Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Have you ever listened to a wonderful storyteller tell a wonderfully long story with an ending that just makes you say, tell the story again? That is Aristotle and Dante. I finished the prose-like story and wanted to go back - to see the clues that were so obvious now.

I want to say more, but I will give too much away. It is a story that touched me and I have already passed the book on to two other friends.

You fascinate me, Benjamin Alire Saenz.

Coming of age story that shows that friends can love each other and remain friends even when their sexual orientation is different. Also shows that a teen's parents may love and understand them way beyond what they expect.

There are a lot of reviews with synopsis & descriptions, so I'll just say this:
READ THIS BOOK. You won't regret it! I've been meaning to for years but finally did & I wish I would have sooner. Amazing. Beautifully written. Some of the best contemporary out there. Five stars all the way.

I mostly read non-fiction, so the fact that I got enthralled with this fiction story blows my mind. I couldn't put it down! it was beautiful and heart-warming, but also definitely made you think. It is amazingly written, and it really pulls you in. I can only hope a movie version comes along!

The pinnacle of LGBT literature. Written by Saenz (who I've had the distinct pleasure of meeting), is a book about adolescence, Mexican heritage, and coming out to oneself. The book is well pace, poignant, emotionally gripping, completely captivating, funny, and loving all at once. Most importantly, it's one of few LGBT books with a good ending!

This story is about a pair of Hispanic 15 year olds who become friends at the local swimming pool when one teaches the other to swim. Both boys are loners but with radically different attitudes. They discover a lot about themselves through their relationship.

I can't tell you enough how much I loved this book. It was very nostalgic for me, especially from growing up in a small town in Texas. The development of the two characters, Dante and Aristotle, was an emotional journey from beginning to end. This book has complete reread value and will be a welcome addition to my collection.

Hmm, what to say about this book, what to say. Well, it was boring, that's for sure. Books have the ultimate freedom, authors can have their characters literally do anything and this book, he choses for them to do absolutely nothing. I mean if you like reading about people laying in bed all day because they're either sick or injured then this is for sure the right book for you.

This book is also extremely simplified. Way too much if you ask me. I mean I like having the ability to let my imagination wonder as much as the next guy, but good lord, tell me something about anything!!! I felt like a third grader wrote this because it's that simple.

I definitely would not recommend this book to anything at a higher reading level, or even those at a lower reading level. It was just a complete disappointment.

Why do I never get tired of reading about teenagers? I have teenagers. I know what they're like: and thus I know when an author can capture the tone of a teenager and make it feel right. Aristotle Mendoza might be one of my favorite teens ever. Sullen and introverted, friendless but not picked on (because he's tough): Ari Mendoza is nonetheless very close to his parents. When he meets extroverted and sunny Dante Quintana, he finds a fellow teen who openly adores his parents. And yet the two of them form an almost instant friendship. Which, believe me, makes sense because of the way Saenz's terse, rapid-fire narration from Ari's viewpoint lays it out.

What is particularly arresting and satisfying about this book is not just the richness of the dialogue between these two friends; but the importance and powerful, positive presence of all four parents. Many YA novels sort of abandon adults at the sidelines; but here the Quintana and Mendoza parents are important; we care about them almost as much as we care about Ari and Dante - because the boys care about them.

This is not a simple story. It is by turns funny and tough; touching and heartbreaking. It ultimately allows one to believe that, with their parents' love, even the most bottled-up teenage psyche will find its way to freedom.

I think this is a really wonderful book.

Although I love so many of the concepts the author is trying to tackle - being gay, experimenting with drugs and drinking and sex, being Mexican-American and being unsure of what that means - this whole book felt so contrived.

The writing was so disappointing. This book felt like a grownup looked back and thought, "Oh, if only I hadn't been such a silly little teen who oversimplified everything and didn't understand anything!" Teens don't need books dumbed down. They can handle complex issues without having them explained to death. And on top of the dumbing-down, the writing was just plain bad. Senseless dialogue, repetitive word choice, no character development, parents who are a bizarre mix of bleeding-heart-liberal professionals who simultaneously can say, "You're gay! Realize it already! We love you anyway!" and go on to take down all the pictures of their son who went to prison and refuse to acknowledge his existence. What was the editor thinking??

The plot development was absurd and sentimental. One boy instinctively pushes the other boy out of the way of an oncoming car and his legs are incidentally crushed... and this is used as a vehicle to show how much he unknowingly loves the other boy. All the adults then fawn over his heroism, while he angrily deflects their praise (calling his surgeon "Doc," the entire time). It's just silly.

There are wonderful books by Mexicans and Mexican-Americans out there. This is not one of them.

In my opinion, this book could’ve been much better than it was. I felt as though there wasn’t a steady storyline or plot. It had a lot of random thoughts and occurrences that didn't really tie in with the story line. There were some positives in the book, like the vast variety of emotions and the unpredictability that added some excitement to the book, which was needed, due to what I felt was a rather bland story line. There wasn’t a large amount of characters, they kept that pretty low and was 100% focused on the two characters, Dante and Aristotle, not that anything else was expected. To be one hundred percent honest, the book got somewhat weird at points. That’s not putting negatives on the book necessarily, but more of my personal preferences in a book or story.

I give the purchase a three stars because my copy came with some printing defects. Some pages weren't properly cut which led me to manually cut and divide them. Other than that the novel is great! I hope you'll be more careful about this for future customers. Thank you.

I am really enjoying this book and I am half way through it. I think the characters are very real while somehow also being quite original. But for a book that could really capture adolescents, I am torn about all of the swearing; especially kids swearing in front of their parents and everyone smiling or laughing about it. I totally get the idea and the true emotions that the boys have, but I kept wandering back to the idea that as a kid I swore AWAY from my parents. I never swore around them. Growing up in the 80's, I don't recall any of my friends acting like this, but maybe that was just me. Don't get me wrong, it's a fun read. I am enjoying it a great deal. Does the constant swearing make the book a better read? That's for you to decide.

I was hoping for so much more in this book. I heard such wonderful things. I expected this book to be lyrical and breathtaking, especially since the characters are named Aristotle and Dante. However they are whiney and the cussing put me off. Alot of things seemed too repetitious.

This book came highly recommended to me, but I was bogged down by page twenty. Stilted, on-the-nose dialogue and cliches abounded. I wanted to read a compelling novel about LGBT teens, but this isn't it.

I'd heard a lot about this novel but I wasn't quite sure what to expect, really. A cute dude romance. That's all I had in my brain going into this book, and boy was I misguided in that. This novel is more than a sweet story of two boys falling in love. Much, much more. Reading this book allowed me to embark on a journey of asking questions and learning how to come to terms with feelings.

I've seen a lot of reviews criticizing Ari's character, claiming he's mean and treats people poorly, and I just have to disagree. In my opinion, Ari was painfully real and relatable. I saw a young boy who resorted to coping mechanisms and aversion tactics, who didn't know how to handle all the thoughts swirling around his head, who was often lonely and bored and insecure. I saw so many pieces of my heart in Ari, so many pieces of my fears and flaws. Maybe he wasn't a particularly likeable character, so to speak, but he was a character I really sympathized with, rooted for, and ended up loving, despite his flaws, and I think that's a truly beautiful, raw relationship to have with a fictional character.

Dante, on the other hand, was a delightful contrast to Ari. He was unabashed and so generous with his love. He was exactly the person Ari needed in his life. With that said, though, this is not really what I'd consider a romantic book. In my opinion, their relationship is more about friendship and different variations on love, and the way feelings truly affect you. Of course I shipped them together because they balanced each other out beautifully, but they didn't have the sort of relationship where I wanted to push their heads together and make them kiss like two dolls. I wanted their relationship to evolve slowly, for them both to really figure things out before they came to terms with their feelings for each other. I was more than satisfied where these characters ended up--I was grinning like a fool by the time I reached the novel's conclusion.

Now, admittedly, this is not a plot-focused book by any means. It's all about character development. I'm all on board with that, but I know a lot of people are not as gung-ho about it as myself. So, yes, this book is essentially plot-less, but it still managed to keep my attention and keep me eager to know what happens to my little babies. The writing style took me a little bit of time to get used to, but by the end, I really adored it and I think it fit the story. It was a bit jagged and jarring at first, but by the end of the novel it seemed more seamless.

This is a novel that truly explores what it means to grow up and what it means to be a person. This is a novel of juxtaposition, of beauty and ugliness. Of honesty and stifled truths. Of being happy and simply just being. Aristotle and Dante provided a unique reading experience that I know I will revisit one day. My reaction at the very end was simply to close my eyes and say "Wow."

I respect what this novel is trying to do but I think it has a few serious, maddening flaws. Mild spoiler alert (they're gay, okay?).

Aristotle (Ari) is the first-person narrator of the story. He’s Mexican-American, almost 16 years old, biggish, tough and good-looking, yet unassuming. He meets a guy his age at the community pool, and Dante teaches Ari to swim. This part is short and underdeveloped, but that’s the meet-cute. There is an instant attraction between the two that Dante doesn’t really hide. Dante eventually comes out to Ari and to his parents, with some difficulty and after some experimentation with girls and even a kiss shared with Ari. The main theme upon which the novel turns is how much in denial Ari is about his sexuality. Ari, too, experiments with kissing a girl, but otherwise he speaks/ thinks very little about sex for a boy his age. This is fine, not every YA book has to involve sex, but this one is ABOUT sexuality. For a teenage boy to be so shut off in so many ways seems unlikely, and I think Ari should have more going on inside him and around him, as the story doesn't have enough of anything else going on in the plot.

First, what I like about this novel: I like the world these young men inhabit because I can pretty much believe it, from dusty strip malls to the starry desert. I like that I feel I know what Ari’s house and Dante’s parents and house are like, though I think Saenz depicts males better than females, as in the way both fathers are depicted (not that this is always well done; for Dante’s father, he is meant to be an expressive softie, a foil to Ari’s dad, and this is gratingly overdone at times). I really like the insight we have into Ari’s mind without having full insight to the truth of the matter of his heart. And, when the big reveal comes at the end, it comes to Ari too: he has been in love with the lovable Dante all along, and this is nothing to be ashamed of. I like this ending even if it’s kind of a cheesy scene between the two main characters that I think could’ve been more fresh and evocative, maybe by setting it in a new place (at this point, the guys have driven YET AGAIN to the desert in Ari’s truck).

Sometimes I really like Ari’s voice when it comes through without pretentiousness (not that Ari’s a pretentious guy, but that there is at times, and so often in YA lit, an excess of author pretense/ contrivance). I thought this ending to chapter 7 was lovely in thought and image and appropriate to this teenage character:
.........
Everyone expected something from me. Something I just couldn’t give.

So I renamed myself Ari.

If I switched the letter, my name was Air.

I thought it might be a great thing to be the air.

I could be something and nothing at the same time. I could be necessary and also invisible. Everyone would need me and no one would be able to see me.
........
So the author gives us satisfying moments like these.

Now for the stickier parts. Ari has some cringe-inducing interactions with both his mom and Dante’s. His mom is often raking her fingers through his hair, but waaaaay too often. Dante’s mom claims Ari’s dog for herself at one point and for that matter, she seems to creepily claim Ari, too. She is indebted to him for saving Dante’s life (Ari pushes Dante away from the path of an oncoming car), but her affection and declarations for Ari are over-the-top earnest, for a woman who’s supposed to be restrained, like Ari himself. Plus, when Ari is sick with just the flu, his Vietnam-war veteran father, a traumatized and distant man, takes the hulking Ari IN HIS ARMS and rocks him like a baby. This is not a teenager whose life in is danger, and flourishes like these are what make me jerk my head out of the narrative and feel like the author is being sappy and inauthentic.

Then there’s the matter of dreams. Ari has a lot of bad ones. Good, bad: they're all boring. They become more numerous and more tedious as the novel drags on. Of course the dreams are supposed to show us what’s in Ari’s psyche that he hasn’t fully realized himself, but I feel that’s no excuse to use such a hackneyed device on readers.

In another misused literary device, Ari keeps a journal (and he does not seem like the type of guy who would). He and Dante also write letters to each other while they are away from each other over a long period. To me, none of this writing-within-the-writing works. I would’ve been delighted to read letters and journal entries that seem to be written by teenage boys and that offer a welcome “break” from Ari’s dry-ish narrative. But all of the letters were in the same style as the rest of the novel: a certain short-sentenced-yet-pithy literary style, that is to say: the author’s, and NOT voices of two close teenage boys writing to each other.

Is it me, or is everyone LAUGHING at odd moments for no good reason in this story? I would've liked more moments of actual humor, no matter how subtle.

This novel received several prizes and I’d like to believe that it deserved them. Certainly it is an important, bold depiction of a young, difficult same-sex romance. I strongly feel it could’ve been better, starting with more dramatic tension in the plot.

Have you ever appreciated someone for who they are, but at the same time felt uncomfortable with their freedom of self? Have you ever looked at such a person and felt that strange mix of longing and joy and sorrow and jealousy and gratitude? On each page, that is how I think Aristotle - Ari - feels about Dante. Dante with his freedom of words and carefree movements and childlike joy in the world. Ari knows from the moment they meet that Dante is a rare and special person.

Navigating the world of teenager-approaching-adulthood is frightening and difficult under the best of circumstances. For Ari, so much of the time, he feels alone. His brother is in prison and all Ari has are fragmented memories and a sense that he loves his brother deeply. Why won't his parents talk about him? Ari struggles with the pain of feeling like his brother is dead while knowing that he isn't. With his parents' refusal to speak of painful things, Ari has learned how to hold all of his words inside himself. So well did he learn this lesson that when he reaches a point of wanting to express himself, he doesn't know how. For that, he is frustrated and ashamed.

Being friends with Dante changes Ari. Dante is so frank with him, so real, and he pushes Ari to be every bit of himself - not just the parts Ari thinks are acceptable to others. And what does being friends with Ari do for Dante? It teaches him patience, for one thing, but we don't really know how much until the very end.

Following these two on their journey of friendship and growing up was utterly remarkable. I cried many times reading these pages, because the story is so raw and so real. The emotions, written so plainly, are inescapable. I connect with Ari, trying to be good enough to make up for someone else's bad behavior. I connect with Dante, loving despite rejection and pain and punishment. I connect with Ari's father, hiding past traumas behind silence in hopes it will protect loved ones. I connect with both Ari's and Dante's mothers, looking at my children with love and compassion, striving to understand them, and offering all of my support whether that understanding comes or not.

After reading "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe," I want to connect with the author and read every single thing they've written.

What struck me most about the book, was how much philosophy there was in the story. I adore philosophy, and I highlighted so many lines of musings in the text.

The romance was of course awesome. You truly see a deep connection between Dante and Aristotle. It wasn’t just a shallow physical attraction. Dante was very charming in his novel and often fun ways of viewing the world, and he is consequently my favorite character. Aristotle is intriguing in his own way; he is a lot more insightful and eloquent than he gives himself credit for.

One very interesting thing about Ari, is that he likes to hear others talk about how they feel, but is not comfortable being that open himself. He believed that even if you have deep feelings for someone, you shouldn’t say them out loud. Maybe as a result, he often has an astonishing lack of awareness towards his own feelings.

There were many heartbreaking moments in the book, but thankfully the story has a happy ending.

It baffled me somewhat that we never learn the names of Aristotle’s sisters…But we do learn of his brother’s name. His backstory on how he got into prison was interesting.

On sexual orientation, I don’t think the boys ever called themselves gay, bi, or another label. Ari doesn’t seem completely indifferent to girls, and Dante doesn’t seem repulsed by women, though he isn’t interested in them. This reminded me of something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately:

When I was younger, I assumed that gay people were romantically and sexually repulsed by the opposite gender (or by genders on the opposite spectrum). But I’ve been learning that some who identify as gay, might be attracted to both people on the feminine and on the masculine spectra, but they have such a strong leaning towards their own side of the spectrum, that they feel comfortable with the label “gay.” For example, someone on the masculine spectrum who is 90% into masculine spectrum folks, and 10% into feminine spectrum folks. In this case, they feel a slight attraction towards femme people, so they are not repulsed; but because this attraction towards femme folks is so slight, they feel comfortable identifying as gay. Anyhow, even with a sliver of attraction towards the opposite gender, Aristotle would still be perfectly valid if he described himself as gay.

I liked that Aristotle spends a lot of time thinking about his and Dante’s parents as people too. It was especially fascinating to read about Ari’s perspective on his dad. And it was touching how much Ari wants to know him, and sad that his father kept everything inside. Aristotle’s thoughts on his and Dante’s mothers, were also much more insightful and deep than an average 16-year-old’s. I certainly was not that perceptive at Ari’s age.

Another thing I appreciated was when Aristotle asked: Why can’t a guy simply be friends with girls, without anything romantic between them? Yes, indeed. Also, boo to heteronormativity!

Moreover, Dante and Ari brought up another issue frequently discussed on LGBQ folks. It seems that some people need to have dating or kissing experiences to figure out what gender or genders they are attracted to, while some other people just know. I am in the latter group. I think you can just tell by observing how you feel when you interact with people of different genders, even if they are purely platonic interactions. Plus, you can imagine yourself being with people of different genders, and observe your feelings towards these hypothetical scenarios. The society can also confuse people by insisting that the default is straight, which can make some folks believe that they’re heterosexual until their 20’s or even later!

It was gladdening to hear Aristotle criticizing some (likely straight) guys for objectifying women. A lifeguard likened girls to a tree he wants to climb! How disrespectful! What a relief to see that Ari isn’t like those jerks; he also correctly divined that Dante wouldn’t say such stupid things about girls either. One big turn-off for me in cishet romances, are heroes who treat women as sexual objects; not all straight romance heroes are like this, of course, but I find this misogynistic phenomenon so revolting, that I’ve lost interest in straight romances nowadays. Gay romances are much more satisfying for me and less likely to have such blatant sexism.

There was a bit of talk related to gender identity and gender roles as well. Ari felt for a long time that he couldn’t fit in with other boys; for instance, he wouldn’t think of dumb things like “a girl is a tree.” At some point in the earlier chapters, Ari seemed to almost doubt that he was a boy. I confess that I wondered if he might be transgender (I’m transmasc myself). But after he met Dante, I think Ari realized that there are many ways to be male. For example, even if “most” males like girls and only girls, yet you only like guys (or primarily like guys), that doesn’t invalidate your masculine gender identity. The converse is also true. If someone who was assigned female at birth acts in gender atypical ways, don’t assume that they must be a tomboy. (I believed that I was a tomboy until I realized that I’m actually transmasculine.)

I’m so glad that there’ll be a sequel to this book, because things are just beginning!

There is so much more I can say about this wonderful book, but I’ll stop here!

“Words were different when they lived inside of you.”

This was one of those "because you bought this, you might like this" things. I've no idea what I read or bought that led me here but I'm grateful for it. Because now these words live inside me. My expectations weren't high, because YA, but I figured it couldn't be that bad if (a) it had won so many awards and (b) Lin -Manuel Miranda was narrating.

I was wrong. It was phenomenal. This book hooked me in from the start and wouldn't let go. I couldn't stop listening to it.

I laughed and cried. Truth be told, I ran the gamut of emotions listening to this coming of age story about two Mexican-American boys trying to figure out the secrets of the universe and their place in it.

Ari tells this story in its entirety. Ari broke my heart and mended it time and time again and something funny occurred to me while listening to this story; I realized that this was everything I wanted The Catcher in the Rye to be but wasn't. Ari reminded me how hard it is to be 15, not quite a kid and not quite an adult. The world doesn't really make sense but there's an honesty to both him and Dante that has been captured beautifully here that fades away through the accretion of life. Some of those secrets to the universe are terrifying; they make Ari wish he'd never discovered them and make him want to retreat to the safety of childhood, but others are wonderful. And there's always Dante.

Dante is something he can never ignore. Dante is a breath of fresh air, the point to his counterpoint. He has a zest for life that's enviable. He's so honest and open; he experiences life and allows himself to do so without censure or shame.

Ari is a serious boy but he's also just a boy. Both he and Dante read like boys who are on the cusp of manhood. They test boundaries, make up games, do silly things, call each other weird and laugh. They laugh all the time. They learn from each other and over the course of the two years of their friendship they help each other figure out this having a life thing, this being a whole person thing, or at least trying to be. Art, literature, poetry, dogs, bowling, parents, girls, kissing, beer, high school, nothing is off limits.

There aren't any $10 words here but through Sáenz' prose so much emotion is conveyed. Every event in this slice of life story resonated on a deeper level because I connected so much with Ari and Dante and even the secondary characters. It's truly a remarkable feat for a story told exclusively in first person for me to walk away from feeling as though I know all the characters.

“I came to understand that my father was a careful man. To be careful with people and with words was a rare and beautiful thing.”

I fell in love with these characters. All of them. None of them are perfect. They have secrets and pain, joy and happiness. They survive life's ups and downs, tragedies and triumphs by both being there for one another and sticking with one another even when it's hard, even when the other person is an ass. Because that's what you do when you love. It was so refreshing to experience a gay love story wherein both sets of parents are supportive and love their kids unconditionally. They say it and show it and show up for the big events in their kid's lives. Maybe they have made some mistakes but they are present and that was so heartwarming.

This experience has brought me so much joy and having Lin-Manuel Miranda read it just made it that much more special. He brought Sáenz' exquisite prose to life and ensured that Ari and Dante will always have a place in my heart. I especially liked that it was him portraying Ari when Ari seems to have some sort of bone deep grudge against Alexander Hamilton. What can I say? I'm easily entertained.

Now I'll join the masses in the (likely unbearable) wait for the sequel. The universe is vast. There are so many more secrets for Ari and Dante to discover. Together.

“I bet you could sometimes find all the mysteries of the universe in someone's hand.”

Recommend to everyone.

I picked up this book without really knowing too much about it and ending up totally falling in love with the lyrical writing, the vivid characters — everything about this story.

-- The Setting --

The story takes place in the 1980’s and introduces us to Aristotle (who goes by “Ari”) a somewhat sad, angry and confused 15-year-old boy whose older brother is in prison and whose father, a Vietnam veteran, is suffering from PTSD. Ari feels disconnected from the members of his family: his father won’t let anyone in and nobody ever mentions his brother as act as though he’s dead.

One day at the local pool, Ari meets another Mexican boy the same age himself, Dante, who offers to teach Ari how to swim. Thus begins a deep and intense friendship between the two boys.

-- Ari and Dante --

The two boys couldn’t be more different: Dante seems to have it all together where Ari is confused and angry at being shut out by his family, but their relationship intensifies as they begin to discuss art, their Mexican heritage, their families and their relationship with their parents.


-- Their Families --

Each boy’s relationship with their parents is also quite different: Dante’s relationship with his parents is more open and emotional whereas Ari’s is more distant and withdrawn — although he does have a fairly good relationship with his mother and I enjoyed the banter between the two of them. His father was by no means a bad dad — he was just trying to deal emotionally with the demons from a horrible period in his life — a period that he simply did not want to talk about with anyone.

I have to say that I liked the way in which the author depicted the parents of the two boys. They are by no means perfect, but their depiction is positive and believable. I found this especially true in the case of Ari’s parents who were still trying to process their own pain and figure things out for themselves.


