Know me as By your Label details the fresh like story out-of Elio and you may Oliver, two teenagers whom invest a summer time together to the Italian Riviera and produce a bond that shapes the view of like for the rest of the life. Elio is actually good precocious 17-year-old which spends summer seasons with his household members within their property for the the fresh Italian Riviera. Oliver try an excellent and good-looking twenty four-year-old article-derica who spends a summer time about mid-mid-eighties in the Elio’s villa. Elio’s moms and dads get a hold of Oliver to reside using them to possess six weeks as part of a yearly fellowship that they render so you’re able to younger scholars, so as away from enabling him or her change a book to own publication and you can aiding Elio’s dad-that is himself a scholastic-together with files.
This new book was told by Elio’s first-people narration, recounting his memories from Oliver as well as their next dating. The novel starts with his first thoughts off Oliver: Oliver’s normal farewell, “Afterwards!”, hence Elio discovers strange, cool, and indifferent. In the first couple of weeks during the property, Oliver charms and you will befriends the new residents and locals of your property. The need you to definitely Elio feels having Oliver was at after challenging and you will sublime, a feeling more powerful than one he has noticed ahead of, but he finds out himself not able to show his thoughts or cam about the subject with individuals, having concern about guilt and you may rejection. Oliver’s noticeable coldness and indifference serious pain Elio, whom labors so you can keep hidden his emotions away from Oliver which have impacted silence and you will apathy toward their area.
Oliver invites him so you’re able to their space at nighttime in addition to a few make love, and Oliver retains Elio’s look and you may requires him to-name him by the his title
Elio and you may Oliver get a hold of common passion within the literary works, songs, thinking, and practice; a friendship blossoms between the two. Elio admires Oliver’s trust and worry about-owned feelings, taking note of how “okay” the guy seems with several something within his lives, including issue, his habits, his matchmaking, and his identity just like the a great Jewish kid. Aforementioned makes a strong impact into Elio, whose nearest and dearest is also Jewish but which produces an issue of staying hushed about any of it inside many Catholic country. Oliver’s count on about matter emboldens Elio and renders him be that Oliver could be his soulmate.
Regarding months leading up to Elio’s confession from their appeal, Oliver starts watching a next-door neighbor away from Elio’s titled Chiara. Both share an abundance of ‘citte’: times, crushes, and you will micro-infatuations. Elio shows into the their appeal to help you each other Oliver and you will Chiara and actively seeks signs you to its matchmaking are intimate, both in order to his excitement and you will frustration. When he attempts to correspond with Oliver throughout the Chiara, apparently in support of its relationship and seeking to put her or him up, Oliver closes him down, saying later that he is perhaps not trying to find their. Meanwhile, Elio’s parents ask your to expend longer having loved ones and you will appreciate their teens; obtaining their head from their curiosity about Oliver, he begins getting together with a lady their ages, Marzia. Elio and you may Marzia’s times is actually sexual not intimate, and Marzia keeps a careful mental length off Elio, enjoying courtesy their niceties to understand that he’s perhaps not in reality looking for the woman.
On a holiday into the close city of B., Elio cites his fascination with Oliver, and you will Oliver says to your that they shouldn’t talk about such things. Elio invites your so you’re able to his miracle single place in which the guy will come to learn, a comparable berm where Monet always color. Oliver kisses Elio to appease his appeal, but he desires not to go any longer getting concern about doing something that would make her or him become embarrassed. Elio has actually a difficult time training Oliver’s purposes, but Oliver hides his very own fascination with Elio off shyness and you 
may anxiety about providing their own emotions entangled. The following days try witness to much quiet and you may prevention between the pair, up to Elio decides to crack their quiet. Immediately after the night along with her, Elio feels frustration and you may fury, not knowing in which their experience of Oliver stands or where it is heading, but Oliver warms to your and you can a romance flora.
Because the Oliver’s fellowship ends, the guy and you may Elio traveling in order to Rome where Oliver commonly invest their last three days in Italy. Truth be told there, they spend a romantic vacation, spending one night with several revelers at a book-release party. The known poet can make a speech regarding nature off desire since a great universal human experience. Elio becomes also drunk and you will vomits inside a rectangular; Oliver facilitate him recoup, as well as sing Neapolitan tunes that have strangers on a street. Elio’s memory away from making out Oliver to your square will get his favorite recollections regarding Oliver for the rest of their lifetime.
Oliver productivity toward Us and you can Elio productivity to help you their house. In advance of departing, Oliver departs Elio their billowy blue clothing just like the a souvenir. They promise to stay in get in touch with; over the telephone, Oliver says to Elio that he, also, grabbed a memento regarding their place: a great postcard portraying Monet’s berm. Elio’s dad shows in order to your which he know towards fling which he approves. The guy tells Elio one what he previously having Oliver was a unique, rare occurrence, something he himself never ever used in his lives. The following 12 months, Oliver marries a female and you may continues so you’re able to father several students. Regarding decades you to pursue, Elio will continue to think on their experience in Oliver and you may observes it an effective fulcrum to that most other romantic event from inside the their lifetime revolve. When you look at the unclear conditions, he states which he got of numerous matchmaking immediately following Oliver, however, none given that joyous and lives-defining since Oliver. Elio and you can Oliver mix paths once again within an alternate England school where Oliver teaches, their guys now teens; they display beverages and you may remember.
Elio, who is introverted and you can shy, shows towards the beginning of his infatuation which have Oliver, examining each of Oliver’s terminology and you will mannerisms as he privately pines having an even more sexual reference to Oliver
Age up coming-20 years following situations off their june having Elio, and you will following death of Elio’s father-Oliver features an overnight stay at the fresh villa on the way so you can various other Italian town. Elio strolls Oliver through the property and additionally they remember regarding the their father. Oliver tells Elio that he is just like him-which he “remembers what you.” Elio stops the latest novel because of the looking to tell Oliver that if he chatrooms his taxi the second day, if the the guy its feels like your, he is to hold their look and call your because of the his label just as the guy performed on their first night along with her.