The first book is a summer read about first loves. You cannot compare it with the first book, they are too different.

It makes you fully understand what those years felt like. But these two people had to experience 20 years apart. The reader through this book gets to experience the pain they did, breafly, since by the end of the book they get together. The entire book keeps repeating about time being lost and about the years and years they had to be apart. They fail to understand that it is 100% on purpose. People complain that 10 pages aren't enough.

Then we have 10 wonderful pages that tell us about their lives once they get back together. We see him miss Elio painfully much and we finally can forgive him for breaking his heart. He was never as calculating as he presented himself to be, we see him vulnerable and full of regret. Then there is one small chapter from Oliver's point of view where for the first time we see how he felt about the whole situation. It felt great seeing how Elio found someone who truly cared for him to numb his pain and if he had given him more time I feel like they could have been happy together if things with Oliver never worked out. Then we follow Elio in his adulthood when he always has to deal with the loss of Oliver and how that has shaped literally his entire life.

It really challenges the reader to think without prejudice. It served the purpose it set to and it had some amazing dialogues and themes. Samuel was a story about second chances in life. It follows 3 narrators, Samuel, Elio and Oliver. This book is beautifully written and it flows so effortlessly and naturally. I appreciate books that do that, books that dont talk down to you or make you feel silly. You need to understand literature and plot and symbolism in order to appreciate this book. People who dislike this book have no valid reasons.

Now for some more in depth thoughts (spoilers ahead) I am so freaking annoyed that it took me too long to read this book because I trusted all the negative reviews. The performance was good, although a bit slow, I personally heard it at 1.80-2.0 speed. What an amazing and heartbreaking experience. You can really see how smart the author is, how much attention he paid into everything that he put in this book. The book is extraordinary and brilliant and so beautiful.

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