-- Ari’s Point of View --

The story is told from Ari’s point of view, and we learn about his and Dante’s relationship though Ari’s eyes. Through Ari’s eyes, we see how his view of the world is more pessimistic than Dante’s, and though Ari does feel deeply, his emotions are much more guarded and secretive because of his pent-up anger and pain.

Through Ari’s eyes, we get to know Dante, who is much more optimistic and perhaps even leaning toward the naïve. Though Ari often feels as though he doesn’t quite understand Dante, he feels a special connection to the boy and is fascinated (and perhaps a bit haunted) by him. There’s definitely something about Dante that makes Ari see the world quite a bit differently than he had prior to their meeting.

-- Deeper Feelings Revealed. . .but it’s OK --

At some point, Dante reveals that his feelings for Ari run deeper than those of mere platonic friendship and though initially taken aback, Ari decides he doesn’t want to lose Dante’s friendship.

The author did an excellent job of portraying what it’s like to be a teen and in the closet, and the courage it takes to make the initial step in coming out.


One example I loved was when Dante tells Ari how he’s considering coming out to his father:

”I guess I'm going to tell my dad. I have this little speech. It starts something like this. Dad, I have something to say. I like boys. Don't hate me. Please don't hate me, don't hate me, don't hate me."

I felt that the author really nailed it.

-- The Slow Pace --

This is not an action-pack thrill ride of a novel — far from it. Rather, it’s a slow-paced story that revolves around the feelings and thoughts of our two main characters. The plot was peppered with small but consequential events through which we’d learn a little bit more about the boys and their relationship to each other and their families.

Now I will say that there is one major event that occurs that changes the dynamic between the two of them and it's interesting to see the interactions between them and their families after this event.

-- The Verdict --

This is a beautifully written coming-of-age story of two boys, their discovery of each other and the world around them. It’s also about love, acceptance, courage and being true to your heart. It’s a powerful character-driven story with a lot of heart and found myself utterly falling in love with these two characters.


Their thoughts and actions also brought me back to my own teenage years, which may be the case for many readers. These two talked like teenagers and acted like teenagers, which made the book not only fun but that much more realistic.

As such, I really enjoyed the simple, sparse dialog between Ari and Dante and it was obvious that there was a lot left unsaid between the them. In this way, I found it fun to “read between the lines,” and the short chapter format almost made it seem as though we were peeking into Ari’s personal journal.

I love Benjamin Alire Saenz’s writing: it’s clear and evocative, with just the right amount of description.

-- And that Ending! --

And OMG that ending — it was perfect! There were definitely tears of joy (and surprise!) as I read the last few pages of this incredibly moving story. This novel is as thought-provoking and hopeful as it is emotional and sobering, and I enjoyed every single moment of it.


Aristotle and Dante Discover The Secrets of the Universe was a subtle blow-me-away kind of book and I'm still mulling it over. It’s the kind of story that will make you tear up in some places and smile like an idiot in others.

I heard a rumor that there’s going to be a sequel to this novel and if that’s the case, I’d be the first to run to the bookstore and snatch me a copy. All that being said, I loved this phenomenal story and gave it 5 stars. Recommended!

This book! I listened to the audio version on Audible, and the narrator did such a great job. It was so real, SO REAL, that I felt I was in a room with these two kids, Ari and Dante, eavesdropping on their young innocent conversations, unfiltered, unabashed, uncensored. I could not stop listening to this beautiful story that unfolds in a most unexpected way. The pain of a family who has a son in prison. The silence that has to be endured in not speaking about him. The father who is forever changed by Vietnam. The son, Ari, who is trying to figure out who he is and who he wants to be, and then Dante steps into his world. Their friendship is so sweet, so casual and yet so intense, and it grows ever more beautiful. I had no idea what this book was about, but I love the calligraphy on the cover, and just picked it up and I'm THRILLED to have experienced this story. And I love that it took place in the 60s or 70s without stupid iPhone and with people writing each other letters and calling a house phone to get in touch. Simple stuff. Good stuff. The end was a surprise. I did not see that coming and yet it made perfect sense. The love of these two sets of parents for their sons, and the inner conflict of these boys as they navigate the sensitive stages of boyhood into manhood. Oh this was so good. I can't recommend this story enough. Thank you Benjamin Sáenz and congratulations on all the awards it has won. It has earned each and every one.

The book started out strong and I was captivated early on but then it just dwindled into...well it was just okay. At first I liked Ari's voice and looked forward to getting to know him but I never felt like he got any deeper. I never felt any kind of real emotional attachment to either boy. The story never seemed to progress over the year that it covered and then the ending was just fast and abrupt. I didn't know much about the plot (not so much a plot as a relating of the events of a year in Ari's life) when I started the book I just read it because a friend recommended it but I could see where it was going pretty early on and the climax was sort of... anti-climactic. There was no real payoff at the end that made me feel like the story was complete. When I get to the end of a book I usually have a strong feeling either of I REALLY liked that book or I REALLY despised that book and this book I don't know...I finished it and it was just fine. Maybe my friend built it up too much so my expectations were too high or maybe I expected too much because of the awards it won. I probably won't remember it in a couple of months. That's not to say it was bad, it just didn't grab me or make me feel

“That afternoon, I learned two new words. ‘Inscrutable.’ And ‘friend.’

Words were different when they lived inside of you.”

I want to never forget this book. I could live in the pages and the story forever and feel connected to these characters and never grow tired. It is one of the most beautiful stories I have ever read and told in such a humble, yet real way that it brings me to tears to think about it. Its not every day that you read a book and love it this deeply from the first word to the last period, but I definitely feel that. I am going to go insanely stalk this author now and start a collection of all of his words. So yeah this is definitely a five star read for me.

The quote below is why I want to read this book again when my daughter is a teenager. I want to remind myself that while yes there is something romantic about being 16 and on the edge of “freedom”, being a teenager really can suck.

“Sometimes parents loved their sons so much that they made a romance out of their lives. They thought our youth could help us overcome everything. Maybe moms and dads forgot about this one small fact: being on the verge of seventeen could be harsh and painfully confusing. Being on the verge of seventeen could really suck.”

I don't know if it was how the book was formatted or the story being told but - ok wait - it was definitely the story, but the formatting helped - with those short short chapters - it was like running a marathon and having a hundred short goals to meet. And the story!!! What beauty. Two neighborhood boys who had zero friends. They were both uniquely different.

The way sentences were written - pulling you into the moment and smacking you upside the head. I found myself reading with tears pouring down my face over a dead sparrow. WTF. Maybe it wasn't so much the bird, but a lot of Dante's love getting into my heart. Ari and Dante, two really good friends who find love at different speeds.

5.0 for desert stargazing in the bed of a classic truck.

I thought this was a really beautiful book. It was gorgeously written, moving, and almost painfully true. It felt like the author had really captured the essence of being a teenager, of not knowing your place in the world, in want to understanding everything around you in the hopes that it would help you make sense of yourself. Ari's voice was brilliant, and I definitely connected very strongly with him as a character.

I liked how the novel was divided into sections of time, and how much you could really see thing change throughout the sections. I adored Ari and Dante's connection, and when Dante left at the end of that first summer, I was a little nervous. But that section felt crucial to both their development, and I was surprised that I never felt the need to skim until they were reunited. As much as I was invested in Ari and Dante's friendship, I felt equally invested in Ari's relationship with his parents, and his burning desire to know more about his brother. I thought all of the characterizations here felt just so damn real, and the relationships were all beautiful and messy and complicated and human.

It's sort of hard to really review this book for some reason. I finished it days ago, and I've been sort of mulling it over ever since, letting it settle inside of me. It's so simply written, but it never feels simplistic. Just honest and true as it strips away the unnecessary and gets straight to the heart of matters.

I will say I thought it ended a little too soon. Though I may be saying that because I wasn't ready to let go. I think, selfishly, I wanted to see a little more of Dante and Ari, but I understand why they book ended when it did. It was a book about discovering yourself, and that's what Ari did.

The four stars are for its intended audience. For me, three stars.

I enjoyed it and am glad I read it. I'm extremely glad books like this are available to YA's today. I didn't even think of the lack of plot that some have complained about. Enough plot for me.

I did keep thinking that there was a lack of observed detail. Ari seems to talk about things with a certain lack of specificity. A guy his age is likely to for example bitch about little irritations, particularly someone as non-starry eyed as Ari. Then he records sort of thoughtful but sort of vague thoughts about things.

The reported dialog mostly never seemed quite right for guys that age in that time and place, or anywhere for that matter.

SPOILER ALERT, MAYBE
For example, when he meets Dante there is no mention of any particular details of his appearance. He hasn't put together the fact that he is gay, but he would have noticed some details about a guy even if he didn't understand the meaning of or reason for his observations.

But it's the same throughout. I grew up in the Southwest and my parents moved to El Paso later so I know what it's like. But I don't know what most of it looked like to Ari.

The whole thing about Ari getting the truck was out of the blue and like everything lacking in detail. How did his parents suddenly afford the truck and insurance? Had he been drawing pictures of pickup trucks since he was six? Did he read truck magazines? He knows a 1957 Chevy is a "real Mexican truck" (written to Dante) but nothing before that. A thirty year old truck with no problems would not be given away for free. No mention of its assumed lack of air conditioning (it could have had an aftermarket unit added). By 1987 EVERY car in El Paso had air conditioning and really no one would want to drive in summer without it once it was available and not that expensive. My parents had a VW bug with AC in 1972! Assuming it didn't have AC, he should have had some comment to make about how he didn't mind getting stuck to the upholstery or got one of those old air circulating springy seat things or something. (You had to be there). Or commented about how cool it was to even have AC. I know this sounds way too quotidian, and maybe the author wanted everything to stay sort of vague and philosophical, but this sort of thing made everything seem a little generic and not quite real to me.

But definite author error, repeated later: Ari says the truck had "chrome fenders, chrome hubcaps, and whitewall tires". No, it didn't. It had chrome bumpers, not fenders. The fender is the part of a car or truck body that is around the tires and beyond. Wings to you in the UK. In a modern vehicle including this one, the front the whole part of the body from the front door to the front end and up to the hood opening, including the headlight. At the rear it would be the big squared off elongated bubble shape around the back wheel, about four feet long. These things would hardly be chrome. The author was thinking about the bumpers - at that time the base model truck would have painted bumpers and hub caps and they would be chrome on the deluxe model. I know this is a lot about pickup trucks, but an example of the author being wrong (in this case) about the actual meaning of a word, and besides lacking in detail.

ll of this made it seem like an author writing about things he never really saw or experienced, except that he's of Mexican heritage and grew up and lives in the area. He does mention driving to where it's dark and watching the stars and about how you can smell the rain before it gets there (no description of the smell of course) and these are real Southwest things.

And while in 1987 I can see the psychologist/professor couple going along with their son being gay, it's a little hard to buy Ari's parents telling him that he is, given them being more working class and Mexican and living in El Paso. Maybe it came up when they were hanging around with Dante's parents all those times and they discussed it and learned. But for kids even today, particularly from families with traditional values or worse, and Mexican American kids in particular obviously reading about this example - accepting parents - might be a revelation, so fine with me even if a bit unlikely given the intended audience.

What a beautiful story! I devoured the book in just two days and had quite a bit of trouble putting it down when I had to go to class.

One interesting aspect of the story is that it’s set in Texas in the late 1980’s, when homosexuality was obviously not as accepted as it is nowadays. With that setting and two Mexican-American families as the main cast, this is a refreshing difference from many young adult stories. It also gives a lot of room for the main characters Ari and Dante to question their identities from their sexuality to their heritage to their personality. This is something everyone of every background can relate to.

I really resonated with Ari’s character. Throughout the book he mentions that he feels uncomfortable when people talk about sex and masturbation when it’s such a normal topic for everyone else. As someone who identifies as asexual, I certainly relate to this feeling. He also mentions in several points in the story that he struggles with his body changing as puberty really starts to take over, which is a common challenge for every young person, but I find this especially prevalent in the LGBT+ community. Finally, being only fifteen years old at the beginning of the book, he doesn’t know what type of person he is. Is he a bad boy? Is he nice? He has no clue what his own personality is, and I feel like this is something many of us go through at this point of our lives. Ari is the all-too-common depiction of a high schooler who has no idea what his life will bring or what he wants out of it.

Dante is the friend that seems to have their life figured out and know exactly who they are, but the more time you spend with them, the more you realize they have their own issues too. One of the reasons Ari, and surely the readers as well, is captivated by Dante from the start is because he is so confident in his abilities. After a while we find that he is insecure with his identity as a Mexican-American, because he doesn’t feel “Mexican enough”. This is a much needed addition to his character.

Not only do these boys struggle with their identities inside themselves but the parts of their identities that involve others. While in Chicago, Dante writes in letters to Ari that he’s been kissing girls at parties but that he thinks he’d rather be kissing boys. While back home in El Paso, Ari is kissing a girl who eventually is revealed to have been playing him. He also wonders what his relationship with Gina and Susie is because he doesn’t think he likes them, it’s more like he tolerates them. However, he spends quite a lot of time with the two, so I think it’s fair to say that he has friends in the girls. He just doesn’t know how to handle the idea of any type of relationship.

By the end of the book, which spans a little over a year, Ari and Dante have both done their fair share of reflecting on who they are and appear to be well on their way to figuring out the secrets of the universe and the secrets of themselves. Or maybe they’re just on their way to learning that they will never understand everything, and that’s okay.

Final thought: Please read this book. It’s an amazing diverse story that anyone can relate to in some way or another. I’m mad at myself for not getting to this book sooner, so don’t make the same mistake as I did. Go out and find a copy of this fantastic book!

I was warned that this book would make me ugly cry, but I thought "Sure, a young adult book is going to tear me open and jump on my heart.  Sure."

Dammit, I ugly cried.

This is a strange little love story about two teenage boys who seem to be so different that you have to wonder how they are even friends. And yet it's clear that from the beginning there's something between them, some understanding that goes far beyond ordinary friendship. Ari and Dante complete each other. The love they have for each other brings their families together, and helps Ari's family to heal from the blows life has dealt them.

Their love is magical.

I listened to the audiobook which was narrated by Lin-Manuel Miranda, and he made the characters glow with life. They were so real that as angry as I was with Ari much of the time, my heart broke for him too. As frustrated as I was with his parents, I understood their inability to confront their past. And as odd as I initially found Dante's parents, I  came to love them.  These characters are fully developed, and in spite of their flaws, they are loveable. 

I'm not a huge fan of YA literature, but this book made me wonder if I haven't been too stand-offish about it.  If this is the stuff kids read these days, then I'm in.  And I'm thrilled to know that the author is writing a sequel.

This book was a powerhouse of emotion for me. If you are a person that likes dialogue driven novels, you will LOVE this book. However, if you like action in your books...this one isn't the one for you. If you go into this expecting to be plopped down into the everyday life of two characters that become best friends and you want to know all about what they talk about....this book will exceeds your expectations. It's a great book. I thought it also really captured what it was like to be a teenager that didn't really fit in or rather, didn't know where they fit in.
I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it but it's definitely not for everyone due to the heavy dialogue and lack of "action".
It's hard to make me cry but I was a total Dante when it came to this book. It didn't help that it was narrated by the great Lin-Manuel Miranda. He was an amazing narrator for this book and really brought both characters to life!

I still can't believe it took me this long to finally pick up my copy of Aristotle And Dante Discover The Secrets Of The Universe. Besides the simply stunning cover and font I have heard nothing but wonderful things about this story for YEARS, so the only plausible reason for waiting this long is probably my bad relationship with hyped books. Thankfully Aristotle And Dante doesn't belong to the so-called 'overhyped' group. In fact, I can definitely understand the love for this story now! What probably makes this story so interesting is its characters. Both Aristotle and Dante are wonderful and quickly won over my heart. Their character development is very well executed and it was interesting to see them evolve over time and deal with their problems. Aristotle And Dante isn't just another 'typical' diverse story, but also includes characters belonging to a minority, a war veteran who hasn't been the same since he came back, family problems and several other topics making this into a truly unique and interesting read. The writing style is wonderful and very quotable, although I do have to say there were some parts that read a bit slow. In fact, the second half of Aristotle And Dante was significantly stronger and made my love for the characters only grow. I liked the ending as well, although it did feel a bit abrupt and I would have loved to see how things continue. Fingers crossed the rumors about a sequel coming out some time this year are true! I guess me being late to the party does mean I won't have to wait that long for another dose of Aristotle and Dante though. 

"Words were different when they lived inside of you."

Rightfully hailed as one of the best LGBTQ based pieces of young adult fiction, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe reminds us what it is like to fall in love for the very first time and all the emotions floating in the teenage heart. And, yes, discover the so-called secrets of the universe as you grow up.

Benjamin has such a beautiful prose that if you don't walk away feeling something, I have no idea what to say to you? It's powerful. It's raw and heartfelt and angry and everything all at once. His voice is exactly what makes YA literature so important. He is everything a writer could aspire to be.

Aristotle and Dante has one of the best portrayals of family life I have ever seen. It isn't always perfect and that's what makes the story flow so well, paired with a strong dynamic between Aristotle and Dante, and the setting. There's a deep sense of anger, secrecy and disappointment, but there's also a whole lot of love between everyone. This is a family. This is the downside to it. This is the warmth to it. It's just... perfectly imperfect and ties into everything so beautifully.

The differences between Aristotle's family and Dante's is so interesting to see because, I feel like, they just mesh well together and it adds something needed to the plot. It also gives us the same vibe that the Aristotle/Dante dynamic does. There are visible differences but not in a bad way. I think, of all the family members for both boys, I loved Dante's the most. Dante experiences so much love in his home life that it's the sort of family bond you want to have or to see portrayed.

Onto the characters and main relationship. I liked seeing the contrast between Aristotle and Dante; they are incredibly different and similar. It's a love story that plays on the opposites attract trope without feeling awkward or sloppy. They're the best of friends. They have space between each other sometimes. Feelings that confuse and grow and... I just adored seeing how they fell together and how their relationship grew to be. From how their friendship formed, to how it developed further. Aristotle and Dante have so many important aspects to their relationship, I'm not sure how to pinpoint anything without leaving something out.

I enjoyed getting to know Aristotle in particular. Dante is loved, too, but I felt so much for Aristotle and that's probably because the story is told from his point of view. He is very, very much so a teenager who is just trying to live day to day and figure things out, including the lack of mentioning his older brother who is in jail. Ah, there's so much to his character that... I can't say much without going and spoiling it for readers, but he's so! Well! Developed! And is deserving of the title as one of the best young adult characters of modern times.

Or, actually, of all time.

The entire story is one of the most beautiful things I've ever read. It's easy to get invested in their lives and the lyrical prose, that it's definitely going down in literature history as one of the best.

Benjamin Alire Sáenz’s Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is compelling coming-of-age story, infused with both touching and tragic moments in the life of Aristotle “Ari” Mendoza. The summer of Ari’s fifteenth year, he meets Dante and while the two could not be any more different, they quickly become friends. Over the course of two summers, both their lives are irrevocably changed by this friendship. This is the very first audio book I’ve listened to and although I was apprehensive about whether or not it would be able to hold my attention, I could not ask for a better narrator than Lin-Manuel Miranda. In fact, I might have been spoiled and need every audiobook I listen to to be narrated by him.

I loved how important family was in this book, not just for Ari but for Dante as well. Much of Ari’s resentment toward his parents comes from how closed off they are around him and this is never more apparent than with regard to his older brother, Bernardo, who is currently incarcerated. Ari wants so badly to know why, to be able to utter his brother’s name, but there’s a lot of hurt and shame that keeps both his parents tight-lipped. Ari’s father is also a veteran who continues to deal with the psychological effects of war. Ari is desperate to know his father, to have a real honest conversation, but this isn’t always possible for his dad. There is so much to love about Dante’s parents and it’s obvious right off the bat that they are meant to be a contrast to Ari’s. Dante’s father shows more affection in one interaction with his son than Ari has ever witnessed from his father. I thought it was still really important that Dante still finds it hard to open up to his parents. When he is contemplating telling them he is gay, he confesses to Ari that he doesn’t want to be a disappointment.

From the very beginning it’s clear that Dante is more sure of himself. He’s curious about the world and himself and isn’t afraid to share his feelings about both. He’s one of those people who lights up a room and his optimism is infectious. Ari’s feelings for Dante are gradual. Unlike Dante, he isn’t so sure of himself. He has a lot of internal dialogue that can be messy, contradictory, and evasive. He hides behind a lot of sardonic comments, but there’s so much happening underneath the surface, you can’t help but feel the weight he carries around. Of course, there were still times when I wanted to slap him upside the head to knock some sense into him. Ari feels more for Dante than he’s willing to admit, but still has to deal with his own internalized homophobia before being able to label what his relationship with Dante really is.

Both Ari and Dante are Mexican American and I found it really interesting and insightful how the characters deal with their ethnic identities. Dante never feels quite “Mexican” enough and is often convinced that other Mexicans don’t like him because of it. Ari makes snide remarks about what it means to be Mexican, even going so far as to say he’s more Mexican than Dante because of his darker skin. When you grow up in a society that stereotypes your culture and places less value on you because of your background, it can really do a number on how you perceive yourself, not just your place in society, but your place within that group. These stereotypes are often perpetuated within the community and I’ve known plenty of Mexican Americans that feel not quite American and not quite Mexican either and it’s a hard line to walk. That being said, I do wish the characters had come to a resolution regarding their identities or at least had a continued discussion about this part of who they are.

Sáenz does a fine job of capturing the pain and uncertainty of growing up when you’re on the brink of adulthood. Ari’s journey of self-discovery is incredibly moving and will have you rooting for him till the end.

There aren’t enough stars for this book!

And I just want to hang this book in my living room!

This book the definition of poignant!

I feel every word in this book was written for me! :)

Seriously this is sooooo poetic, soooooo philosophical AND about things that are sooooo relevant, that I can’t even!

ALL the things that resonate with me are here! Immigrant tales, trying to find your identity and fit in when you and your family have been all over the world.

I just love the writing to crumbs. He paints everything that is relevant this world and being human in a watercolor of emotions with the stroke of beautiful prose.

It’s like a mixed-media composition with a soft watercolor background of beautiful family ties and values and friendship and love... And over it all kind of blunt aesthetic elements like sadness, loss, hardships artistically blended in a way you don’t know where the joyful things end and the sorrowful begin!

And isn't that how life and the human soul are about ???? A mixed-media of so many things!

And this is written in YA first person which I usually find annoying but it was perfection!

Go and treat yourself with some book art! Read this book!

Is Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe the longest book title ever?  I wonder what the record is?  It has to definitely be up there…

Honestly, I was anticipating a fluffy YA romance, but that is NOT what this book is.  Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is Aristotle’s (Ari) journey towards self discovery.  Ari is a Mexican-American teenager who seems more at ease when he is alone.  To say that Ari keeps to himself is an understatement… that is until Dante walks into his life.

Dante has my heart.  As many of you know, I am such a sucker for quirky characters.  Dante walks to the beat of his own drum and does not apologize for it.  He is so secure in who he is, something that I greatly admire in characters.  The friendship between Ari and Dante was everything.  This is the type of friend I want by my side.

