Ugh. This book. Equal parts beautiful and .... disturbing. The atmosphere is lovely and perfectly captures the feeling of a lazy summer in Italy. Maybe it's because I've been to the region, but I could picture everything here vividly. The atmosphere was almost oppressive and overwhelming. It bothers me how much this book makes me feel like a lovesick adolescence again. I remember the extreme emotions you can have and how everything literally feels like life and death. The all consuming obsession and infatuation you can have for another person. Not love. Just obsession. It's miserable to read. But done so well here.