Don't expect me to feel sorry or tormented for this boy. He can cry about his sexuality, confusion, and lost love from the comfort of his privileged, cushy life.

And that's the problem, aside from Elio's anxiety and indecision, I feel nothing connecting me to him.

Neither of them. At best they feel like mouthpieces for the author to vomit his introspection and philosophy. So these characters have no agency or self.

The only thing that makes me give this 3 stars is the writing. It's quite beautiful, but not without its problems. In places where he could've used 5 words, he uses 2 paragraphs. And in places that needed paragraphs, we only got 5 words.

No place is this more apparent than part 3, when the slog to finish this book began.

Neither the journey or destination was worth the trip, and I feel more emotional resonance when reading Hallmark cards.