I will say that I did not find this book predictable in the slightest.  I kept thinking that I knew what was coming next, waiting for “the moment,” but that moment did not come when I was expecting it to.  I found myself second guessing my theory throughout the entire book… I’m sure those of you who have read it know what I am talking about.

Can I just say kudos to the author for including positive family dynamics in a YA book?  Sure there was some family drama and secrets, but both sets of parents in this book not only loved their sons, but supported them.  It is so rare to see parents who are so involved in YA, which is such a shame because strong parental relationships are so important during the teen years.

Unfortunately, the pacing for the first 60% of this book was a big issue for me.  I remember reaching the 60% mark and thinking to myself, “Is anything going to actually happen in this book?”  I feel like the majority of this book was some serious angst.  I understand this book was about Ari discovering who he really is, but I felt like this book was way too heavy for the first half of the book, thus feeling very dense.  I feel like it was missing some balance. 

With that being said, the last 40% of this book was a 5-star read for me.  The ending was absolute perfection.  I feel like this book could be very relatable to so many teens who don’t yet fully understand themselves.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is a very character driven story, so if you are one for action-packed plots, this probably isn’t going to be your cup of tea.  HOWEVER, if you are looking for a beautiful book about self discovery, you need to give this one a go.

Quite simply, one of the sweetest, most tender, and most heartbreakingly honest novels I’ve ever read about the pain, the joy, the beauty, and the brutality of adolescence.

The story itself is not especially original or unique—Aristotle and Dante, two Mexican-American teenagers living in El Paso, meet one summer, become friends, and are faced with the challenge of understanding their feelings for one another. What makes this novel so powerful, so compelling, and so sublime is the truth and the poetry of Sáenz’s writing. Narrated from Ari’s point of view, we struggle with him as he figures out how to cope with his anger, his sadness, his relationship with his parents, and the complicated and frightening emotions that he cannot avoid.

Sáenz blends themes of love, friendship, attraction, and emerging sexuality in an intensely genuine and poignant tale of two characters who will stay with you long after the story ends. This novel transcends its genre and stands among the best literature of the past ten years. I cannot recommend this one strongly enough.

I have been meaning to read this book for far too long, and I am so grateful to one of the wonderful employees who work at the bookshop where we host our YA and Wine Book Club meetings, who insisted that we read this book this year. Thank you, Nathan!

This book deserved every single one of the MANY awards it received and then some. It is one of the most moving coming-of-age stories I have ever read. And I’m sure most people already know this, but I didn’t, and I’m crazy excited, because there is a SEQUEL coming out!!!! It is titled There Will Be Other Summers. There hasn’t been a pub date released yet that I could find, but you can bet I’m going to be first in line when that bad boy comes out!

My Review: FIVE STARS
So first of all this book won some MAJOR book awards including: the Lambda Literary Award, Stonewall Book Award, an Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award, the Pura Bulpré Narrative Medal, and the Michael L. Printz Award. So naturally, as I was going into this book, I made it my mission to figure out why. What was it about this coming-of-age YA novel that set it apart from its peers?
And, honestly, it did not take long to figure it out. Not only does this book tackle some major issues that young adults, families, and all people face, but it does it in the most raw and honest way that I have ever read.

This was my YA and Wine book club’s January read, and during our discussion one of our members made a comment that I found really interesting. She actually did not like the book. (I know! But to each their own.) The reason she didn’t like it was she found the writing choppy. While I could see where she was coming from when she said that, I felt like the writing style really added to the overall tone and authenticity of the novel. Yes, most of the sentences are short. They are mostly written in an active voice. And the chapters are short, quick, and to the point. But in my opinion that rang so true for a fifteen-year-old boy and for Ari’s character in particular.

Ari is not flowery. He reads poetry, but he doesn’t speak poetically, as most teenagers, and let’s face it most people in general, do not. He is not Augustus Waters by any means. He is uniquely himself and the Sàenz’s writing really highlights his character. That is not to say; however, that this book does not have great quotes in it, because it has quotes on par with those of John Green. They are every bit as poetic as Green’s more verbose and philosophic quotes in their beautiful simplicity.

The depth of emotion in this book is mind-blowing. A lot of times when I read angsty teen books, I find myself thinking things like, “No! Don’t do that!” or “I would never act that way!” But when Ari is angry and emotional, I was just like, “Hell, yes! You be angry! You do that thing!” Because Saenz does such an insanely brilliant job of showing the readers all the pieces of Ari’s life that fuel his anger. He makes you feel all those emotions right with Ari. And he does it all without being the least bit preachy. That is such a fine balance to strike, and Sáenz absolutely nails it!

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I cannot encourage people to read this book enough. And I cannot express how wonderful this book truly is enough.

If you read any book from your backlist this year, please read this one.

Cover Rating: FIVE STARS
This is a truly lovely cover. Not only does it feature Ari’s pickup truck, which ends up being such a wonderful place of escape and growth for him, but it also has an element of whimsy to it, which is reminiscent of Dante’s character, and of how I imagine his sketch book to be. There are also elements that highlight both the characters’ Mexican heritage. Just beautifully done!

Swoon Worthiness: THREE STARS
While these boys are lovely and each are swoon-worthy in their own right. That is not what this book is about. This book is about their individual journeys toward discovering who they really are and who they want to be, Ari’s more so than Dante’s. This is a truly brilliant coming-of-age story, and while the love they have for one another is beautiful, and it’s something that is constantly in the peripheral of the story, it is not often the main focus of the scene.

Mashup:
This book is perfect for fans of History is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera, I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson, and The Problem With Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Actually this book is perfect for anyone who loves YA contemporary. ACTUALLY, this book is perfect for anyone anywhere and NEEDS to be required reading for students everywhere.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe tells the story of a young teenage boy named Aristotle, beginning in the summer between his sophomore and junior year of high school. Ari doesn't feel like he has any friends, and he always seems to be angry, yet he doesn't understand why. One day he meets Dante, a boy with a personality that is the complete antithesis of Ari's. Dante is happy and easygoing, he cares deeply about animals, and he is able to make friends everywhere he goes. We follow these two boys through the next year of their life, through happiness and sadness and injury and heartache.

Typically I am really not a fan of contemporary novels, but I am so glad that I finally picked up this book. It is a book that celebrates and embraces diversity wonderfully. Benjamin Alire Sáenz has a beautiful, lyrical writing style that made all of the characters seem to jump off the page. The cast of characters felt so real, like normal teenage boys dealing with normal teenage boy worries, while their parents were trying to help them navigate through their teenage years.

Something very unique and wonderful about this book is the presence and involvement of the boys' parents in their lives. Healthy family units are very rarely seen in young adult literature, and it was so refreshing to see both of these boys interacting with parents who genuinely cared about what was happening in their sons' lives. These families were not perfect, cookie-cutter households by any means, however. But that is what made their presence so special - the families had problems but they dealt with them together and supported each other. I am so used to reading about teens dealing with their problems all alone due to the absence of any kind of parental figure. Or, if an adult character is present, they are often portrayed as completely useless and not helpful to the teens at all. It was so nice to see parents that actually played a large role in the progression of the story.

As we travel through this book with Ari and Dante, we learn lessons about acceptance and about love - familial love, love of oneself, and romantic love. Even though I would say one of the main themes of the book is love, it is not romance driven as most contemporary works are. This is not a love story - it is a story of love. If you have read this book, you will know what I mean by that. It is so much more than your typical love story. The boys must learn how to love and accept the problems of their families, their Mexican heritage, and the sexuality of themselves and others.

I could not be happier that I decided to pick this book up and give it a try. If you are looking for a book to get you into the contemporary genre that isn't romance driven, this is it. If you are looking for a book that discusses diversity in the most wonderful way, this is it. If you are looking for a book that will make you laugh and cry and will warm your heart, this is it. This book had me crying tears of joy by the end because it was such a heartwarming and wonderful experience. Go give it a try! And Mr. Sáenz, wherever you are, please write more books because I will read them all!

First off, this book had absolutely wonderful parents. I read too many books where they are non-existent or bad, and these are NOT one of them. Please be my parents too, not that I need phenomenal ones, but I want to joke with you and feel your hugs.

Secondly, Dante and Ari are such wonderful characters. This is characterization done right. We know their quirks, witness the formation of beautiful memories, and they have all the space in the world to develop. Well done.

Thirdly, the plot takes its time. It doesn't rush us, instead allowing us to see their journey and experiences. The characters combined with their time allows them the space they need to win our hearts over and over again.

I loved it. I don't know what it is about these coming of age stories that draw me in so much. Probably says something about me, no? In any case, this is another great one. At times it reminded me of Andrew Smith's novel, Winger, but more beautifully written (no offense to Mr. Smith). The loneliness, isolation, and bad dreams from which Ari suffers are very much relatable to me and not understanding why things are that way when everything in his life suggest he should feel the exact opposite? Hit close to home. When he meets Dante things become less confusing and more confusing at the same time. "I bet you could sometimes find all the mysteries of the universe is someone's hand."

***This review was first published on book blog Will Read for Feels.

Oh god, oh god, oh god, talk about a book hangover. Usually when you think about book hangovers, they’re mostly mental and emotional, and while this is that, I swear I’m typing this review through a greenish haze of pain as my head throbs right above my eye from crying so much. But even if I know I’d be much more coherent if I wrote this in a day or two (or three), it’s imperative that I talk about Benjamin Alire Sáenz’s novel Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. I absolutely must unleash the feels on other people.

Let me lay it out flat: this book left me wrecked. I listened to it in audio book form, and I’m glad I did because there were moments I couldn’t see for the tears. But what made it even more poignant was that it wasn’t all depth and heartache. Sometimes I would be blubbering and a moment or a line would catch me out and I would choke because my body didn’t know whether to laugh or sob. Some moments I just plain busted a gut trying to laugh quietly. Others, I wanted to growl in frustration or anger. Let me tell you, don’t make the mistake I did and read it in a public venue. Let me also tell you, if you don’t read this book, it’ll be a mistake your soul will regret forever.

The two main characters in this book, Dante and Ari, are two beautiful, unique, intelligent, introspective boys who are very similar but also are so diametrically different in their outlooks and personalities. Dante is open about his feelings and his laughter and his thoughts, and while a bit of a know-it-all, he is generous with his knowledge and his opinions. Ari is quieter, with a tendency to bottle things up inside and to put himself down, but he has a tremendous capacity for caring.

Both boys are what you’d call good, decent boys; both love their parents despite not always understanding them, and they fear disappointing or shaming them. Both are outsiders among their peers and they struggle with their identities, but while in Dante’s case the struggle is to let others know who he is, in Ari’s case, it’s defining who he is to himself. And both are, in their own ways, terribly lonely and frequently sad. Especially Ari.

I don’t think I’m doing a good job of summing these characters up. I think you have to read the book to get the full sense of them, that jumble of emotion versus action, of thought versus words, of denial and acceptance. Part of it is that the characters are undergoing those tumultuous teenage years, good boys in a society that seems to reward the bad, boys struggling to find and make their place in the world. They’re foils to each other yet also united by a common core of contemplation and human decency. But that’s just one part. Another part is that they are complex, believable, relateable characters written in language so beautiful and clumsy and elegant and sharp at the same time that Aristotle and Dante will crack your heart and mind open like an egg while you helplessly watch your insides pour out of your in tears of sorrow and laughter.

Surrounding them are supporting characters who are just as real and raw as they are, if only perhaps less in the spotlight. I cried as much for Ari’s parents as I did for Ari, and I seriously fell in love with Dante’s folks. I even found love in my ruthlessly wrung heart for Gina and Suzy.

I seriously have nothing bad to say about this novel, and everything good, because it is just a beautiful, beautiful story. I literally am having to stop myself from getting teary eyed just remembering some of the best parts of this book. I ugly-cried so hard that now I’m going to have to put some cool compresses on my eyes to make sure I can go to work tomorrow morning and still look at least semi-professional. But seriously, anyone who reads this, please get this book. I also recommend the audio or ebook format because if you get a print copy, you are liable to get it soggy.

aristotle-and-dante-discover-the-secrets-of-the-universe-audible
Click on the image above to purchase the audiobook
A note on the Audible version:
I have to confess that I got this book on my Audible subscription because I saw it had been narrated by Lin-Manuel Miranda. I’m enough of a Hamilton fangirl that I saw his name and it was like the makers of Audible had pulled out a wand and yelled “Accio, credit card!” And fan-girling aside, Miranda did an excellent job of making the story come alive. I really enjoyed the authentic flavor he gave to the accents, even for the non-Mexican-American characters. But it was in the Latino characters that Miranda really shone.

The varying degrees of prominence of a Spanish accent in the voices of Ari, Dante, and the two boys’ parents said a lot about their culture and their mindsets and the level of their integration as far as the American melting pot was concerned, one that was established even before I got to the parts of the book where this was explained.

The truth is, though you never exactly forget that this book is being read by Lin-Manuel Miranda, especially if you’re a Hamilton fan, a few chapters in, it stops mattering. (Now, if you are a Hamilton fan, you might be gasping and wondering what kind of a fan am I and how dare I suggest that, but trust me, it’s true.) That’s because Miranda throws himself completely into the story, and both his voice acting and the story itself are so compelling and so real that you get sucked in and all that matters until you get to the end of this book is Ari and Dante and the people they love and who love them.

Although I laughed out loud and for a good long while when he read the line, “I sure as hell don’t want to study Alexander Hamilton”!

About: Aristotle and Dante Discovered the Secrets of the Universe is a fiction novel written by Benjamin Alire Saenz. This book was published on 2/21/2012 by Simon & Schuster Books, 359 pages. The genres are young adult, contemporary, GLBT, romance, and fiction. This author writes poems and many other books. He has a Ph.D from Standford University. His books and poems won many awards. This book is the only one out of his collections of books that more people are interested in, based on the ratings on Goodreads.

My Experience: I started reading Aristotle and Dante Discovered the Secrets of the Universe on 8/15/16 and finished it on 8/18/16. This book is a hilarious read. I find myself smile, giggle, laugh out loud, burst out laughing, and other forms of laughter that got caught by surprise. Other times, I find myself shed a tear, a tissue is needed since I couldn't hold it in, and just happy tears. This is a book that should be read by all middle school and high school kids. It deals with teen insecurities growing up, changing from a kid to an adult. Even though the first person point of view is a boy, girls can definitely relate when reading this book. We all grow up and we all have plenty of questions. I like the family dynamic, very positive and loving. I like Ari, his thoughts, easy going personality, and sharp tongue. As a matter of fact, it seems like all of the characters in this book are witty, well, maybe except his dad. I like witty and fun characters and this book has it all. Dante is sweet, would be nice to read some of his point of views. He and his shoes are too funny. The easy conversation that they have just put a smile on your face as you read this book. The whole story flow well. I highly recommend this book. It's a fun read. The author portraits the young teens very well, putting them in positions to ask questions where we all ask them as we grow.

Pro: positive family dynamic, friendship, page turner, couldn't put down kind of read, lots of laugh, love, stages of life

Con: how lucky is it to be witty and meet others that are as witty as you.. coincidences..

I rate it 5 stars!

***Disclaimer: I borrowed this book from my local public library and my opinions are honest.

xoxo,
Jasmine at[...]

I listened to this audiobook and might have not completed it after I’d heard enough to deem it was a coming-of-age story geared for the younger YA crowd. However, this audiobook is narrated by Lin-Manuel Miranda and his excellent narration made me want to keep listening.

It was well written, contained many interesting characters, some unusual family dynamics, some intriguing plot movements, and the story was realistic. The story is written from Ari’s point of view. He is a Mexican American teen living in El Paso, TX -- 15 years old at the beginning of the novel and 17 at the end of the novel. And yet, even though the reader is in Ari’s head, Ari’s upbringing has unexpectedly caused him to not question himself too deeply. So, the reader gets ideas along with Ari but I find it interesting that Ari even confused me enough to accept his unintentionally misguided reality. Neither Ari nor the reader get any real answers to questions until the end.

It was charming, heartwarming, and kept me interested enough to hear it all the way through. I really enjoyed the ending. This story might have tied things up a little too neatly at the end, but I’m not one to let that sort of thing bother me. I also enjoyed getting another cultural perspective.

There are almost no words for how much I loved this book. I got chills, I cried, I got mad, I fell in love with both boys.

Ari and Dante are both different from other people. They are loners, they don't really know how to react to people, although Dante is a little more outspoken than Ari.... well I guess you could say Dante is a big soul just trying to be contained :)

They become friends at the swimming pool when Ari is sort of floating around because he doesn't know how to swim and Dante offers to help him. They become fast friends in their own strange way.

It was so wonderful to read this story unfold right before my eyes.

Ari has a lot of problems with never have been allowed to meet his brother who is in jail. No on in the family will mention his name, there isn't even a picture set out of him. Imagine turning seventeen and still not know your own brother. Ari has two older sisters as well and they have families of their own and they won't talk about him either. Ari's parents are nice people, his dad has problems from the war and is not to outspoken. This causes some issues with Ari as well.

Dante is so funny and quirky, he just does whatever he feels like doing. He doesn't worry about what people think of him. His parents are wonderful and a little quirky too.

I hate when I get to this part because I don't want to give away any spoilers!! I just felt like these are two boys I could be friends with if they would let me :) They have their own little world where they take care of each other. I mean one almost dies for the other one. That's the part that gave me chills!

It was emotionally draining, but such a feel good book.

MY REVIEWS:
www.melissa413readsalot.blogspot.com
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1371114749

Full review and more at: http://oneguysguidetogoodreads.blogspot.com/2014/11/aristotle-and-dante-discover-secrets-of.html

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My Thoughts:

Every time I bring up my favorite books of the year, my very awesome and dear friend Christina has mentioned this read to me. She has never flat out recommended it to me because she didn’t want to push it off on me, but she definitely hinted that I should check this out. A few weeks ago I was in a bit of a reading slump and needed something to pull me out. Christina put the bug in my ear once more and I purchased an e-copy of Aristotle and Dante on the spot! I honestly didn’t know anything about this read going into it, so I really did not know what to expect. All I had was Christina’s word that this was one of her favorite books! I should have known this one was going to be a special read! Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (henceforth referred to as simple A&D), definitely blew me away and has definitely also made my embarrassingly long list of favorite reads! This was my first adventure into the mind of Benjamin Alire Saenz and after this read, I know it won’t be my last!

First off, the dedication. The dedication? Yeah, you read that right. I have to say that I am not one of those people who reads a book and finds a way to connect with a character every time. That’s just not how I roll for the most part. This book, however, had me connecting to all the characters and every situation. I couldn’t believe the book spoke to me the way it did. At one point in the novel, I somehow pushed a button and was taken to the dedication page, then I understood why this book was so special to me. The dedication reads: To all the boys who’ve had to learn to play by different rules. Yep. So much yes. How awesome to see a Young Adult contemporary novel not only about the lives of two males, but dedicated to males everywhere? That’s amazing in my books. Especially as a male blogger. It’s really difficult to find authors who can relate to their male readers, much less dedicate a book to them. That single sentence spoke volumes to me about our author, Alire Saenz.

The setting. First off, I will go ahead and say that books set in the past usually are hit and miss for me. Especially “modern-ish” time stuff. Don’t get me wrong, Historic Fiction is one of my absolute favorite genres, but stuff that is set anytime in the past 50 years usually causes me to give a big eye roll. This one proved me wrong! A&D takes place in 1987 Texas. Strange right? Well, I have to say this worked for me WAY better than I ever imagined. Maybe it’s because I was born not too long after this, but I could definitely relate to a time before technology. A time when things were much simpler than they are today! I often wonder what teenagers did before the internet, what they did to kill time after school, what life was like, in generally for teenagers before my time. This read gave EXCELLENT insight to just how similar all teenagers are, regardless of the time period or the geographic location!

The characters. Okay, this is kind of an unfair category. As a YA contemporary, this entire book was about the character development. I can’t really say all that much without giving away huge plot spoilers, so I will try to be as vague as possible. I will just start out by saying that I am not sure I have EVER read a book in this genre with such amazing character development. Our main characters of Aristotle and Dante were two of the most well written male characters I have ever read. On an individual level, I will go ahead and say I really liked Ari (our narrator) a WHOLE lot more than Dante. Ari really resonated with me, I don’t know why specifically, but I could really relate to Ari at times. Dante on the other hand, while still REALLY awesome, kind of got on my nerves at times. I do believe that was the point though. He is very… different. He talks too much (like myself), and really makes it a point to make Ari uncomfortable and awkward at times, although he doesn’t realize he does it. I have friends that are a lot like Dante so I totally know what Ari was going through. When it comes to the friendship between these two characters, I was really amazing at how well written it was. It was genuine and really refreshing to read about a male friendship in a literary genre generally dominated by females. Now there were a few major points in Ari and Dante’s story that I could NOT relate to, but I still LOVED reading it all. Seriously, their stories really touched me. I haven’t finished a book with feelings like this in a long time. So funny how characters can do that. Ari is awesome. End of story. Dante is great too, but together as one team they really make the story enjoyable. It’s so great to see how characters can really be like two different puzzle pieces, but in the end they need to be looked at holistically to really understand how awesome their journey to “discover the secrets of the universe” really was! Another amazing set of characters I LOVED reading were both Ari and Dante’s parents. Man, seriously I was laughing out loud SO much at the things they would say. They truly were the coolest and best written parents I have probably EVER read in a novel. It was so cool to read a book where the parents played a big part of the storyline. There are so many times I read a book and say “where are the parents here?”, but not this time. The parents play just as important role in the story as our two main characters. It is under their guidance that Ari and Dante really come into their own and mature/develop.

On the topic of laughing out loud, can we talk about how funny this book was? I found myself laughing out loud so many times during this read. These boys were hilarious. For instance, at one point Ari and his mother are referring to their dog and Ari narrates, “The dog thing was a joke. We didn’t have one…” and most people would probably be like “uh… okay?”, but I was cracking up! I’ve never really based a book rating on its emotional factor, but if I was to do that with A&D, it would be a perfect rating, no questions asked. One minute I was laughing my face off, the next I was so mad my blood was boiling, then the next, I was crying alongside our characters. You want to talk about an emotional roller coaster? Read THIS book!

I had so many highlights of amazing quotes in this novel that really added to all the points I have mentioned previously, some of the ones that really touched me were:

“Yeah, I had all kinds of tragic reasons for feeling sorry for myself. Being fifteen didn’t help. Sometimes I thought that being fifteen was the worse tragedy of them all…” Heard that, being 15 is rough!

“I had a rule that it was better to be bored by yourself than to be bored with someone else. I pretty much lived by that rule. Maybe that’s why I didn’t have any friends.” Again, was this book written just for me? Because I pretty much live by that philosophy!

“I didn’t understand how you could live in a mean world and not have any of that meanness rub off on you. How could a guy live without some meanness?” This was such an interesting quote.

“Maybe I was a little superior. But I didn’t think I was superior. I just didn’t understand how to talk to them, how to be myself around them. Being around other guys didn’t make me feel smarter. Being around guys made me feel stupid and inadequate. It was like they were all a part of this club and I wasn’t a member.” I seriously can relate to this SO well. Maybe it just spoke to me because in this sense I am so much like our narrator. I have always had more female friends than male friend, just because, like Ari, I had a hard time relating to the plight of the average teenage male. I’ve always felt like an old soul!

