked interesting. I watched…and loved it, so much. So much that I have to read the book just to prolong the pleasure, but I had a reservation since I already watched the movie that there might not be any surprises. There was, in fact, not many surprises. But that is beyond the point.
The book was one of the few books that after the last page, I did not want to put it down and I suffered from withdrawal syndrome. So what was so good about it? I was scratching my head about it because granted, it was a love story. Who does not appeal to a good love story? However, it is about two men in love. I am not a guy and neither I am gay. So I am not especially curious about a story like that. I do not particularly like love story neither. After a while, I realized the attractiveness of this book. The attraction between Oliver and Elio is so pure that it is absolutely not about whether they are boys or girls. Their attraction to each other does not involve their external qualities. I once tried to describe this to a friend that their love ” is like they were both being stripped of all their external characteristics/qualities and left with only something like air/cloud and yet, they were attracted to each other.” I do not think my friend understood what I was saying. I have never read a love story that has this quality, not even close. A love story so pure has never been written so well. Call Me By Your Name has got it done perfectly.