“You can’t expect to go both ways when you’re driving on a one-way street.” Truth. For so many reasons.

“Another secret of the universe: Sometimes pain was like a storm that came out of nowhere. The clearest summer morning could end in a downpour. Could end in lightning and thunder.” You never know what life is going to throw at you next, live in the moment!

So that’s a bunch of quotes, but seriously, I have probably 20 more that I DIDN’T share.

In the end, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe ended up being one of my new favorite books. Not just of the year, but ever. It spoke to me in so many ways. Although I will say that I did not expect the ending to happen like it did, and one part of the novel was a little uncomfortable for me to read, neither of those things made me dislike the novel in any capacity! I really liked that I didn’t know what I was getting myself into at all. It was really a trip down the rabbit hole for me and I had no idea where it would end. It was refreshing, enjoyable, and life-changing. Well… maybe not life “changing”, but definitely amazing nonetheless. All-in-all I am granting Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe a perfect 5+-star review! I highly recommend this novel to any reader (YA and up). In fact, I think everyone should read it. It really touches on a lot of issues that are just as relevant nearly 30 years later as they were in 1987! I don’t think anyone who takes the time to invest into this read will be disappointed in the end. In fact, I’d even say it may change you for the better!

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Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed this book. I just didn't love it as much as it seems most other people did.

It moves very quickly, it's a really easy read since it's told in a very straightforward way. The characters are complex and interesting. And it covers a TON of really important issues - LBGTQ issues, race issues, family relationships, violence. All wrapped up in a YA plot. Ari had a ton of problems and was not always a likeable character but I always thought he was relatable. I was reading this for a book club and I found myself wanting to read ahead the whole time.

However, by the end, I found that I did not feel as connected as I expected to. I really enjoyed the development of Ari's relationship with his parents, particularly his father, but found myself not caring so much about what happened between Aristotle and Dante. Nothing necessarily wrong with that, there were a ton of elements to connect to in this book, and I just found some more compelling than others

This book was absolutely beautiful! I loved the characters, I loved the plot (though there are people who fail to see it) and above all - the writing. It was so pure and intimate and real.
The novel touches on many important topics like race, gender, love, society, discrimination, and class difference. It shows what it feels like growing up among the madness of the world and growing up to discover the secrets of the Universe.
Ari and Dante are absolutely adorable and I’m excited for There Will Be Other summers as I definitely want to spend more time with them.
It was such a brilliant book that I don’t think anything I can say is worthy enough so I’m leaving it at that.
Now I understand the hype and admiration. This book totally deserves them.
Fantastic!

I loved the families and the boys. I just wasn't convinced our hero was gay. We were never really apart of his thoughts or we would have sensed his feelings before the end. His parents had to tell him? As a reader, I felt left out.

When I fist started reading Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, I didn't quite get it. It got me hooked up alright, but I just didn't understand its magic on the first few pages. I was busy so I let it rest for a day. Then I returned to it, and read more and more, and at some point I couldn't stop.
The characters in this book are richer than the wealthiest man in Earth. Reaching the end, the characters seemed to gave grown so much since the first chapters, even if I don't think more than a year or two passed in the story.
Aristotle is just… perfectly screwed. He's like that part of yourself you save for really crappy days. That angry, cynical person you are. The denial of who you might be, or won't let yourself think you are. When there's just something that you know its wrong, but you don't know why, or how could you fix it. I think that is what made him bitter. Not knowing something he, maybe, deep down, might have knew. We have all this secrets and wonders inside of us that we won't let the world see because we think they are to foreign for this judging world to take. It's too risky to try, too risky to be yourself because sometimes you put other people on the line. You're mostly never alone in decisions that involve your life. There is always someone out there hanging. Waiting. Watching. And sometimes we are so afraid to screw uo that we block ourselves out because being us is just not enough most of the time. I'm glad Aristotle found his sun, the light at the end of that dark cave. It won't be the only one he will have to cross, but at least he let himself be who he was. And he found some company for the ride.

It just made me think, and rethink about what love really is. About human beings and how they like to categorize everything, because they think it's better that way, that it will make it easier for us in some way. But I think sometimes it makes it harder. Sometimes is wrong.
Love is just not one of those things you can put on a box. You can't categorize it. You can't say it's wrong to love something, or someone. Because what really matters is not what or who you love, but how you love them. I really do think that. I don't even like the word heterosexual. What if a woman who only thinks or likes men suddenly meets an astonishing woman that changes her world and that turns into love? Does the fact of loving only that, and specifically that woman makes her worth judging, or worth being categorized in another box? Being treated differently? I don't think so. I think in some cases that spontaneous love is more true than any other kind of love. I don't think love is meant to be judged. Whatever it is that you love- a person, a dog, cat, book, film, game- it depends on how you love it. I do believe things aren't supposed to be love more than people itself, but sometimes these things can give you something other people just can't. Or the people around you, at least. We don't always meet the right kind of people in our lives.

To me, books fill me, understand me, and make me feel like no one else. They are my safe haven. My safe place where I can judge myself or just understand something I didn't quite get before. Or just have a good laugh or a good cry. I can read a funny book and cry, and it won't ask for explanations or whys, or psychoanalyze me. It will just be. It will be as long as I let it.

They way Dante is… he's magical, I believe. So afraid but brave at the same time. I wish I was like him, and I wish I had a friend like those two. I really wish I could meet my Aristotle and Dante. These boys light up the pages of the book. They are sincere in a way you can only be around a friend, around someone you love.

The parents of these boys. I wanted to take them off the book, all of them. they were real, and sweet and strict in the way only parents that really know how to love their children and that they aren't perfect, but aren't pretending to be. They broke my heart, because I wish everyone had them. This love, unconditionally, each day. Each minute.

I really think, if anyone is reading this, that you should read this book, because I can guarantee you something: you will realize something. Maybe a thing about yourself, about others, about things, or maybe even find one of the many secrets the universe holds. But you got to feel it, live it to really discover the wonders.
And the thing about this book: Aristotle and Dante did discover the secrets of their universe, but it's up to us to discover our own secrets. No one else can discover them for us

This is an interesting story about a young man learning who he is. Aristotle, or Ari as he likes to be called, grows so much over the course of the story. When the novel begins he does not think much about himself or anything really. He is angry but does not know how to express it. His family does not talk about anything. Not his brother in jail not his father's war experience, nothing that is really hard. Dante's family on the other does talk about everything and that is one of the things that makes Ari change. But Ari is still learning about himself and the answers he finds are surprising to him. The sexuality is a major topic but there is no sex in the novel itself. It is respectful of sensitive readers while having an honest discuss about it.

I give this novel a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this novel from my local library.

This is my first experience with Benjamin Alire Saenz's writing, and after devouring his newest book, "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe", it will definitely not be the last.

Saenz's surprise of a novel tells the tale of two Hispanic teenage boys who meet at a pool and form a friendship that will test them both in unseen ways. Ari is introverted, unsure, and dealing with losing his older brother to unknown reasons.s Dante is more self-assumed, brave, and gregarious. Together, they open each other's eyes to the possibilities that life can bring, both to them and their families that love them dearly.

While the plot summary seems a bit vague, much has been left out on purpose. As suggested by the title, this book holds many surprises that I don't want to spoil. While I saw where the story was going from the beginning, I didn't know how the author was going to get there, and therein lies the joy in reading this book. A poet as well, Saenz doesn't mince words to get meaning across. He also shatters stereotypes of Hispanic males, daring the reader to accept these boys like poetry and reading. It's simply refreshing to not fall into these traps in this YA novel, and it opens it up for everyone.

As I turned the pages of this story, I began to see this not as a book, but as a flower. The sparse the storytelling is, the story blossoms like a flower in your hand. The moments of wonderment, from the words, or the characters, or the story itself, shimmer with an unique quality I haven't had in a story in a long time. This is a story where the characters live, breathe, and dare to be themselves is truly beautiful indeed.

Benjamin Alire Sáenz’s YA novel Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is, simply, a beautiful book. It’s also a beautifully simple book. I admire the heck out of writers who can express so much in such straightforward, clean prose; I tend toward the baroque and the extravagant, and I sometimes feel I say less with more. But not Sáenz.

The story he tells is classic coming-of-age material: two Mexican-American teenagers, Aristotle (the brooding narrator) and Dante (his chatty best friend), learn about life and love during several momentous summers, both together and apart. Aristotle is dealing with lots of demons: a father who won’t talk about his traumatic experience in Vietnam, an older brother who’s imprisoned and whom the family never mentions, a near-deadly accident that turns him into a reluctant hero. Dante seems to have things much easier: openly loving parents, artistic talent, an easy manner of being around others. But Dante has his own painful secret, and it’s one only Aristotle knows.

He’s gay.

I won’t tell you all the twists and turns in the book; you’ll love discovering them for yourself. And you’ll also love Sáenz’s prose, which offers pearls like this on practically every page:

"The problem with my life was it was someone else’s idea."

"Words were different when they lived inside of you."

"I sometimes think that I don’t let myself know what I’m really thinking about."

"Do you know what dead skin looks like when they take off a cast? That was my life, all that dead skin."

"For a few minutes I wished that Dante and I lived in the universe of boys instead of the universe of almost-men."

"I decided that maybe we left each other alone too much. Leaving each other alone was killing us."

"I think my mother and father had decided that there were too many secrets in the world."

If I have any reservation about Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, it has to do with the book’s conclusion, which I felt moved too fast and provided too pat a resolution to Aristotle’s crisis. But overall, if you’re looking for a book that explores the painful process of growing to manhood, Aristotle and Dante is one of the finest I’ve read in a long time.

How do you understand your family? Your friends? Yourself? Do we really want to know all of their secrets? How about all of our own?
This novel about two teenaged boys who meet at a local pool (one can swim, one cannot) and strike up a friendship is the book I didn't know I needed to read. Thankfully, many fellow teen/YA fans encouraged me to add it to my list. I am grateful I got to see the stories of Aristotle and Dante unfold, and think you will be, too.
Buy a copy of this award-winner so your teens can read it, too.

There are a few reasons why I love this book, one of them is that it is a thoughtful, introspective, poetic, and loving coming of age novel. Aristotle’s (Ari) sixteen year old first person narration and Lin Manuel Miranda’s artful voice narration is full of reflection and emotion, bringing to life Saenz’s story about Ari and Dante, best friends that are opposites, and all of their tragedies, laughter, and experiences. The novel won (among others) a Stonewall Award but Aristotle and Dante…is not “about” coming out, or about being gay in a homophobic latino community or culture, about being ashamed of who we are (although there is that): these are just parts of the story. What are the secrets of the universe and what is the universe? These are all the things we learn about ourselves, our families, and life- this is growing up, seeing one’s parents as people and that we each hold a universe inside of us and we have to break the silence in order to discover the secrets.

I rounded 4.5 stars up to 5. Ari and Danta are two very American but proud Mexicans in El Paso, who bond over swimming lessons, and try to figure themselves out. Author Saenz creates wonderful, rich characters, with parents who love their children, even as they make mistakes. Ari and Dante have good hearts, even as they rebel against parental restriction, experiment with beer and pot, get into fights and snoop through drawers. The book has plenty of humor (from the adults and well as from the teens.)

I was afraid this book might push the gay aspect too hard, and it is certainly front and forward, but it is handled as well as the heterosexual romance/lust/longing issues in popular novels. The awkward bits? For me, I don't like to see a person pressured to kiss another person (especially under the influence of anything) be the kissers male, female or one of each. I don't believe most students identify their true love in high school, and recognize it as such. And I can't believe a parent would tell a child that maybe they need to examine their sexuality a little more closely.

This book will be best, IMHO, for readers who read often. If it's the only book you read this year, you might find there is too much talking and not enough drama (not that things don't happen!) If you read a lot, and want something rich to chew on, this is a great choice. And if you feel little out of the mainstream and wonder what it's all about, pick this up and be enveloped in the sometimes mean, sometimes funny, sometimes ugly, always loving lives of Ari, Dante and their families.

About me: I'm a middle school/high school librarian
How I got this book: checked it out of the library prior to purchasing

I wish I would have written a full review of this when I finished reading it, but I really just wanted to sit back and enjoy how much I enjoyed it. Is that weird? I had never even heard of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe before it received multiple ALA awards this year. I’m happy it received so many honors because this book deserves attention. I have a feeling it will really only speak to specific readers, but it still deserves praise and a wide readership. I’m going to recommend it to John Green fans, which I realize is a broad scope of readers, but I think those who enjoy the verisimilitude in Green’s books will enjoy it in this book. The conversations between Dante and Aristotle are simple and complex and beautiful. Their story is beautiful. I couldn’t put it down, and then trying to immediately put into words all of my feelings when I was done was nearly impossible. I read it on my Kindle and when I finished I knew I had to find a way to get a copy with all of the medals in my classroom. So far I’ve only been able to find a copy with the Printz honor medal. I know I haven’t really “reviewed” this, but I still hope you read it. It’s a favorite of 2013.

I am one of the few that did not absolutely love this book :(

So for the things I liked and things I didn't like lists!

Things I liked:
-It was very real.
-It made me think a bunch.
-For the most part, I loved the writing style. A lot of dialogue and short sentences. At times I did get tired of it, though.
-The parents were present in the book! This is just so important in realistic fiction, and especially coming of age books.
-Dante's tennis-shoe game.

Things I didn't like:
-The ending felt very abrupt. Like it was either: okay, (view spoiler) everything's good or that absolutely nothing was settled. I believe it was the second one which made me feel unsettled.
-As I said, the writing style did get tiring at times.
-(view spoiler)

I almost didn't read it based on some of the 1 star vitriolic reviews (even one from an educator who should know better!). After reading the book I've come to realize that every single one of the 1 star reviews reflect prejudice, judgement, and hate and no wonder they don't understand the book because they missed the point of it entirely. This is a book about the importance of family, of listening to your parents, that violence is never the answer, that bullying is always wrong, that drugs and booze don't solve any problems, that communication in all relationships are key, that dealing with issues head on is better than burying them, that keeping everything secret does little good, and that letting fear dictate your life will only lead to unhappiness. There are few books you read that really, really touch the heart and you know you will be thinking about for the rest of your life. This is one of those. Benjamin Alire Saenz is a genius and has created a real work of art in this novel. He is a master at written dialogue. I think this should be required reading in every high school. It is a young adult novel but it will appeal to older adults as well (as it did this one). It's probably different than any other book I've read, but it had me hooked from the beginning and I read it within a few days. The characters all seem so real that I feel like I know them in real life. I can see why it won all of the awards it did. I feel about this book like I do about my oldest and closest friends. Read it.

"The problem with my life was that it was someone else's idea."

This was the first book I have ever read by Benjamin and I admit, I now see what the hype around this book was all about. I couldn't stop smiling throughout the entire thing but it turned dark towards the end and it caught me by surprised.
This book follows a 15 year old Mexican boy, Aristotle. YES!!! There aren't many Mexican narrators in YA and I am a freaking happy camper when I stumble upon one that does!! I found myself connecting with his character from the moment I found out he was Mexican since I am Mexican myself. But I found myself relating to his character in more ways that just that one. There were so many similarities between me and him that it was mind-blowing and it made it even more easy to relate to him.
I also shared a lot of similarities to Dante. I loved how he wasn't afraid to be who he was, no matter what life threw his way. I loved his friendship with Ari!
The emotions I got from Ari were so raw and it made my heart break for him. I could feel his struggles as my own and he made me cry a couple times because of it.
This was an incredibly easy read. The chapters were short and I found myself reading it in one sitting. This is a wonderful coming of age story and it inspires you to not be afraid to be who you really are inside. To take that first step and never let life tell you you can't. I would recommend this book to everybody, no matter their age.

This book was recommended to me by my fellow bookseller, it's one of her favourites and it walked right into my Top 10 books. I fell in love with this book, with everything in it.

The story is touching and goes in depth into the discovery and the understanding of ourselves when we grow up. It's about friendship, love and how we all need someone that truly understands us in this big world. It's also about acceptance and the support that all children should have from their parents, the support that should never disappear no matter how old we become.

The characters are beautiful from the parents to the main characters, Aristotle and Dante. The writing is amazing, poetic and the small phrases and dialogues show the feelings and the connection between the characters and the reader.

I couldn't put it down, and I'm sure you won't either. In the end, you have this warm feeling and you'll be very happy that you bought it and read it. A book not to miss!

I really, really wanted to love this book. I didn't, but I did enjoy it quite a lot. The main characters, Aristotle and Dante, have remarkable chemistry and I was immediately invested in them. I wanted to know everything about Ari, felt angry when Dante was slighted by others, and would happily of read another 400 pages about these two. Saenz is masterful at blending background information into the immediate narrative, which contributes to the overall immediacy of the novel. The author also does a fantastic job with his treatment of sexuality, never going for the easy stereotype or losing sight of the most engaging elements of the story (setting and characterization). I came away a bit disappointed with the abrupt, easy ending, but the vast majority of the novel is extremely enjoyable. I'll have a copy of this in my classroom for the rest of my career.

A wonderful and beautiful book. Masterfully written and characters that are just so real you do not wish to say goodbye to them all. I added the all because you easily fall in love with the dog 'Legs'. Two beautiful 14 year old boys start summer break in El Paso, Texas. As all young teens experience the boredom of summer so do these two young boys especially since both boys claim to not have any friends. The cause of the lack of friends they each agree is because they are not 'normal'. Good reason the make friends for the summer. As they learn about each other a bond of friendship is formed. This bond will take them through each year gathering new experiences until the summer prior to their senior year in high school. Yes, this a love story of two young boys. But I have to note that the parents of these children are also amazing characters even with their flaws.

Each young man is written as a complex and delightful personality and it makes this book so enthralling and imaginative you cannot put it down. Expect to read it in one sitting. The author is the Mexican equivalent of an Ernest Hemingway. Although it is a young adult read this would and should be read by all ages. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ALL.

Benjamin Alire Sáenz has been a favorite author of mine since I discovered Sammy and Julianna in Hollywood two summers ago. This past summer our book group took a break from young adult literature and read Saenz’s Everything Begins and Ends at the Kentucky Club. I remember starting it with some hesitancy, fearing that I would be disappointed because there was no way it could be as moving as Sammy & Juliana. I was wrong. It was amazing. Despite this, I was hesitant again when I heard about Aristotle and Dante. All the reviews said it was excellent. It was continually placed on lists of award winning books. I put off reading it, afraid it wouldn’t live up to my expectations. Of course, my fears were completely unfounded. It is one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read. It may be cliché to say that it is achingly beautiful, but I can’t come up with another way to describe it. While I cried through at least the last third of the book, I absolutely loved every minute of reading it.
Just like he did in Sammy and Juliana, Saenz has managed to get inside the head of a teenage boy and find a way to communicate the angst, loneliness, anger, and confusion of growing up in a way that no other writer I’ve read can do. While it’s certainly a powerful coming of age story that delves into the complex nature of identity while exploring both race and sexuality, to me, it’s really a story about love: the love between friends, the love between parents and children, and the love between two teenage boys. It’s so moving because of all of the love stories Saenz brings together in telling the story of Ari and Dante.
While Ari and Dante’s relationship develops into something more, it shows the kind of friendship everyone should get to have at least once in their life. Take Ari’s description of Dante: “I wanted to tell them that he had changed my life and that I would never be the same, not ever. And that somehow it felt like it was Dante who had saved my life and not the other way around. I wanted to tell them that he was the first human being aside from my mother who had ever made me want to talk about things that scared me” (p. 308). This is the book that I want to give any student who’s ever struggled to accept who they are because they don’t fit the mold of what a typical teenager is supposed to be. For most, getting through those teenage years isn’t easy. It’s certainly not for Ari and Dante. What makes the book so powerful is the way Saenz describes these experiences. One of my favorite quotes is Ari describing trying to come to terms with who he is: “But the worst part was that those words were living inside me. And they were leaking out of me. Words were not things you could control. Not always. I didn’t know what was happening to me. Everything was chaos and I was scared” (p. 97).

It’s also an important book because it provides a necessary counter narrative to a discourse all too common in schools today. Too often we hear teachers, administrators, and even politicians claiming that the reason so many of our students of color are struggling in school is because their parents don’t care about their children’s success in the classroom. Numerous studies in education have proved this wrong, yet this line of thinking continues to be perpetuated. In Aristotle and Dante we get a different narrative, and it’s an important one. Here we have two sets of loving and supportive Mexican-American parents who are involved in their children’s lives. While the reality of this may not be uncommon, it’s not a story line that we hear often—either in the news or in the fiction presented in our classrooms. This alone makes it a significant novel for me.

While I mentioned that I cried through much of the book, I don’t want that to keep you from reading it. There are parts of the book that are sad, parts that may hurt your heart. But, it’s not a sad story. In her own review of the book Elizabeth Burns writes about how when watching movies her mother will say, “I don’t want to know how it happens, but will this have a good ending? Will it be OK for that character?” I can understand that. Sometimes you get so attached to the characters that you’re not sure you can bear it if they don’t make it through okay. If you understand that fear, then let me assure you, Ari and Dante will be okay.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe has received a number of awards: Stonewall Book Award (2013), Printz Honor (2013), YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Top Ten (2013), and the Pura Belpré Author Award (2013).

Our free Educator’s Guide for using Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is available on our wordpress blog Vamos a Leer.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is written in first person by Aristotle or Ari as he likes to be called. Ari is a fifteen year old moody loner who at the beginning of his summer break decides to go swimming at the local pool. Though he really can't swim, never learned how, so he only floats around on his back. But when he hears, "Want me to teach you how to swim?" He meets Dante and a friendship blossoms.

I can only describe the writing as brisk. Chapters are short and to the point. Some in fact are only a few sentence long. There are times I became convinced it really was written by a moody teenager. It's like reading Air's journal. Ari and Dante quickly became real people to me and I easily fell in love with them both. The story made me laugh and cry more times then I could count. There is no complex plot with many moving parts. It's just a simple story about two boys and how they discover themselves, the world and the part they play in it.

Masterfully written! I can see why it's won so many awards.

Title: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Author: Benjamin Alire Saenz

Age Group: Teen/Young Adult

Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Gay Fiction

Series: N/A

Star Rating: 5 Out of 5 Stars

I borrowed this book from my local library and reviewed it.

I've heard a lot of things about this beautiful and lovely book, and to say I was nervous was an understatement. Hype scares the living crap out of me, because I never know if it's worth it, and if I get disappointed, well.. I mope around the house for a few days in a slump, until I can actually bear to pick up another book.

Me before reading this book, after hearing all the hype:

Me after this book, my heart in broken little pieces all over the living room floor:

This book undid me entirely. I was in love, completely in love, with this beautiful book. I think I've found a new favorite author. One of the reasons I love contemporary young adult fiction is that if it's done well, it takes me right back to when I was fifteen years old, when the world was too big a place to even think about, and all my teenager problems were the focus of all my energy..

(For the record, you couldn't pay me enough money to go back and repeat puberty.. *shudders*)

Okay, moving on. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Universe has something for everyone: a love story, two main characters that are opposite sides of the same coin. Ari is quiet, introspective, dark, and angry, for reasons even he himself doesn't completely understand. And then there's his foil, Dante, full of laughter and light and happiness, larger than life, at ease with himself and the world around him, and their relationship is the focus of the novel/

I'm going to start with the prose. My God, this prose. I wish I could write half as good as Saenz. (So jealous. And yes, I totally have an author crush. Sue me! Lol.) I slipped so easily into Ari's skin, mind, and heart that it felt like the comfort of stepping into a hot shower after a long day of work. It made me laugh, cry, and made my heart bleed entirely, cracking it into a million tiny pieces. (Oh no, the book hangover awaiting me.. Yikes!)

But what made me love this book were its characters: Ari and Dante, two young men stumbling into manhood, struggling with identity, their place in the world, and what every human has to deal with, happily, or by kicking and screaming: change. Ari and Dante's family, as well, Dante's parents, Ari's, and his siblings, were just as real and human as the main characters. If only all families could be like theirs. Not the happiest, possibly quite broken, but bound by the unbreakable bond that is love.

This book made me believe in the goodness of humanity again. I needed this book like a starving man needs food, or a man stranded in the desert longs for water. This book is a beautiful literary triumph that slipped into the dark parts of my very soul, and I will never forget it. The bottom line: A gorgeous testament to what it means to be a teenager, and to find real love in all in forms, Aristotle and Dante are two characters that will remain with me long after I return this book to the library--one of my favorite books of all time! Next on deck: The Accidental Highwayman by Ben Tripp!

Do you ever just pick up one of those books and love it from page one? Do you read a book and love every word that’s in it? Well this is how I felt about Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe!

What I Liked

❧ I’d say it’s a diverse book.

❧ Everything about this was beautiful the whole thing was my favorite quote. It was written so beautifully that it held my attention and made me want to cry at some points. When a book makes you cry, you know it’s good.

❧ I loved both of the main characters. Ari was depressed and held in his words and anger through the duration of the book. He kept his thoughts to himself and had a moment where he let it all out and it was heartbreaking and wonderful all at once. Dante was good too. I loved how he loved poetry and books and hated shoes (shoes stink!), I liked how he drew and was true to himself, mostly, I’d say.

❧ There is so much truth in this book and things I think about which made me LOVE it! Ari questioned his world and felt like his life wasn’t his.

What I Didn't Like

❧Well there’s some drugs in this book so if you’re not comfortable with that just be warned.

❧I felt like some of it was slow.

It's summer between Aristotle's junior and senior year and he can't figure out what to do with himself. He's bored so decides to head to the swimming pool even though he can't swim. There he meets Dante who volunteers to teach him to swim. Dante who seems to be the complete opposite of himself. Dante who is self-assured, calm, has a great relationship with his parents, saves animals, hates shoes, thinks deep thoughts, draws, and reads poetry. Aristotle does none of these things being withdrawn, taciturn, and thinking mostly of his imprisoned brother whom nobody talks about except to tell him not to end up like that.

Then Dante happens and Aristotle finds himself with a best friend without ever really knowing how it happened. When Dante leaves for the school year with his parents, Aristotle is left trying to figure out his life without Dante and realizing it doesn't really add up. He finds his voice in some respects but it isn't until Dante comes back that he truly learns some of the secrets of the universe.

A lovely tale of growing up and discovery. Simple written but more powerful for that as we are in the mind of an angry and disillusioned teenager struggling to know himself and his place in the universe.

MY THOUGHTS
I wasn't really sure what to expect from this book. I decided to pick it up solely based on the large amount of great things I've heard about it. I'm glad to say that this was a great book.

This book is from the point of view of Aristotle, who goes by Ari. He's a bit of a loner and doesn't really have any friends. That is until he meets Dante at the pool one summer. Ari and Dante don't have much in common, but they become the best of friends.

This was a very slow-paced story and that's my only major problem with this book. Although, the pacing makes sense. This book is entirely real. The characters are flawed and their lives, in general, are very realistic. The writing and the narrative is also very real and might bother some people, but I loved how real it was.

This book is a friendship story, a coming of age story, and a love story. I think the first two is most prominent in this book. It's a beautiful story about friendship and growing up. The love story involved is, again, very real. It is slowly added into the mix. It was one that I expected, as I knew that this book featured a gay romance, yet was still shocked by. I knew it would happen, but Ari never even hints at playing on that team. The love story portion does not come until the very end and it made me so happy when it did! I also have to mention how much I loved how the parents were very supportive of their sons. In fact, Ari's parents knew about it before Ari himself did.

This book also has a theme with family as well. Ari's brother is in jail and Ari doesn't even know why because his parents never mention him. There isn't even a single picture of his brother in the house. Throughout the book, Ari continues to question about his brother. There is also a little bit about Ari's dad, who hardly ever talks. In this book, Ari also grows closer to his family.

IN CONCLUSION
This was a really great book. It was beautiful and very realistic. I loved the friendship and the eventual love story! I recommend this book for pretty much anyone, especially if you love contemporary.

Suffice it to say with a title like that, I had expected something else. Aristotle and Dante are rolling in their respective graves. This is identity theft of the worst kind. There is no depth to be found here--you are better off reading the true "Aristotle" and "Dante" individually if you want your brain tickled. This one is an Inferno all its own, reading it is its own Hell.

This was such a beautiful book and by far one of my top books of 2016 so far!
The journeys the two boys take separately then come together and start their journey together, it's all just so heart touching and beautiful.
I really enjoyed that Saénz doesn't sugar coat teenage years. This book touches on drugs, drinking, and masturbation. All things most teens expirement with during their 'self discoveries'. He touches on these subjects in a way that doesn't turn or portray the boys in a 'monster' or 'terrible human being' light that a lot of YA seems to do.
Of course this book also touches on being gay as a teen and coming out.
But another thing the book had that just completely had me head over heels for it was the parents. Both Aristotle's and Dante's parents were incredibly supportive and loving to not only their son but to the other boy as well. Again, something that isn't seen much in YA - supportive and loving parents.
Everything about this book, I absolutely enjoyed and loved.
I can't recommend this book nearly enough.

I have a confession. I totally picked this book based soley on the cover. I think its beautiful and I love it. I had not a damn clue what this book was about. Didn’t matter because the book was pretty awesome.

“I renamed myself Ari.
If I switched the letter, my name was Air.
I thought it might be a great thing to be the air.
I could be something and nothing at the same time. I could be necessary and also invisible. Everyone would need me and no one would be able to see me.”

We are set in the late 1980’s. We see Aristotle aka Ari who is a loner meet Dante. Dante who is very earnest, offers to teach Dante how to swim. And so a beautiful friendship begins.

“We all fight our own private wars.”

Ari is dealing with family stuff. He has three older siblings, like really older. Twin sisters and a brother who is in jail. The whole brother in jail is a really sensitive issue for him. Since it all happened when he was fairly young he doesn’t know exactly what happened and his parents act like the brother doesn’t even exist. But his parents are good parents. His dad is a little hands off. He is a vet of the Vietnam was and clearly is somewhat affected. His mom is a teacher and seems pretty involved in Ari’s life. She is worried he has no friends. So she is happy when Dante enters the picture.

Dante also has good parents. Great actually. They seem pretty perfect. They are involved, affectionate and sweet. Dante loves them so much and doesn’t care if he shows it. It is so rare for a teenager to be able to express their love for a parent, especially in front of others, that it was refreshing to read. He also doesn’t really have friends. He is definitely a unique kid and he knows it and owns it. I loved he was comfortable ( as much as any teenager can be) with himself.

One thing Dante did struggle with was not being “Mexican enough”. I thought this was so interesting because really it could be related to any ethnicity or what have you and the struggles to be what you think you are supposed to based on stereotypes and social norms. I think Ari helped Dante work through this at least to some extent.

“Another secret of the universe: Sometimes pain was like a storm that came out of nowhere. The clearest summer could end in a downpour. Could end in lightning and thunder.”

Their friendship develops really nicely. They both get to be themselves and learn and grow from each other. A major event, time apart and some self discoveries lead them to an even stronger bond.

I really loved the focus on family here. Both Ari and Dante aren’t afraid to express their thoughts and feelings about family. We see not only the struggles but good moments shared.

I really enjoyed reading this. It was a really sweet coming of age YA book. I liked that it was set in the late eighties. It has a slight retro feel that was fun. Ari and Dante were likable, relatable characters who I was opting for. I think this is a must if you love YA and coming of age books.

Aristotle narrates his life about as bluntly and intimately as an aggressively lackadaisical fifteen-year-old boy can. At least until that patently private boy meets one Dante Quintana and sees just how open and welcoming a boy (and his family) can be. It's the summer of 1985 and Ari spends most of each day struggling to find reasons to leave the house, ways to occupy himself aside from brooding about his father who seems to have dealt with his experiences in Vietnam by adopting a policy of silence. When he meanders over to the pool one day, Ari meets a boy with a squeaky voice and the kindred name of Dante who offers to teach him how to swim. Ari begrudgingly accepts. From that point on, a friendship develops that takes both boys by surprise and bids good to change their lives permanently. Accompanying them on this journey are their parents who love them unreservedly but who have their own struggles as they deal with their individual histories and the ways in which they reach into the present to shape their sons' lives as well as their own.

"I have always felt terrible inside. The reasons for this keep changing."

Benjamin Alire Sáenz had me at Richie Valens. He had me somewhere amid the opening lines, at Ari going to bed wishing the world would be different when he woke up and then waking up to wonder what went through Richie Valens' head before the plane crashed. He had me at, "Hey, Buddy! The music's over." This book crushed me, it's that beautiful. I began it one night after tucking my kids into bed and—a few dozen pages later—blithely accepted the fact that I would be staying up however long it took to read it through to completion. The novel is told entirely from Ari's perspective, and it's difficult for me to tell you how much I grew to care for that boy. In simple and occasionally halting terms, he ruminates on his unease around other boys, his admiration for his mother, his longing to broach the subject of his imprisoned brother. The folding of lively, loquacious Dante into his life happens almost without Ari or the reader noticing, it is that seamless and that natural. Having some experience with friends coming into my life unexpectedly and yet at precisely the moment I so needed them to, my heart lodged itself firmly between these two boys and informed me it would be going nowhere. Since we mostly get our impressions of Dante through Ari's eyes, I occasionally worried a bit (perhaps taking my cues from Ari's deep seated anxiety) that he would flit away too soon. Before Ari or I had parsed out how to make room in our lives for such a bright star. Loving Dante is a foregone conclusion, with his inability to wear shoes, his love of reading, and his complicated relationship with his Mexican heritage.

I love how time passes in this novel, how the summers felt exactly as unlimited and free as they do in high school, how being separated from your dearest friend for a year can hurt in ways you've never experienced, and how you try to fill the hole with the distraction of work and smaller friendships. Perhaps the most beautiful experience of reading this book, though, was the privilege of watching Ari awaken (on so many levels), of watching his dual relationships—with Dante and with his father—grow and increase his understanding of himself and humanity in general. The nature of Ari's observations are always arresting, but by the end they become so very rich and simple in their beauty. Here, a lovely example taken from a moment when Ari struggles to convey his feelings when faced with a show of gratitude and love from Dante's parents:

***

"What am I supposed to do?" I knew my voice was cracking. But I refused to cry. What was there to cry about? "I don't know what to do." I looked at Mrs. Quintana and I looked at Sam. "Dante's my friend." I wanted to tell them that I'd never had a friend, not ever, not a real one. Until Dante. I wanted to tell them that I never knew that people like Dante existed in the world, people who looked at the stars, and knew the mysteries of water, and knew enough to know that birds belonged to the heavens and weren't meant to be shot down from their graceful flights by mean and stupid boys. I wanted to tell them that he had changed my life and that I would never be the same, not ever. And that somehow it felt like it was Dante who had saved my life and not the other way around. I wanted to tell them that he was the first human being aside from my mother who had ever made me want to talk about the things that scared me. I wanted to tell them so many things and yet I didn't have the words. So I just stupidly repeated myself. "Dante's my friend."

***

All four of the parents are such nuanced and present characters in this story and I adored that and them. Throughout the narrative, Sáenz explores the ways in which we need our parents, in which love between a parent and child is endlessly complex and often so difficult to encompass and express in any adequate way. This complexity resonated with me so profoundly, as did basically everything about this beautiful, beautiful love story. Finest kind.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is the story of two vastly different boys searching for meaning through a valuable friendship. Ari is obsessed with dark thoughts of his older brother in prison and tends towards the melancholy side. Dante is intrigued by poetry, art, and philosophy and thinks deep thoughts about the world around him. When Ari and Dante meet for the first time they form an unbreakable bond and share everything together. As their friendship deepens they must each find their own truths and discover the power of true love.

This book is simply breathtaking. Saenz’s prose is stellar and moving and the characters leap from the page. It’s been a while since a book made me cry happy tears for the sheer beauty of the story, but this novel did just that. From the very beginning I fell in love not just with Dante and Ari (who are both amazing and wonderful characters) but also with their parents. They relationship each boy has with his family is moving and beautiful. The sheer love their parents have for them is evident in every movement and Saenz does a fantastic job of depicting that love on every page.

This is one of those novels that I connected with immediately, despite the fact that I am nothing like the characters in the book. There is a beauty and simplicity to the prose that grabbed me from the start and I was emotionally invested in the outcome of the characters. In the great moment of revelation in the story I was moved to tears. The sheer love in this story is inspiring.

I highly recommend Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe for readers of any age. I can’t say enough how much I loved this story.

Fifteen year old Ari is a loner without many friends until he meets Dante at a local swimming pool. The two of them quickly hit it off, and begin hanging out over the course of a long hot El Paso, Texas summer.

This is a lyrical book with a slow and easy pace. I thought it really captured the way that a summer vacation can feel so long and boring, yet studded with emotional highlights for teens who don't have much to do over the break. The feeling is very masculine but also very sensitive. So often, sensitive, emotional boys in fiction are derided as "not realistic" but here, Ari and Dante's voices feel quite genuine. Ultimately, this is a sweet and tender story about two teens who become best friends and eventually more.

The boys each come from very close-knit Mexican-American families. The closeness they share with their parents is really heartwarming, and the way their families completely accept them is refreshing. Ari struggles with the fact that his older brother is serving time in prison for a homophobic hate crime. Dante is impatient to take things to the next level and ends up kissing other boys while he's waiting for Ari to come around. Eventually, after having worked everything out, it does seem like they'll end up together forever. I think that there are definitely more upbeat, faster-paced gay-positive books for teens out there, but Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe offers a nice happy ending for the two leads.

Fifteen-year-old Ari hates his name, himself, and his life. He’s always been a loner and keeps his feelings bottled, just like his father. One summer day he meets Dante, a strange boy who makes him laugh and think. As they bond over swimming lessons, the strangeness of their names, questions over who is more Mexican than the other, and debate life, they become best friends. With Dante, Ari can be himself but also learns to look outside himself for answers.

Through their years of friendship, readers are taken through the ups and downs of male teenagers through Ari’s narration, as we vicariously experience angst, love, betrayal and loss. As Ari searches for his place in life and Dante struggles with his, they both seek to discover what the universe has in store for them and their reasons for being in this world. Their friendship is tested many times, as family, love and life work together to finally help them both to discover the secrets of their own universes.

At the recent ALA Media Awards in Seattle, Sáenz won multiple awards for “Aristotle and Dante discover the Secrets of the Universe,” including the 2013 Pura Belpré Author Award, the 2013 Stonewall Book Award, and a 2013 Printz Honor Award. It was also chosen as one of the top 10 books for 2013 on YALSA’s Best Fiction for Young Adults list. Sáenz has done an amazing job conveying the feelings and thoughts of two teen boys, with families who fully support and love them even when they don’t love themselves. Readers aged 14 and older will learn much from Aristotle and Dante. I absolutely loved this book. You will too.

This story is beautiful. It is raw, emotional and real.
I now know why everyone was raving about this book. Because it is the kind of book I will push into strangers' hands and yell at them to read it. Because it is mindblowing. But also because it is important.

This book is most definitely character driven. In a way, it doesn't really have a plot. Which sounds weird to me, a book without a plot? The thing is though that it doesn't really need one. This book is about Ari and it is about Dante. It is about their families. It is a story about a life. Well, several lives. And if I have scared you away by saying there is really no plot then I am sorry. Do not be scared. It does not need one to be great.

I don't want to give away too much of the story, but trust me on this: you need to read it.

This book was given to me by a friend who also sent me the audiobook narrated by Lin Manuel Miranda. And what a treat it was to read along to Lin's narration!

Though it took me a while to get into this, I really enjoyed the book! I enjoyed it so much that I read it in one day. I thought that the story was beautifully written and I found myself marking so many passages and quotes (below).

The story itself was about two boys trying to find their places in the world while dealing with adolescence and some issues at home. The storyline was slow-paced but in a really good way.

I loved the tone of the book, though there were some sad/scary bits, the overall story was very happy and easy going. I adored all of the main characters and the friendship between the two boys was absolutely lovely.

I've heard amazing things about Aristotle and Dante for months now, and decided to pick up the Kindle book when it was the Teen Daily Deal a few months back. I knew nothing about the story going into it, besides the fact that Ari and Dante were best friends. I am so glad I picked up this beautiful book, and highly recommend you do the same!

Aristotle and Dante is told from the first person in Ari's point of view and takes place over the course of two years beginning in 1987. Readers follow Ari as he meets Dante for the first time, and how their unique friendship blossoms as the two teens experience the trials and times of growing up. Ari is a unique narrator, with an easy-to-read voice that has an air of mystery. Just as Ari and Dante are trying to discover the secrets of the universe, I was seeking the secrets surrounding Ari and Dante.

Sáenz does an extraordinary job in this book when it comes to revealing secrets to the reader. Very early on in the book I had a theory about the ending that turned out the be correct. Yet despite the predictability of the story, I find that the end was not the most important message. Instead, Ari and Dante's journey to the end is extremely meaningful, and I know it will help young readers grapple with their own coming of age.

As I mentioned above, I entered Aristotle and Dante blind, and I think that is a wonderful way to experience this story. I am purposefully vague in this review, but know that I think this is an amazing book, and I can't think of one thing to criticize. If you're looking for a great, young adult contemporary to pick up, this is the perfect choice.

Aristotle is a loner, but he’s not lonely. He’s played sports and joined clubs but he has never really had any friends, because he has never felt like he was a part of the normal teenage world. His mom is a teacher, his father is a Vietnam vet who keeps his thoughts to himself and his brother is in prison. It’s just another of many things his parents don’t talk about, his brother or why he isn’t a part of their lives. With summer break looming, Ari’s mom encourages him to make friends, and that is when he meets Dante at the local pool.

Dante is smart, open minded, out spoken and over bearing... pretty much everything that Ari is not. As unlikely as the pair seem, they bond and become best friends. Dante’s mom is a Therapist and his dad is a Professor so his smarts come naturally, but he loves to read, swim and is a poet at heart. The two quickly become inseparable to spite the fact that sometimes Ari finds Dante insufferable. Ari even steps in front of a moving car to save Dante, who was trying to save a broken winged bird at the time.

What was supposed to be a fun summer spent together at the pool and discovering the secret of life, is now spent with Ari recouping from the accident. And then summer is over, Dante is in Chicago with his parents for the school year, and Ari is angry. He is angry at Dante for trying to save that stupid bird. He is angry at himself for getting hurt. He is angry at his parents for not talking to him, and for never talking about his brother. Most of all, he doesn’t even know why he is really angry, if he is truly so angry at all.

Things change a lot over the next couple years, for both Ari and Dante. Dante explores a variety of vices including pot and alcohol, girls and boys, finally deciding he’d rather kiss boys than kiss girls. Ari gets to know his parents, himself and the illusion of his big brother. And then the unthinkable happens, Dante is hurt in an act of violence that sends Ari on a downward spiral that could end with him in the same place as his beloved big brother.
Wow, just wow. This story really made me think. I found myself rewinding several times to go back and listen to Ari’s thoughts again, make sure I was hearing them the way they were meant to be heard. Truly a story about two young men’s journey of self awareness in a big city Texas town in an era where being gay was still considered taboo, and frowned upon, to the extent that violence was generally overlooked. But not by Ari who knows Dante better than anyone else, even if it takes almost losing him to finally see it himself.

I’ve never listened to or read another story quite like this one. Told from Ari’s POV, you are traversing these two years in time inside his mind, seeing through his eyes, feeling what and how he felt. But Saenz made sure that Dante’s unique perspective on things always shined through as well. Dante was pretty much an open book, what you saw was what you got. Ari though, he was like an onion, you had to slowly peel back the layers to reveal what was on the inside. He came across as angry sometimes, when in actuality he was hurt or confused. At one point he finally admits that he was looking for Dante before he even knew it.

Whether it was their sometimes awkward but always intriguing conversations, letters exchanged while Dante was away in Chicago, or a real time relay of events as they were happening described by Ari, the relationship between these two completely fascinated me. Dante knew he loved Ari long before the feelings were reciprocated, but I don’t think even Dante knew he was IN love with Ari at first. The way their relationship unfolded, becoming and staying best friends for years before anything else was very fresh, innocent and endearing.

If you’re looking for just another sexy book from the LGBT genre, you won’t find that here. What you will find is a wonderfully written story about two young men that are looking for something, anything, discovering secrets about their lives, their futures and their pasts while forging an unbreakable bond of love and friendship. And the narrator, Lin-Manuel Miranda, has a voice that matches the story perfectly. Fresh, new and youthful. This is one of the best books I’ve listened to all year. I seriously lost time while I was listening I was so engrossed in the story.

If you are a fan of authors like Mia Kerick and Geoff Laughton, both from Harmony Ink, then this book should be added to your TBR list!

This was a great young adult piece of literature that represents a coming of age occurrence of two young homosexual teenagers from Texas. Ari (Aristotle) keeps waking up, morning after morning, without finding any change in his life. This keeps Ari in a depressed mood for the beginning of the book, especially since he can't find any ways to relate to the other boys his age. He has a fairly good home life, besides the fact that his older brother is in prison. He seems to be very lonely with his family life, considering his brother is away and his sisters are twelve years older. One day Ari decides to go to the local pool. He meets a boy named Dante that he quickly become relates to and friends with.

Ari starts having strong feelings fro Dante, feelings that scare him as he is not comfortable with his sexuality at this point. Dante on the other hand, is very comfortable with his and admits to Ari that he is a homosexual. Dante comes on strong to Ari, which makes him feel strange about the nature of their friendship. Ari ends up saving Dante's life and spends 36 hours in the hospital, all of which Dante was right by his side for. Suddenly, Ari and his family move away for a while but eventually come back to El Paso. where the story starts. When he gets back he hears news of people abusing Dante due to his sexual orientation, Ari takes matters into his own hands and harms them physically. I think it was during this action that Ari realized his love for Dante goes beyond friendship .

Eventually, Ari becomes more uncomfortable with his sexual orientation and acts on his love for Dante, thus discovering the secrets of the universe and his happiness. I enjoyed this book, it had a great story to tell, one that isn't covered a whole lot in young adult literature and I would certainly recommend it to any reader.

The chapters are so short in this book it seems like you could fly through it but the story is very slow-paced. Dante and Ari meet at the pool one summer day and strike up a friendship that the story covers over a year in time. Ari pretty early on admits to feelings towards Dante but what kept me turning the pages was trying to discover whether Dante felt the same way about Ari. It's not easy to read Dante's feelings because he's not really open with how he feels, he just likes to act out. I also don't like in the story how Dante and Ari spend and entire school year apart when Ari moves away for his father's job. At that point the story is told through letters but Ari is so much better than Dante at expressing himself. I wish Dante didn't have to rely on others to tell him how he feels, why can't he know that for himself. This was a 3.5 star read, would have loved to see this story from where this book ends and what would happen next.

I had a feeling I would like this book. Especially given what I had read/heard about on tumblr about it. Which, ironically, is how I first found out about this book. And I was wrong. I don't just like it. I love it. It was better than I thought it could be.

And the puppy! I've seen dogs like the one described in the book and they're adorable as heck.

I liked how the different family dynamics were presented. They complemented each other nicely without having one be "the good family to aspire to" and the other "the bad family to not root for". Both were shown to have their own flaws and that they loved each other in different ways. This was a great coming of age type story. That I would definitely recommend to everyone. I also really liked how it showed that everyone communicates in their own way. I wasn't big on the outing part about it because it shouldn't have been that way but I understand why it was.

Read the full review here: [...]

I wish I hadn't read this so that I could read it again and it would be new. It's that good. It's poetic and philosophical and emotional and meaningful all rolled up into one.
Ari is a lonely angry teen trying to discover who he is, and who resents others trying to define him. He has a great relationship with his schoolteacher mom but his Vietnam veteran dad is closed off, kind of like Ari. He has much older sisters who he doesn't like, and an absent older brother in prison.
Dante is a more confident and upbeat teen who seems to be good at everything. He's an only child with more professional but equally loving parents. He meets Ari at the pool and offers to teach him how to swim. From then on they are inseparable, except when circumstances or Ari's moods keep them apart.
This story is told completely from Ari's point of view. He often speaks humorously to.others, but he mostly talks in his own mind.
This is a journey of discovery for both teens and both sets of parents.
The book might just be emotionally manipulative, and it sure worked on me. As with all teenager books written by adults, the dialogue seems too sophisticated to me to be genuine. Do 15-year-olds really speak that way? I suppose it doesn't matter.
I was doubting my anticipated resolution until the very end. I wished we had more time to explore several issues before it wrapped up. I often am sad at the end of a novel to be saying goodbye. Maybe a sequel where the brother breaks out of prison? Here's hoping.
I read this book in a littler over five hours. I often skim boring or slow parts of books, but no skimming in this one, I read every word. Unlike some authors, it was easy to read quickly. The prose flowed easily. Most of the narrative was dialogue, with very little descriptive or explanatory stuff to slow me down.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is the story of two vastly different boys searching for meaning through a valuable friendship. Ari is obsessed with dark thoughts of his older brother in prison and tends towards the melancholy side. Dante is intrigued by poetry, art, and philosophy and thinks deep thoughts about the world around him. When Ari and Dante meet for the first time they form an unbreakable bond and share everything together. As their friendship deepens they must each find their own truths and discover the power of true love.

This book is simply breathtaking. Saenz’s prose is stellar and moving and the characters leap from the page. It’s been a while since a book made me cry happy tears for the sheer beauty of the story, but this novel did just that. From the very beginning I fell in love not just with Dante and Ari (who are both amazing and wonderful characters) but also with their parents. They relationship each boy has with his family is moving and beautiful. The sheer love their parents have for them is evident in every movement and Saenz does a fantastic job of depicting that love on every page.

This is one of those novels that I connected with immediately, despite the fact that I am nothing like the characters in the book. There is a beauty and simplicity to the prose that grabbed me from the start and I was emotionally invested in the outcome of the characters. In the great moment of revelation in the story I was moved to tears. The sheer love in this story is inspiring.

I highly recommend Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe for readers of any age. I can’t say enough how much I loved this story.

I read Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe in a single day. I devoured it. I laughed out loud and cried and loved every single moment spent with Ari and Dante. I loved the details, the family dynamics and the moments of real, hard-hitting, emotional situations. I would never have picked this up if my friend, Kari, had not put it on one of her beautiful lists of books. I'm so glad I did. So glad. This is the book that every teenager needs to read - most especially those who feel different in their sexuality, their loneliness, their "weirdness", or however they feel detached from the rest of the world. If I had read this book as a younger girl I would have understood so much more about me - I would have been reassured that I was not the only one out there feeling as if there was something different about me and I couldn't figure it out so therefore I should give up.

There are several different aspects of this book that spoke to me. The first was the relationship of Ari to his parents, and Dante to his. Both have a unique dynamic with similarities in how much the parents love their children. There is open communication, open talk of "rules," but also open breaking of rules when the time and place are appropriate. There are rewards and punishments, experimentation with things teenagers experiment with, and finally an open admission of rules being broken to parents and parents understanding that it will happen.

There's funny moments in this book (Dante and his complete distaste for shoes, a discussion of being who is more Mexican, open discussion about sexuality between the boys) and there are moments that make me believe in humanity again (the love for William Carlos Williams and old classic books). There's tasteful, beautiful descriptions about making the right choices, and coming to terms with what those choices will mean. There's loving acceptance of parents for who their children are, and there's grief and finally acceptance that sometimes parents make mistakes, too.

What I loved most about this book was the forgiveness. That mistake sentence above is pretty powerful, when you think about it. Parents don't often like to admit they have made mistakes to their children, but when they do, it's a big deal for forgiveness to happen. It's an example that is not often set and, I think, one of the most important lessons that adults can impart to children. Asking for forgiveness is hard - it's one of the hardest things to do, but oh how that lesson is needed.

So I loved Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. I will admit I went into it knowing I would love it, I was predisposed to love it thanks to my friends and their glowing praise of it, but I came away not only loving it but wanting to share it with everyone I know while still keeping it close to my heart.

Although I’d heard fantastic things about this book, I was nervous about whether I’d be able to relate to a book about two teenage boys. I was so silly. The characters in this book are real, so much so that knowing nothing about being a teenage boy, I’m still convinced the author captured them perfectly. In fact, I’d say the reason I cried when I finished this book was because it was so raw and real and sad but also so beautifully happy all at the same time. I never thought I’d find myself saying this, since I generally avoid emotional books, but I loved it because it gave me all of the feels. Forget whether or not you get teenage boys (and really, does anyone get teenage boys?). This is a book about two people who are brought to life more vividly than any other characters I’ve ever read about. It’s also by far the most invested I’ve ever been in a fictional relationship.

Everyone knows this book as a book about LGBT issues, but the boys in this book also deal with everything from choices about sex and drugs to being part of a minority. These weighty topics were covered in a way that was profoundly moving and thoughtful without ever being preachy. Seriously, I don’t usually even notice quotes in this book and every few pages, the author was saying something that captured a truth so perfectly, I had to go write it down. The writing was fantastic in other ways as well. As you might guess from my raving about the feels, the author does a great job capturing emotion. For instance, when Ari and Dante meet, the author has a description of how it feels when you meet someone and just know you’re going to be friends. He described the feeling in a way that really resonated with me – hey, I’ve been there! And his pacing was spot on. I liked the short vignettes of Ari’s life which let me get to know him bit by bit. And the staccato sentences of conversation popping back and forth between good friends was part of what brought the characters so much to life.

In short, I think the author tackles incredibly difficult issues in a moving and thought-provoking way. I think he makes great points about acceptance and responsible choices without explicitly saying anything to that effect. He perfectly describes the turmoil of being a teenager and the challenges of being human. So go hand this to a teenager. Then get a copy for yourself.

Sometimes, I just don't know what to say about a book, except that I loved it. I'll give it a 5-star rating and when people ask me why it was worth five stars, I'll stammer something along the lines of "it was beautiful", "it was such a good book", or "I loved it". That's "Artitotle & Dante discover the secrets of the universe" for you. Because boy, did I love this book!

It's been a while since I read the book, because reviews based on "it was beautiful" aren't really useful. So here's a review for you, with - hopefully - some real review elements in it. First of all, the characters, since they really make up the story. I'll even go as far to say that there isn't a real story in the book, but that the characters are the book. In the book, you read about a boy named Aristotle. Ari likes being alone. Ari is sometimes sad and angry and tries to figure out why. Ari tries to love himself, to understand himself, and to love others. Then he meets Dante, a boy who teaches him how to swim, but who is also a large part of Ari's discovery of the secrets of himself, his body, his personality, and the universe.

Ari and Dante make up the book, together with their parents and family and friends. All of the characters were written beautifully. I was so glad to finally find parents in a book that seemed real and teenagers that learn to love their parents. I loved how many layers each characters had and how they develop over time. I loved the relationship between the characters and how real it felt. I loved how many small things are told in this book, that are so important in the grand scheme of things. Little things matter. It's not all about big words, big metaphors, or big changes. The small changes, the small decisions, the small words: they matter most.

The mood and tone of this book were beautiful too. It was slow-paced, written in a sort of poetic prose. In essence, it's a very simple story, written in very simple words, with very simple themes. However, if you combine all this with Saenz' writing, you end up with a simply breathtaking, beautiful, lyrical, lovable book. It is so easy to identify with the characters in the story, to feel the emotions resonating in your own body, to be reminded of your own discovery of the secrets of yourself. Go read it and fall in love. And write a better review than mine, that too.

Author Benjamin Alire Saenz began his novel Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe in the summer of 1987. Life is obscure for his character Aristotle, a fifteen year old teenager. He is unable to escape from the suffering of isolation until he encounters another boy named Dante. Dante begins their friendship by simply offering to teach Aristotle how to swim. Observing his surroundings and people around him, Dante cannot comprehend the meaning of life. He has no one to talk to; he cannot find close relationships within his family, and he has no friends. His father is a veteran who fought in the Vietnam War and his brother is in prison. Due to these relationships, his life is filled with monotonous summer days. These two Mexican American teenagers are determined to help one another on their journey to discover the secrets of the world in El Paso, Texas.

Despite their opposite interests and passions, they are still able to go through many challenges. Not only do they learn about the lives of others but also understand the definition of love and friendship. The significance of this novel is that Saenz chose to use a simple plot to allow readers to completely live through the reality of life for many Mexican American teenagers. The author’s way of telling the characters’ personalities is very relatable. This novel mentions the beauty that can be discovered in normal life. What are the mysteries of the universe that Ari and Dante discover in this life? If you want to discover the secrets of this universe along with these two boys, I definitely recommend this book.

Rarely does a book come along like this and touch the reader, at least this reader, so deeply and so profoundly I am at a loss to fully articulate the beautiful and tender way Saenz speaks the brevity of words and says volumes and volumes in the spaces of each page.

This book was mesmerizing, heart-wrenching, and brought me to tears and laughter more than once throughout the book.

Dante and Ari meet at the pool during summer vacation. They become friends because Dante teaches Ari how to swim. They are both minorities (Mexican American) and have loving and complicated families.

Dante's family is very open and loving. They communicate freely and are not ashamed to show love toward Dante. They welcome Aristotle as Dante's friend and when something happens that changes Dante forever, the family becomes even more closely bonded to Ari. They welcome him as a son.

Aristotle's family is a bit more of a puzzle. Aristotle's dad has nightmares and won't talk about his time in Vietnam. Ari is often mute about the mystery of his father and why he can't seem to talk as openly with his father as he can with Dante's father. Ari's mother won't speak about Ari's older brother who is in prison. They have removed all pictures and evidence he even exists. Ari suffers in silence about this but often thinks about his brother and wonders why no one will talk about what happened, or why they'd rather pretend he doesn't exist.

Dante is an artist who hates shoes. Ari is a rebel who likes to cuss. Dante has a secret he's afraid to share with Ari. Ari doesn't even understand why he gets so angry and why he keeps having nightmares.

Saenz weaves an amazing and rich story with a breathless pacing and short chapters. Every word is a poem, every chapter is a painting. Dante and Ari become separated for a time and both develop new aspects of themselves that come into play when they are reunited.

The story is powerful and gripping. I have not read such fully developed characters in a long time and the love story here is exquisite.

This book is amazing. You must read it. So powerful. Such a testimony to love and the powerful way it sweeps over us and draws us under like the ocean laps at the shore.

I picked up this book by accident and frankly I am delighted I did so. It is cute and well written. It is a young adult book and so not really written for an old codger like me. But it was an enjoyable read and I found myself laughing and enjoying the story as it is written. It dragged a bit for me at some points but truthfully the issue was not a big deal. It was more the "old fart" wanting to grab the kid and shake him, telling him to quit jerking around and face up to his indecision and fears.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is the story of two vastly different boys searching for meaning through a valuable friendship. Ari is obsessed with dark thoughts of his older brother in prison and tends towards the melancholy side. Dante is intrigued by poetry, art, and philosophy and thinks deep thoughts about the world around him. When Ari and Dante meet for the first time they form an unbreakable bond and share everything together. As their friendship deepens they must each find their own truths and discover the power of true love.

This book is simply breathtaking. Saenz’s prose is stellar and moving and the characters leap from the page. It’s been a while since a book made me cry happy tears for the sheer beauty of the story, but this novel did just that. From the very beginning I fell in love not just with Dante and Ari (who are both amazing and wonderful characters) but also with their parents. They relationship each boy has with his family is moving and beautiful. The sheer love their parents have for them is evident in every movement and Saenz does a fantastic job of depicting that love on every page.

This is one of those novels that I connected with immediately, despite the fact that I am nothing like the characters in the book. There is a beauty and simplicity to the prose that grabbed me from the start and I was emotionally invested in the outcome of the characters. In the great moment of revelation in the story I was moved to tears. The sheer love in this story is inspiring.

I highly recommend Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe for readers of any age. I can’t say enough how much I loved this story.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz is a beautifully written story about friendship, becoming an adult, and the painful process of falling in love. I have to admit when I saw the cover and the title I wasn’t expecting this to be a contemporary romance featuring two young men. I was expecting a fantasy/adventure story, but I’m not disappointed at all.

Ari is struggling with being true to himself and being the son that his parents deserve after his older brother fails the family by going to prison for killing someone. He is angry with his parents over holding so many expectations for the man they want him to be, and because he wants to know what really happened with his brother. As with most Latino families, the black sheep is not spoken of and treated as if he never existed. This just adds to the anger Ari holds toward his family, especially his parents. Ari, like his father, has that Latino machismo mentality of bottling up his thoughts and emotions (think strong and silent type). He wants to be free to express himself but he doesn’t know how. Then he meets Dante.

Dante’s family, although Latino as well, is very different from Ari’s family. Dante’s father is very outspoken and affectionate with his family. Unlike Ari, Dante is very intellectual. He reads for pleasure, and paints. Dante does not struggle as much with accepting who is, I think mainly because his family is more demonstrative in showing their support.

The unlikely pair actually compliment each other very well and build a strong friendship over a summer vacation. Eventually the friendship develops into something more and Ari struggles with accepting that they are more than just friends.

Saenz did a wonderful job of capturing the traditional and Americanized dynamics of a Latino family. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is rare to see a realistic portrayal of homosexuality in a Latino community, most representations are done as mocking caricatures that stereotype homosexuals as divas (case in point any novella on T.V.). I absolutely fell in love with the characters and the writing. I read it in about four hours and could not put it down. I would definitely recommend you give this one a try.

Quite often I start reading a book without ever reading previous reviews, and many times I don’t read the book jacket—If a book has a good title and a good cover, then I’m bound to give that book a try. So, this was the case of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. Not only this book has an interesting title, but it also has a great cover to go with it.

This is such a beautifully written novel by Benjamin Alire Saenz, and it completely took me by surprise. Saenz prose is magical! This book was such a pleasure to read, and I loved the two characters—Ari and Dante. A coming-of-age story with a twist; The author captured the angst and despair of a fifteen-year-old in a simple, but by no means simplistic way.

I loved how he tackled the topics of sexuality and puberty, and how he questioned traditional roles without making it too dense. In fact, this is a beautiful story of love, friendship, acceptance and discovery.

“The problem with my life is that it was someone else’s idea.”

I definitely recommend this book to pretty much anyone with an open mind.

Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.

Rating: 8/10

PROS:
- I liked the tone of the narration. Ari is fatalistic yet at the same time oddly optimistic about certain things.
- The descriptions of Ari’s confusion and uncertainty regarding boys, and then later regarding Dante in particular, are fabulous. This feels to me like a very believable account of a young man’s painful journey toward realizing that he’s gay.
- There are numerous astute observations throughout the book, sometimes stated with a bit of weight, as Ari is giving them a good deal of consideration, and other times thrown in and then brushed on by, as though they mean almost nothing.

CONS:
- I felt that the ending was a bit of a letdown compared to the rest of the story. It ends well, but the *way* it’s written…the conclusion just isn’t as great as the chapters that lead up to it.
- There were times in the middle when the story dragged a bit for me.

Overall comments: This is certainly worth a read if you enjoy coming-of-age stories. It’s almost a book of vignettes--short scenes that show a single conversation, a single moment in Ari’s life--that when combined, illustrate the painful exploration of his sexual identity and the awkward relationships with the people he most cares about. The sentences are simple (“All I knew is that sometimes my father was sad. I hated that he was sad. It made me sad too. I didn’t like sad.”), but the overall effect is rather profound.

This book and the character that Aristotle as he figures out how to open up and function through his family injury, discouragement, and sentimental attractions. this book was extremely enthusiastic now and again and It truly depiction an existence of a young person, of the development experienced both physically and rationally. Ari so used to being distant from everyone else on the planet is found by the holy messenger that is Dante. Dante opens Ari's brain to better approaches for seeing the world to passionate extremes that pull at the heartstrings and influence one's heart to take off like a sparrow. The two young men investigate each different and themselves scanning for answers in a universe that so regularly keeps reality away from plain view. They find that they see a portion of the appropriate responses in each other's lives. what's more the positives part of this book was a decent composed book that shows about fellowship and family and seeing sense to self. furthermore the other one is simply opening up to other individuals. furthermore for the reactions I didn't generally have I preferred it. I would prescribe the book to teenagers and even adults to courge to peruse this.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe cracked me open and left me jagged. And then it stitched me back up, piece by piece, until I was better than I was before. My heart broke and my heart sang with joy.

The protagonist, Aristotle, also known as Ari, is on a journey of discovery. I felt all that Ari felt on that journey. I wanted to understand the beguiling and flirtatious complexities of life. I saw anew the tragedy and the wonder. I felt the pain and the thrill of navigating the murky territory that is family, and friendship, and love. The words, the characters, the life within the pages, made me want to dance and leap, and throw my hands up to the sky. I wanted to embrace the universe and all its mysteries- and, like Ari, I learned to want to embrace the mysteries of myself. This is a book about living, and loving, and becoming. And it is about learning how to do all of those things.

The story and the characters shine with sincerity and beauty. I was impacted by the honesty and gorgeous simplicity of the prose. It placed me firmly inside Ari’s head. Inside his heart and his skin. In the end that is why I love it so much- because I found myself within its pages. I am Ari, and I am Dante. I am Ari’s parents, and Dante’s. I’m their friend, and sometimes even their enemy. I can see my life within the facets of their lives even though we are so very different.

Read this book. You won't regret it.

Thank goodness for librarians. For a lot of reasons, really. I'm very lucky to have a lot of friends who work in libraries, mostly in the Young Adult area. I guess that's one of those things that happens when you love books: you cultivate friends who have the same interest, and they tend to work in the field in a way that lets them share that passion. The reason I'm telling you this is that I owe a big debt of gratitude to my long-time friend Jessica for urgently messaging me that there was a YA book I needed to read. I honestly don't think I ever would have found this book without her taking the time to point it out to me. And I am so, so glad that she did.

It's 1987. Angel Aristotle Mendoza (known as Ari) is on the cusp of sixteen years old and quietly drowning. He has no friends. His two sisters are much older than him, meaning that they treat him like a son more than a brother. His older brother might as well not exist since no one has talked about him after he went to prison when Ari was a small child. There aren't any photos of him. Ari wants to talk about him, to understand him, but doesn't feel like he can. Ari's father, meanwhile, is something of a ghost himself. He did a tour in Vietnam that left him haunted and, seemingly, emotionless. He barely talks, flitting silently through the house like a specter.

Ari would like you to believe that he doesn't care about any of this. He would like you to believe that he is above all that, because he believes that to be strong is to not care. What is beautiful about Saenz's portrayal of Ari is that he captures the contradictions without overstating them. The truth is not that Ari doesn't care, it's that he doesn't want to care, because caring only seems to make the hurts he feels deeper.

In some ways Ari is a semi-modern Holden Caulfield. I couldn't help but be reminded of Holden when Ari says things like "In order to be wildly popular you had to make people believe that you were fun and interesting. I just wasn't that much of a con artist." He might as well call people phonies. Of course, Ari is interesting. He's fascinating. But he hates himself too much to allow anyone to get close enough to find out. It's bad enough that he has to live with himself, let alone deal with someone else's disappointment.

How tough is Ari on the exterior? Dude can't even swim but hangs out in the shallow end of the community pool anyway. That's where he meets Dante Mendoza one summer day when Dante kindly offers to teach him to swim. It isn't quite clear why Ari, who has spent almost sixteen years putting up walls against the outside world, so readily agrees to this. It's just that something about Dante captivates him. He's so unlike Ari: open, expressive, honest, calm, and outgoing. People just seem to like Dante when he talks to him, although, like Ari, he prefers to keep his inner circle pretty much nonexistent. Besides, there's just something about summer days that just gets to Ari: "I loved and hated summers. Summers had a logic all their own and they always brought something out in me. Summer was supposed to be about freedom and youth and no school and possibilities and adventure and exploration. Summer was a book of hope." He loves summer because of the possibility, he hates them because he always ends up rejecting those possibilities and spending time alone in the community pool, which he doesn't even know how to swim. Agreeing to let Dante teach him to swim is the first step Ari takes toward making a change in his life.

Ari and Dante become fast friends and over the course of the next two summers they will each challenge each other to grow and accept who they are. It's a beautiful coming of age story and very heartfelt. As in all coming of age stories, there will be important lessons about family, friendship, love, and acceptance, but the characters are strong enough to raise this book above any danger of cliche. It helps that Saenz has a deep respect for each of his characters and their situations, helping you to understand them and care for what happens.

I almost don't want to mention the LGBT element in my review, because in my experience once you mention an LGBT theme people begin to pigeonhole a book. They assume they know exactly what it will be about, and that would be reductive for a book like this. Yes, there is a struggle with homosexuality, but I honestly believe that it's more of a universal story about loving who you are and not worrying about what prejudices other people might have about you. Ari and Dante also struggle with their identities as Mexican-Americans and what that means for them, the transition from boyhood to manhood, etc. To single one of those layers out would be to ignore the larger picture.

The book isn't without its flaws, but I am so glad I got to discover it. It will definitely be on my list of books to recommend for the foreseeable future.

Grade: A-

For more reviews, check out my blog at [...]

I continue to say that books for children and young adults have never been better. Sáenz’s Prince Honor book deals with identity and family relationships with authentic voice. How many kids deal with the feeling of being a loner, of not fitting into the perceived notion of teenagers? Add to that an authentic Latino voice, sexual identification he’s created a story that is compelling. The astute reader will be able to use the foreshadowing in the writing to determine the outcome before the two protagonists do. Written in first person, Ari (short for Aristotle) struggles with the idea he has a brother in prison and no one will talk about it. When he meets Dante, another misfit, they immediately hit it off. But this isn’t a story just about the boys; it is a story of the boys and their families. You’ll come away from reading the book with a strong realization of how important the families were in helping the boys as the boys struggled with being in a world where they really didn’t fit.

Wow! I just finished listening to the audiobook version of this with my 12 year old son. He enjoyed it, but was a little uncomfortable with all the teenager "issues" he hasn't yet dealt with. I, however, was totally captivated by this book. Wow! The main characters are teenage Mexican-American males, dealing with homosexuality. I am a white adult heterosexual female, I have nothing in common with the main characters, but I totally felt like I was in their brains, feeling their feelings, and I could totally relate to their parents as well. Very well written (and the audiobook was very well read), I loved it, and would definitely recommend it for teens and adults alike. Wow.

“The problem with my life is that it was someone else’s idea.”

The opening quote of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe immediately grabbed me, and set the tone for most of the novel: profound in simple ways. Aristotle serves as the narrator of this coming-of-age novel, and his observations are so honest and at times earnest, and carry the profound weight of understanding a simple truth or fact about one’s life.

I really liked Aristotle (or Ari, as he likes to be called) as a narrator, although there were times when I couldn’t identify with him, having never been a fifteen year old boy myself. Yet his narration combines an intricate undercurrent of the subjects of race, class, and sexuality that run throughout the novel to craft his experience as a lower-middle class Mexican-American in Texas, struggling with problems unique to his demographic as well as struggles universal to all teenagers, such as puberty, popularity, and just plain finding out who he is.

Dante wasn’t my favorite character, although his story (as told by Ari) was important and relevant as much now as it was in the time of the book’s setting (1987). What I liked about this book, though, is that it didn’t solely focus on Ari and Dante in a vacuum, rather deeper layers of each of their families were explored. This book did not have the “absent YA parents,” rather their parents were integral part of each boy’s experience with growing up and with how their outlook on life and of themselves is shaped. I loved the family secrets and layers that impacted the younger generations, and the exploration of the relationships between parents and children, and how some children struggle to tell their parents about themselves, but also how parents find it hard to display themselves as real people to their children.

It’s hard to give a coherent “I liked this and this and this but didn’t like this” review of this novel, because there wasn’t a defined action-driven plot, rather it covered the passage of time and various events as Ari develops emotionally. This novel was lyrical in its simple prose and Ari’s observations (perhaps those were his true discoveries of “the secrets of the universe”) resonated with me after putting my book back on the shelf. However, I feel as though this book fell victim to the hype-monster for me. I went into it with really high expectations based on what I had been seeing around the blogging world, and while I enjoyed it, it wasn’t a five star read for me. It seemed like a lighter version of other multicultural American literature that I read while in college, and the narrative reminded me of Junot Díaz’s work, albeit much less vulgar and more appropriate for its target audience.

What I Liked:

Ari was a fantastic narrator.
Great quotes.
The relationships between parents and children, and how adults and children grow and learn from each other.
How each boy related to his ethnicity and either embraced or rejected it based on his personal experiences, despite both being Mexican-American (fascinating!)

What I Didn’t:

The book dragged in some spots since there wasn’t always a clear plot to follow.
I would’ve liked to learn more about some of the peripheral characters based on how they impacted Ari and Dante.
This book was over-hyped for me, so going into it I think my expectations were a little over inflated.

Overall: I’m really glad I read this book and that I was able to experience Ari’s honest and simply profound narration, as well as to join him and Dante on their coming of age journey. However, there are other books I’ve read that focus on the multicultural experience of growing up in the US that I prefer, although none of those are within the YA genre. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe therefore adds a unique perspective in the YA world and covers a lot of important topics by both major and marginalized identities, and I hope to read more books like this in the YA genre in the future.

Actual rating 3.5/5 stars.

Read more of my reviews at <a href="http://cristinaandcoco.wordpress.com/">Girl in the Pages</a>

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is a nonfiction kind of book that doesn't belong to a series. It's a simple book with the right amount of pages and each chapter pulls you in well. It's interesting because it involves the teenage mind and how the main characters, Aristotle figure out what his meaning is in the boring world he doesn't really feel right in and Dante, who seems like a perfect, growing teen boy with a unique outlook of life. The two begin to grow a bond all because of Aristotle, who couldn't swim and Dance, who could. The two began to grow a bond, and with their bond growing stronger, it taught them well, supporting each other to be better for themselves in finding their meaning. To include, the language is remarkable. It really does sound as if a teenage boy spilled all his thoughts and life onto paper. However, the language isn't all the most suitable for youngsters. The book focuses more on teen audience and above as the language and setting gives the readers more of something to thin about. Since it aims towards the teens more, I think other readers would enjoy it well because even though the book is simple, it teachers everyone something. And honestly, I enjoyed the book so much that I couldn't put it down and had to finish it to the end! It's intense, it's funny and it gets you thinking about how two different minds could get along. So, when the setting is introduced, it's set in the present, in a world we know and is realistic. With the setting described, it can be seen clearly as a movie which is what draws me in so much! Overall, this book is terrific choice for those are needing a different set in scenarios and outlook of how a teenage boy finds himself from his own point of view.

“We all fight our own private wars.”

Stars (Out of 10): 3.5/10

Overall Thoughts: I really wanted to like this book, I really did. The amazing reviews, all the awards, and the synopsis drew me in, and therefore my expectations may have been too high. Maybe this just wasn't the right time for me to read this book. But in all honesty, I had to struggle to finish this book. So many times I wanted to just quit, but I pushed through, thinking "it has to get better, right? There has to be a reason why this book was rated 4.33 stars." But I never found that reason. I never even found a true plot. I didn't enjoy the characters, I didn't enjoy the plot, I didn't enjoy the writing style, I just didn't enjoy the book at all. I feel almost like I read a different book than everyone else. While the ending did save this book from being 1 star, it didn't explain why the rest of the book didn't draw my attention. And therefore, my rating can only be 3.5 out of 10 stars, and even that I feel is optimistic.

SPOILERS BEGIN HERE

The Good: Honestly, only the ending was good. I felt like I finally was able to learn who the characters were, and what the plot actually was. Besides this, I hate to say that I didn't like anything of this book.

The Bad: Can I just say everything? I didn't like the writing style, as it seemed that it tried to be confusing and "philosophical", but didn't have substance to make that true. The quotes were pretty out of context, but when put in the book, their power was almost wasted when they were used to describe useless and meaningless things. I also disliked the book for reasons I will discuss in the specific categories.

The Characters: Only the parents were somewhat okay in my book. The relationship between Dante and Aristotle made no sense to me. Aristotle hated and loved Dante, and he just seemed so confused. I get characters being confused about their feelings, but this was seriously way beyond that. And when the love was revealed, it didn't make any sense. I knew that they would be together, but the way it happened was honestly kind of ridiculous. Ari's parents suddenly decided to tell Ari he loved Dante, and this made Ari also decide he loved Dante. Every moment where this love could've been built beforehand was shut down by Ari (and thus the author), making it seem like Ari wanted nothing to do with Dante instead. And I'm sorry, but there's no way anyone can get that confused with their feelings, even if they couldn't handle them.

The Plot: There wasn't one. Only in the ending did I finally learn what the "plot" was, and that was as it was being solved. It made me feel as if I was reading a book without a purpose.

The Favorite Character: I liked Sam, Dante's father. I also liked the dog, Legs.

Buy it, Borrow it, Or Bin it: Bin it, although I feel so awful for saying this about a book loved by so many.

What a beautiful, poetic little story.

Aristotle is a conflicted teenage boy who’s struggling with understanding himself, his parents, and his brother. He’s never had a friend, but isn’t like the other boys; he think they’re dumb and can’t relate. Then he meets Dante, and suddenly he has a friend.

This is a story of love, friendship, loyalty, teenage identity, and what it means to grow up.

I loved the characters; Ari and Dante are both really well developed and complex, and they definitely push and complement one another. Ari isn’t your typical boy, and I really enjoyed hearing his internal struggles and getting into his head. Some of the fights and conversations he has with Dante and his parents are very realistic (though somewhat annoying because I’m too old for that kind of banal drama).

This book is more focused on character development than plot development, which I really enjoyed. Even though the book is from Ari’s POV, everyone in the book grows and matures and his relationships with those people evolve in such a beautiful, natural way.

I also really, really loved the parents in this novel. I had a rant video on my booktube channel about how parent relationships in YA novels are usually lacking (video here if you’re interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uPcQNs4BXU), but in this novel, the parents are very much present, dynamic, and there for their children (and the other boy as well!). I was so impressed and happy to see it not only done, but done well.

This book is also a really great diverse read; it has LGBTQ+ elements, and both characters are Mexican-Americans (in the late 1980s).

I didn’t absolutely love the writing; part of it I did because it felt really poetic, but other times I just felt like details were repeated over and over again. And as much as I was hardcore loving the main love story, I also didn’t fully believe it; what are the odds these two find each other, especially in that time and place, and as much as I loved Ari’s growth as a character and his development of his feelings and understanding himself, I wasn’t totally sold that he was.

Overall, I liked the book a lot; it was quick and fun and I loved the characters and the message, but I wasn’t in absolute love with it.

If I had to use one word to describe this book it would be beautiful. The story, the characters, everything. This is not my usual kind of book and it's the first time I've read anything dealing with this particular issue but I feel like Sáenz handled it flawlessly.

The first thing I fell in love with was the writing. It's the kind of writing that I want to endlessly gush about it. Sáenz has a talent for conveying an overwhelming amount of emotion in very few words. His simple prose and utilization of short sentences and chapters is usually not the kind of writing that works for me, but his writing is so lyrical and evocative that I was instantly engaged and couldn't stop reading until I was done. His is the kind of writing that gives you the sense that every word was selected with great love and care.

The second thing I fell in love with was Ari, and through his narration I fell in love with all the other characters as well, from Dante to the dog Legs. It was so easy for me to relate to Ari, despite the fact that we have nothing in common other than an overwhelming sense of loneliness. In a lot of ways he reminded me of Holden Caulfield of The Catcher in the Rye, who is one of my favorite narrator's ever. Ari's mind and narration is honest, thoughtful and of course beautiful. It is also brutally painful and caused me to have all sorts of aching emotions. Honestly, as I was reading I felt like I was growing up right alongside Ari.

Dante and both sets of parents are also lovely. While the book is told exclusively from Ari's POV, it is so easy to feel as if you understand Dante and the parents just as well as you do Ari by the end of it. Sáenz developed all of his characters masterfully and there is not a one who is not a complexly layered fully developed individual. So often in first person narrations the secondary characters do not get the development they deserve but that never becomes an issue here.

However it is the relationships that are hands down the best part of this book. Dante and Ari's friendship is completely organic and realistic. The love the parents have for their sons, their insight and understanding of these boys made my heart melt because they are the truest child/parent relationships I've ever read.

This really was one of the most honest, thoughtful, and genuinely realistic books about the importance of family, love and finding yourself that I've ever had the pleasure of reading. This is the book that should be studied in every high school and I will be recommending it to everyone I know until they all read it.

Well, first of all...COVER LOVE! I am so glad I got this hardback copy of the book because the cover is truly just gorgeous. That being said, I had mixed feelings about this book that turned into an overwhelming like, as I got towards the end.

No one can debate that the writing in this book is absolutely phenomenal. There is a certain kind of poetry to the words, and how they they just...work on the page. While beautiful, I found that it took me quite a while to actually get into the book itself. I really think it had a lot to do with tone and narration. I wasn't instantaneously in love with the protagonist and it took a while for him to grow on me. Aristotle is a complicated character and his complexity only ever really became endearing to me through the second half of the book. Dante, on the other hand, was so sweet and likeable...almost tragic in a way.

The story of Dante and Aristotle's friendship grew in a natural pace, and their transition from young boys to teens was illustrated perfectly. That is not to say that the book had no issues. For me, it was really difficult to picture this story happening in the late 1980's. Nothing really put the story into that time period, other than Ari's father being a Vietnam War veteran, which I truly feel could have been adapted to a more modern conflict without issue. The attitudes and tolerant nature of the majority of the characters were certainly not common in the 80's, and it was a bit unbelievable.

Overall though, the ending of this book made the entire story so worth it and really, who doesn't love a good payoff? Without giving anything away, I'd have to say that the ending pretty much justified the indifferent attitude of Ari throughout the book. A solid, quick read.

The award winning author Benjamin Alire Sáenz, has crafted a thoughtful story, that starts a bit slowly, but each and every sentence is important, and brings a sense of the characters as they are introduced. Patience is rewarded, the characters grown and change as they learn about each other and the reader learns about them. While not linear, the point of view narration does jump about as one thought leads in to another, that quiet interior contemplation that we all understand but never voice.

Aristotle is a darker, more reserved kid: he's thoughtful with a pessimistic outlook on the eventual outcome of situations. Dante is far lighter, one who (in the author's words) is not good at keeping all of his laughter inside. Dante is truly the more intellectual of the two: sharing poetry and authors, ideas and concepts, all delivered in his perfectly constructed English. Ari is far more insecure, holding secrets closely and often amazed at the honesty Dante displays, insists on in living his life.

As a coming of age story, set in the `new revised rules' of summer this is a wonderful story that encompasses friendship and forgiveness, deals with issues of race identification, sexuality and even self-confidence as the two come to appreciate one another, and form true bonds.

The narration, provided by Lin-Manuel Miranda is wonderful, small distinctions in cadence delineate the characters and without great fuss, the characters of Ari and Dante are unique and instantly recognizable. His clear enunciation and smooth delivery provide the listener the ability to listen to the words being spoken, incorporate their meaning and flow, rather than be distracted by overly exaggerated characterizations.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book - a winner for parents and teens alike. And, while the main characters and issues are fairly specific, the story is not `just for boys'. There is something for everyone, and it is wrapped in a story that is very compelling, and suited to that time, when you are 15 and not really a "person" yet.

I received the audiobook version from the publisher via AudioBook Jukebox for purpose of honest review as part of the Heard Word. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Read this book if … you could use an uplifting, easily accessible story. Aristotle is written with the easy language of young adults but with enough prosaic poise and mature themes to keep it enlightening for older readers, and despite those heavier themes, it is filled with hope, love of human nature, and the promise of happiness.

Don’t read this book if … you’re younger than 10 or 11 or are averse to some adult themes or adult language. Sáenz’s characters deal with everything from drinking to sex to crime and–like you would expect from a teenage boy–sometimes have the mouths of sailors.

This book is like … Going Bovine by Libba Bray, which tells the story of a young man who has contracted Mad Cow Disease. He has to learn to navigate his own coming of age while dealing with a deadly illness. Like Sáenz, Bray doesn’t shy away from tough issues like mortality and maturity. She uses her wit and singular humor to present a fantastic young adult alternative to a lot of frippery out there today.

Check out my full review on my blog: http://litbeetle.com/2014/07/08/on-benjamin-alire-saenzs-aristotle-and-dante-discover-the-secrets-of-the-universe/

Wow! Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is hands down the best, the most captivating, and most memorable book I have read in a long long time. It is supposedly a YA coming of age novel, but most adults will be more entertained and moved by it than teen readers. I almost did not read Aristotle and Dante. The first page opened with the cheery sentences: "I was fifteen. I was bored. I was miserable." I thought, Ugh. Another whiney teen story. But the next sentence was so beautiful, it almost brought me to tears: "The sun could have melted the blue right off the sky. Then the sky could be as miserable as I was." Adults will appreciate the powerful poetic writing and protagonist, Ari's, feelings of loneliness and insignificance. Teens will be surprised and saddened by some of the events. Adults will see them coming. Adults know that keeping secrets never leads to happiness. Luckily for Ari, he has a new best friend, and parents, who are determined help him discover how amazing he is.

I don’t even know how to describe Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe and do it justice. The book was amazing and I will definitely hold it dear in my heart.

Likes:
The prose in this book, the writing, it was amazing. I stayed up way to late and woke up way to early just to read it.
The feels, oh man, this book is full of feels. I loved that it was written from a male perspective. It was such an unique view and really stood out.
“Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world.” I loved both Aristotle and Dante. Dante was a free spirit, he was into experimenting and feeling life. Aristotle was quiet and introverted, he struggled for love and to figure out who he really was. Both boys were fiercely loyal.
There were actual parental figures in this book who cared about their children. It was so awesome to see a book that actual had strong family influence.
I really loved the way the parents spoke to Aristotle at the end of the book, it was mature and well done.

Gripes:
Not one, get this book, open your mind and heart to it.

Just looking at the cover, I thought Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe was fantasy. Nope! It's actually an amazing YA realistic fiction about a 15 year old boy who's growing up in the year 1987. He has no friends, his sisters are 27 years old and his brother is in jail. He doesn't really know himself and he's angry, lonely, and sad. He the close thing he was to a friend is his mother.

When I first seen this was a realistic fiction/GLBT, I was a little nervous. I'd never read anything even remotely GLBT (for no reason at all) and I was just unsure about the subject. I need not have feared! Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe has turned out to be one of my favorites.

This book takes place in 1987. That surprised me but I also thought it was really cool and interesting.

In many ways I related to Ari and that really helped me connect with him. At times I felt like I could have been reading about myself.

I don't want to go into a lot of details and stuff because I feel like people should discover the story on their own.

Overall, I love this book. It was so surprisingly amazing. The writing is perfect and the characters are wonderful. I read this in one afternoon and I couldn't put it down. And I can't even process the ending.

I really ended up enjoying this. It was a very feel-good read even if some of the topics were heavy. I liked how it was set in 1987/88. The characters were really sweet. I liked how the parents were active, realistic characters because I feel like that's so rare in YA. I did have a bit of a problem with the characterizations of Ari and Dante. I felt like Ari was so angsty and dark, while Dante was so perfect and mystical. And I understand that this was probably because Ari's perspective was biased in respect to Dante and himself. But overall this was a very enjoyable read. I would recommend it!

Words cannot explain how beautiful this book is. The characters were so well written, I was immediately sucked in. It’s endlessly relatable & inspiring... I picked it up at the bookstore and finished it in one day. This book is so important I feel for gay men. I love how Ari is not portrayed as your typical gay stereotype... I really related to him on so many levels, Dante too really. I honestly feel like this book could have been longer, I never wanted it to end. Can we please get a follow up??? I can’t wait to check out the rest of Benjamin alire Sáenz catalog. BUY THIS BOOK, GIFT THIS BOOK, SHARE THIS BOOK. A new classic.

Ari & Dante is a book that I've been aware of for a long time, but for some reason never had the intention of reading. Why? Partly because I barely read any contemporarys only a year ago (I claimed they were boring). Partly because I initially thought it had something to do with the philosopher Aristoteles, who I wasn't interested in at all. Lately I've started broadening my reading horizons and no longer limit myself to only fantasy and the occasional sci-fi. One morning I just woke up and felt that I really wanted to read Ari & Dante, and I ordered the book later the same day. I finished it twice in only a week, first the audiobook because I didn't have the patience to wait for my delivery, and then I read it myself.

I can start by saying this, if it wasn't obvious from the five stars and previous sentence - I love this book. Everyone was right, I was wrong. It's amazing. It ticks of many of my wishes when it comes to books: interesting and evolving characters, family dynamics, friendships that mean more than anything, lgbt representation, many non white characters, adorable dogs, that it is set during more than just a few days. Characters and their relations to each other are extremely important to me, and it often takes a while for me to get attached. This was not the case here, as I fell for almost all the characters instantly. Sáenz writes very varied and realistic characters, and I can imagine them outside of Ari's life without any problem. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who reads the audiobook, gave everyone their own distinct voices, which can have helped with this.

I strongly recommend this book to everyone who likes stories about teenager growing up and finding themselves, and to all of you who are looking for books about lgbt characters who get happy endings. Personally I cried with happiness in the last few chapters, and am now impatiently waiting for the sequel.

*2.5 stars*

This book reminded me of The Perks of being a Wallflower which is one of my new favorite books. The characters seemed very real which was the best part of the book. I liked Ari discovering more about hisself and his sexuality.

However, I found the execution very lacking. The dialogue was dry and there were times that it seemed like nothing important was happening.

It was just okay, but I did enjoy seeing the dynamic between Ari and Dante.

Rating: 3.5/5

Even when a kid is not suffering from some unspeakable tragedy, the teen/tween years can be a rough time. And that is why I appreciate books like The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (which tackles topics like racism, eating disorders, bullying, sex, and alcoholism) and The Fault in Our Stars (which deals with love and teen cancer). These are books that acknowledge how awkward and hard being a teen/tween can be in a way that is not condescending or annoying or contrived. They acknowledge that teenagers have real problems and go through real stuff. And they help kids feel normal.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is another book that falls into that category. Ari and Dante are two Mexican-American fifteen-year-olds who meet at the local pool during the summer and become best friends. They are both a little weird, very smart, lonely, and misunderstood. Ari (named after his grandfather) is the first-person narrator, and he is full of teen angst.

He feels like Dante is so confident, so sure of himself, so happy (“Dante’s face was a map of the world. A world without any darkness.”). Those qualities seem both totally foreign and extremely admirable to Ari. Dante teaches him to swim, forces him to do silly, childish things (like play made-up games outside in the rain), and encourages him to talk.

But their friendship becomes more complicated when Dante finally confesses that his feelings for Ari are not platonic. Dante is gay, and he is in love with Ari. The two are forced to figure out how to maintain their friendship in light of this confession, and Ari must help Dante with his struggles to come out to his very loving and supportive parents (whom he fears he will disappoint) and with the bullying and hate crimes he later endures.

This is a coming-of-age story with a lovely ending. It is a story of self-discovery and self-acceptance, family, and friendship. But it is also a book that recognizes how difficult and lonely and hard it is to make the transition from childhood to adulthood (and how important it is to seek out and ask for help when you need it). It highlights the importance of honesty and communication (and the problems that can be caused by failures to communicate). It acknowledges that parents (and adults, in general) are flawed people. It touches on sweet lessons, like: “To be careful with people and with words was a rare and beautiful thing.”

Like The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and The Fault in Our Stars and other books of their ilk, this is a YA book that does not patronize kids. It sheds light on some of their struggles and gives credit to them for being able to handle them maturely and deftly (despite the difficulty and emotions inherent in such situations). And, most importantly, it acknowledges teens’ curiosity and intelligence and heart. This is definitely not the best-written book in all the land . . . but it is fast-paced and fun to read. And, in light of all the good messages the book contains, I am willing to let that flaw go.

Safe to say that, considering the rating, I loved the book. It seems that so many gay-related books end on a sad note. Thankfully not this one. There’s a lot of stuff working in this book but it it all seems to flow. Characters are genuine and plot is engaging. I read some of the one star comments after I finished the book and didn’t understand most of them (though, or course, everyone is entitled to their opinion). I think part of the enjoyment of the book is relating to the characters and their experiences. I understand the angst, the apprehension, the loneliness and uncertainty portrayed by the characters. I can also, unfortunately, relate to the experience spurred by bigotry. It is real. I would certainly recommend this book.

I wanna start by saying that I love this book and it has become one of my favorites. There isn't many things, if there are any, that I can say that were wrong with this book. This book gave me all of the feels and at the end I didn't know if I was happy or sad crying or just everything together. ?

One of the main things that stand out the most for me, was the fact that friendships and relationships weren't exactly the main focus of the book. Maybe for some people that is the main focus but for me it was more about finding yourself and getting to know who you really are. Of course, the relationships, or the lack of them, in your life are what help you get there.

The author gave us a lot of information to get to know the characters. Also, the characters grow throughout the story and they feel real. The one thing that I would've liked to have more was Dante. There is a point in the story where Dante is some kind of an invisible presence. He is there but we don't actually know much of what is happening in his life.

There are different sides to all of the characters. I love that because that is what makes them human. I also liked how we are given information but we do not get the full picture until the very end.

I'll recommend this book to everyone but mainly to all of those adolescents that feel lost right now. This book help me to put things into perspective and inspired me in so many different ways. So if you're feeling lost or nostalgic you should definitely read this book. ?❤️

*Please note I listed to this though my library's lending system*

I can see why this book has won so many awards.

This is a coming of age sort of story about a young man named Ari and his best friend Dante. There are so many levels to this book. So many lessons learned. So many heavy topics that are explored.

I listened to this book on Audible. The narration was amazing. Without having read the book first I can't say if the voice matched the voice in my head but it seemed to fit.

If you are looking for something different. Something honest. Then this books is for you

This novel is a story of confusion, angst, discovery, love, and acceptance. Two characters, Ari and Dante, coming to terms with one another's friendship and romantic feelings. It is a story of Ari coming to terms with himself, his family, his anger and his angst and other feelings. I would say this book features well written, believable main characters, and succeeds in managing to avoid many of the pitfalls that novels featuring LGBT characters did in the past. The text is well written and flows well, with short chapters encouraging bouts of binge reading.

However, I would argue that at times some plot developments may be contrived. In addition, while the characters are quite t and the experiences of the characters can be adapted to many young adults, I feel that many teenage males, particularly those who are not gay, may have trouble relating to the characters, in some form of irony.

I'd recommend this book to most young adults, but young adult females in particular, as I feel they would enjoy this novel the most.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is about a 15 year old boy, Ari, who is having one hell of a time growing up. He feels broken and disjointed and has a hard time opening up to people. Then he meets this other boy, Dante, who is the complete opposite. Dante is demonstrative, passionate and not afraid of talking about his feelings. It kind of freaks Ari out, and in all honesty, other than a shared nationality, they have very little in common. But somehow they click and a sometimes rocky, sometimes steadfast friendship develops and together they discover that there is so much about growing up and being men that they still need to learn.

It is beautifully written. Ari may not be big on talking and sharing, but everything he feels is so raw and powerful that you can't help but be drawn into his world. His incredibly angsty, angry world at times. I found it a very authentic teen boy voice, full of confusion and insecurity and hope. There were laugh out loud moments, and moments that made me all misty eyed. As much as I wanted everything to turn out all right, I didn't want the story to ever end.

My favorite part about this story is that it was so universal. Ari and Dante are of Hispanic descent, and the story is set in the late 1980s, but they could be any boys from anywhere, and it could have taken place this very year. The questions and lessons they struggle with are just that big.

I adore this book so much. Not only is it well-written and dreamy like a Wes Anderson film, the characters are palpable and strong. The best thing, to me, was the comfort I got from reading it. Too many romance or coming of age novels stress me out as they put the protagonists through ridiculous antics - this is seen even more in LGBT centric stories. Saenz gives Ari and Dante their share of ups and downs, but the relationship between them is built on such trust and love that this is easily one of the healthiest relationships I've seen in YA lit. Too many "romance" or coming of age stories rely on deception and heartbreak - this isn't one of those. It's like a tall glass of water after all the muck thrown at YA readers these days. I ended up reading this book in a little more than one sitting because I absolutely couldn't put it down.

I picked up this book because of all the hype surrounding it and I wasn't disappointed. This book has gotten rave reviews all over the internet and the booksphere. And has won multiple awards including the Printz Honor Book.
The number one thing I loved about this book was the writing. Which I think is pretty evident from the amount of quotes. This was a borrowed copy from the Library but if I had owned it, the book would have been full of a million highlighted lines. I wanted to mark every other sentence. It was absolutely wonderful.
I also loved a lot of the character traits and their development. I think Ari developed into himself really well and I think that his dad made a lot of progress through the entirety of the story. Dante, while gets a bit bolder, he essentially stays himself through all that happens to him. But Dante was more comfortable in his own skin.
Another thing that I enjoy about the book is that it takes place in the 1980's. I'm a sucker for the 80's. 80's music, 80's movies, stories that take place in the 80's hold a special place in my heart.

All that said... I did have some problems. The ending didn't really do anything for me. I felt it was a little unrealistic. Everything turns out fine and everyone lives happily ever after? It just didn't feel right for me.
Have you ever seen the movie Stranger Than Fiction? If you haven't you should drop everything you are doing and go check it out. Will Ferrell stars (and his best roles are when he is not trying to be funny in my opinion, Elf, Stranger Than Fiction, etc., etc.) as an average guy whose life is suddenly being narrated. At first he is freaking out, then everything is going good, and he finally finds this author who is narrating his life, she basically tells him she is "Nicholas Sparksing" him (killing him for the greater good). And he agrees. In the end though, ****SPOILER ALERT****** she doesn't do it. And the critics say that her book would have been phenomenal and meaningful if she had, instead it is just a good book.
This is how I feel about this book, that there wasn't enough strife. It was a good book, a great book. But the fairytale came true a little too easily.
It's a hard, thin line to walk because I am finicky, I want there too be enough strife for it to be real but if there is too much conflict, I get agitated about lack of realism all over again *cough* Game of Thrones *Cough*

I also found the plot to drag at times, things moved a little slow and I also think that everything was somewhat predictable. From the time that Aristotle and Dante meet at the pool I knew that they were into each other. I did get a little bit of a surprise when Dante moved to Chicago, but he was brought back just a little to easily.

Overall though it's hard to say too many negative things, because I did enjoy the story and the message is very profound and the prose is wonderful, but not every book is meant for everybody to love. I know because people write scathing reviews about my favorite books all the time.
I really enjoyed the story and the prose, and I thought that the character development was really great. I am going to give this 4/5 Stars.

You can check out my full review on Openbooksblog.com

So, I'm a pretty honest person when it comes to book reviews. I'm usually prone to reading non-fiction, because I find too many fiction novels overhyped, unbelievable, full of misleading life lessons, or just poorly written. This summer I was determined to find and read some fiction based romantic novels in order to get out of my usual genre. Originally, I was looking for a book written for adults, but anything that was deemed 'romantic' was just a trashy romance novel (Outlander? ugh.) Basically, as a 26 year old I was forced to look into the YA section for some decent reads. How far the literary world has fallen.

Point was I did not go into this book expecting much. I read several horrible YA 'romantic' novels before this and was basically about to quit when I picked up this book. I was so surprised at how overwhelmingly beautiful this story was and I cannot recommend it enough! I'm not a boy, and I've long passed any sort of sexual identity issues, but this book STILL spoke mounds to me. Beautifully written and executed I hope one day this book is a must read for all high school students. It's positive messages (so hard to find those these days) are about friendship, growing up, and accepting yourself.

Stop your search, this is the book and you will love it as much as I did.

Absolutely beautiful book. Raw, honest, uplifting, hopeful, true, brilliant. Both Ari and Dante are such wonderful characters. They come of age in this novel, and learn and grow together, and with the reader. This book took many turns I didn't expect at all. It surprised me in the best of ways, and the worst of ways. It hits all the emotions and all the characters are richly done. I especially loved all the parents and the relationships between the various family members. Life is messy, and not always what we expect, and it is also complex. No one has all the answers - kids or adults. This book did a wonderful job exploring all of that, and so much more.

Lyrical indeed!

I was blown away with this book from start to finish. It's a refreshing look at puberty and growing up and the things young people in the world face. To have a main character that's so charming, so thoughtful, who cares so deeply about the world to carry this story made it wonderful. Aristotle and Dante capture the easiness and angst of teenagers and how such different people can be meaningful to each other.

I felt for the characters and the world they lived in. Everything about this book is so unique and rich from the characters to the writing and the way it makes you think and tells this story so effortlessly.

First, I wish I could have read this when I was a teen struggling with identity it could have made things go much smoother.

I found this book on a list of LGBT lit and I am so glad I took the time; this book was amazing.

A great book written for young adults that deals with the ins and outs of being a teenager seeking identity. The author really captures what it is like to be a teen, not knowing who you are or what you're feeling. I really felt Dante's confusion about himself. Not only as it relates to his sexual orientation, but as it reates to his mind, thoughts, body, race, emotions, gender and so many common struggles that every teen, male or female, must try to muddle through. This novel is highly readable, and relatabe on so many levels.

Normally, I write a book review right away, but I had to let this book sink in.

First, let me say that I am an El Pasoan living 45 miles from there and just like Dante, I miss El Paso. It was fun visiting neighborhoods, restaurants, and other places that were in this book.

I knew going into this novel that it was a coming of age book about two boys. Let me say that I really didn't like the ending. I found it to be abrupt and unbelievable, but that doesn't mean that I am anti-gay. It seems that other reviewers are being attacked because if they don't like the book in its entirety, others are calling them anti-gay.

For a while, I thought that Aristotle wasn't gay and he was going to be Dante's very close friend for life, but as I reflect upon the book, I can see where his actions should have led me to believe otherwise.

Either way, I think it's a good read. Very thoughtful.

The author's writing style made me feel like I was sitting in a coffee shop with an actual El Pasoan listening to him speak directly to me.

A beautiful moving love story about falling in love - the boys in this book are so authentic & sincerely struggling to grow up to be the best they can be, and the story follows them as they help each other through the trials & trevails life throws at them. Benjamin Saenz writes amazing stories about homosexuality, family & friendships. His writing is beautiful ~ all the characters from parents to teens are vividly real.

This is such a lovely book.  It was a little slow getting started for me, but picked up in the second half.  I loved the voices of the Dante and Ari – you truly feel like you’re a fly on the wall during their conversations.  They felt so real!  (I also love the voice of Lin-Manuel Miranda, who did a fantastic job as the narrator!)  This is a sweet story about two boys coming of age and figuring out who they are in the world.  A great summer read!

What if I lived in a world in which I had to live by someone else's rules? Have faith by someone else's rules? Love by someone else's rules? What if I had to think in accordance with someone else's idea of how a woman is supposed to think?

Ari says the problem with his life was that it was someone else's idea.

This book gave me the opportunity to marvel at the fact that I was able to survive adolescence at all-that any of us are.

As a thirty-year-old, biracial, African American woman living and teaching children in a nation that is not my own, reading this book left me in awe of so many things. Of course I fell in love with the poetry of this novel, of its deceptive simplicity, of its beauty. But I was also grateful to able to identify with two boys who live in the ecotone between nations that are both their own to varying degrees. I found myself in awe of the fact that I was able to put this book down, embrace my sleeping wife, whom I am able to love without fear in a nation whose machismo was supposed to stifle me, but instead offered me a freedom The Land of The Free would not; my beloved wife, for whom I am able to provide, and from whom I was able to learn not only another spoken language, but a universe of languages that speak to who I am and who we all are as people.

As I marvel at these and so many other things inspired by this book, I feel the tears of gratitude on the crests of my lids.

Thank you Benjamin Alire Saenz for this gift.

Namaste.

I thought this book was a little slow getting started, and it was hard to tell where it was going. However, at some point I caught the drift and was hooked. Terrific and sensitive portrayal of the characters and issues they face. Talked with some of my favorite teens about it and they loved it too. One said, "I got hooked around page 100 after the incident with the birds. After that there was no turning back."

You can Google me for the rest of the review! I have a whole review of this book in my Blogger and Wordpress blog:

"Inkish Kingdoms"

I would like to start being a bit too personal... I cannot overcome the wave of emotions that I felt with this book. This is the kind of book that will just take away your breath and concentration. Nothing else is there for you to do or to care, just keep reading! I fell in love with the characters, and I did feel identify with their struggle.

I have had this book on my shelf for a while. I cannot tell you the amount of times I picked it up, stared at the beautiful cover, and then told myself that I just was not in the mood. For some unknown reason, I thought this book was going to be very heavy and wordy and just ick. I AM SO GLAD TO SAY THAT I WAS WRONG! Oh my goodness, the feels! This book was pure perfection! It was so different and refreshing and the characters were lovely and I felt myself in them. If you haven't read this book yet, please, stop procrastinating. Don't be like I was. You need to read this book.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is a Contemporary taking place in the 80's. Aristotle and Dante kind of surprised me. I wasn't expecting much because of the *hype* and awards, but I enjoyed it so much! I picked up this book for Book Riot's read harder challenge for a LGBTQ book. I had no idea what this book was about other than other readers were recommending it for the challenge. I didn't even know it was a Contemporary.

Anyway, it follows two teenage boys as they find out who they are in this world. The thing is the main character is such a lonely, isolated, and depressed person that you'd think the book would be completely depressing and sad. I mean, yeah, he is an EXTREMELY sad character but the character development is just fantastic! What is interesting is that there isn't really a plot, but yet I was so hooked to find out the fate of the boys. After finding out that one of the boys is gay I was SO surprised. I seriously did not pick up on it while reading it. But yet it made sense all the same. I can't really say much about that though because it would totally spoil it. I know a lot of people say they had always known from the beginning, but for me it was a huge surprise.

Aristotle is one of the most saddest characters I think I've ever read about. However, he meets a boy named Dante and he teaches Aristotle how to swim and thats the beginning of their friendship. Dante really balances everything out even though they are both kind of loners. Their friendship is like the definition of yin and yang. Of course there is an "event" that comes crashing down on them threatening their friendship, but watching them make it past it was just amazing!

I think my favorite part of the whole thing is all of the parents are AWESOME! They are a huge part of the book which is so different from other ya books. Aristotle's father is always in his own head. It bothers Aristotle so much throughout the book. I think watching their relationship develop was the best! But I loved Dante's parents - they are the coolest!

The only thing I wish would have been different is more details about Aristotle's brother. He is in prison but we never meet him or truly find out what happened with him. I would have loved to know more about him and what he did to land in prison.

I highly recommend everyone picking this one up! I'm not much of a Contemporary fan but I loved it! I would say that the author writes a lot like John Green. If John Green is your thing then this one is right up your alley. ;)

Review
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is a breathtaking piece that is beautifully written. The book is split into six sections, which increases readability and reader’s interest. The quotes that Sáenz uses gives the readers a sense of what will follow, but strays away from revealing too much to ensure that the readers can relate the quotes to the sections by themselves. This story creates two very strong and dynamic characters. Aristotle Mendoza, usually referred to as Ari, is a shy and complicated individual that is fighting with his present stance in the world. He seeks the answers to many questions regarding his own identity, his older brother, his father, and who he will become in the future. On the other side, there’s Dante. Dante Quintana is an intelligent, handsome looking man, who constantly is trying to find and gain more knowledge to help him get through life. He seems to have everything until we find out that not everything is what it seems and he has his own struggles he is battling with. Through their friendship, letters, saving birds, and saving each other, Aristotle and Dante find their true identities.

This novel is a tear jerker and only a few other books, other than this one, could make some of the strongest cry. This book tackles controversial issues through the way most people would during their normal lives. The story does not contain a central plot or enticing event. Instead, it tells the story of a young male named Ari that is trying to discover life. He meets Dante at the pool and from there, they bond. After Dante moves away, they keep in touch through letters and through these letters, they share many secrets. Once the summer comes around again, Dante returns and the boys explore each other through different phases of friendship.

Ari shows Dante that not only is he a supportive friend, but he will always be there for him. This is most prevalent when Dante is attacked and Ari attacks the guy back. Dante shows Ari that he needs to stop running and find himself. This prompts Ari to ask the questions that no one wants to talk about or answer regarding his father, his brother, his mother, and his aunt. The novel focuses on friendship, acceptance, and finding who one really is at the core, but most importantly love. Love from family, friends, and a love that can make some uncomfortable. Aristotle and Dante’s love is what drives this novel, is what keeps the readers going, and, ultimately, is what keeps both moving forward in life. It is rare to find a story that beautifully explains and depicts a wide variety of aspects like homosexuality, exile, violence, jail, unspoken issues, unspoken fears, acceptance, identity, and race, but this story has proven time and time again why it deserves every reward it has received.

It was such an amazing book - but towards the end, I felt like it was rushed and the author tried to wrap it up too quick. nevertheless, this book made me laugh and smile a lot but also made me cry.
there were a few things that kinda of bothered me with the protagonist but nevertheless, it was still a great book.
i really like how the book was so easy to read, easy to pause and then pick up again
i liked the short chapters b/c it made reading faster for some reason

overall, an amazing book - do read it!

I wanted to cry during the whole thing. Saenz’s writing conveys a melancholy that starts in your soul and just comes rushing to the surface the second you open the book. I almost couldn’t stop reading, putting it down only because my eyes needed to close. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Young Adult Fiction, but especially to Queer youth.

Full reviews posted on robinhoodreads.wordpress.com

The story of Ari and Dante washed over like sweet rain. Told from Aristotle's point of view, it is a coming of age tale set in the border town of El Paso, Texas in the late 80's. The boys meet, a friendship grows and, for one of them it changes into something more.

Beautifully written with clear, sparse and striking prose, the author shows how discovering the secrets of the universe is really about discovering the secrets within ourselves.

I really loved this book. The writing was amazing, and I found myself quickly enthralled. The characters are vivid, blanked, and real. They felt like real teenagers to me with all of their hopes, and their fears, and their dreams. I really enjoyed getting to know Dante. His growth, and development over the course of the story was a pleasure to read. I love the balance between him, and Aristotle. The differences in their personality, and views on the world made their friendship that much richer. I also enjoyed the adults in the story. It was nice to see such complex, and rich adults in a young adult novel. They aren't perfect, but they do care, and that comes across in the story. The search for identity, for understanding, and the longing to connect with others fill this novel, and make it a rewarding reading experience.

Ari is full of self-doubt and loneliness. In 1987, the summer after sophomore year, he meets Dante, who is self-assured but equally in need of a friend. Although opposites in many ways, they bond over shared laughter and their quest to discover and deal with life’s big questions (aka, “the secrets of the universe”).

Ari, Dante, and their parents are wonderful characters. Ari’s first person narrative is honest as he explores his identity. Saenz is skilled in understanding teenage boys, their dialogue, and their struggles within relationships.

The themes explored in this poignant novel include friendship and love, loyalty and trust, as well as the issue of Mexican American identity. The ending is just perfect. I highly recommend it for all teens and adults.

I love teen/young adult literature--I wish it had existed as a separate genre when I was a teenager. Aristotle (Ari) and Dante are teenage boys making the difficult transition from boyhood to manhood. The book traces the development of this friendship between two very different young men. It's a beautiful, moving novel.

I love Saenz's writing style. I understand that he's also a poet and it really shows. The writing is clear, vivid, and packs a huge emotional punch. He does a great job of bringing these characters to life without any wasted words.

A great novel, and one that I think many teens/young adults (or older adults who remember being teens) would enjoy.

I read a lot of YA queer fiction, and this is probably my absolute favorite one in that genre. I loved the characters, plot, writing, and everything about it. I'm still in awe of how seamlessly the book blends together so many different issues (queer issues, effects of war, heritage and identity, etc) without feeling rushed or underdeveloped. The book reads quickly and is engrossing from beginning to end. I absolutely LOVE the ending too and am thrilled to hear that there will be a sequel!

If ever there has been a story of friendship that not only knows no bounds & of growing up then the latest novel by Benjamin Alire Saenz may in fact be it. Ari & Dante are 2 friends who meet quite accidentally & form a bond that is stronger than either of them imagined. Across this story, Saenz delves into the power of friendship & the true emotions that involve when you will do anything for anyone no matter what. This book will make you laugh, think & bring you to tears & may in fact be one of the best books of 2012. A must read for readers of any age & for me a book that I have a feeling will become a classic for generations to come.

When you read a lot, you realize that there are books — and then there are books — the sort that you want to throw at your friends and scream “READ IT! I HAVE A LOT OF FEELINGS!” This is that sort of book. The plot, characters, style — everything about Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is done so well. You really get to know the two protagonists, Aristotle and Dante. There’s friendship, romance, family — everything you could want. The only teensy problem I had was with the ending, which felt sort of rushed and a little forced. But, aside from that, it was wonderful. Talk to me and I will gush about this book for ages.

Recommendation: Buy it now! It’s such a beautiful story.
Review crossposted from Rich in Color: richincolor [.] com

This book should get the prize for the most interesting title and the author should get a prize for the best character development of all time. A Young Adult novel so not aimed at me as the prime target audience but somehow, once again, he make sme relate very deeply to the main characters to which I have nothing in common. As with his book, Last night I sang to the monster, I related very deeply to a 15 to 17 year old boy with serious identity, confidence, and other issues.

A book that just kept me reading. I had kind of guessed the end but the author handled it rather beautifully and undramatically.

This author is now on my favourite authors list (if there was actually such a list other than in my mind!).

Aristotle and dante discover the secrets of the universe is a very beautifully written book. It is loaded with details. It is really cool to see the boys go through a lot and start to learn who they really are and all of their secrets. When Ari who is used to being alone meets his bestfriend, Dante, he opens ari up and Ari tries to figure out how to have a bestfriend. If you are like action then this isn’t a good book for you. This is all about following their lives and assuming things off of how they act and reading more to check yourself. It is an amazing book that will have you wondering what happens next. I’m not going to ruin the book but there is some LGBT stuff in it that could make some readers uncomfortable. It goes into figuring out what you love and desire and figuring out your identity. It is also a very emotional book.

I'm gonna put Sáenz into my humble list of favorite writers and set out to read everything he's ever written because I would be crazy to not love an author who can make me alternatively cry and laugh within a few pages, or sometimes even on the same page. Sáenz's writing is the epitome of simplicity, there is no fancy prose, or big word, no elaborate conjuncted sentences that make you double take to understand what that means. It goes in one smooth flow that allows you to dwell into the world of the characters, to immerse yourself in their universe, secrets, pains and joys. And it's the perfect voice for the narrator. This book makes me simultaneously a little bit sadder, a little bit happier, and wanting to be a little bit kinder. A great reading choice for summer. Perfect, actually.

Totally predictable throughout the entire book. Gay friend was completely stereotypical. The main character 'discovering' he was gay, too-- really-- brother in prison, emotionally absent father-- wow, shocking!! Parents totally fine with boys being gay, really? The soldier father who was emotionally non-existent suddenly is supportive of who is son is-- yeah, that is realistic.
Story would have been much more powerful if the gay friend didn't seem like such a well, a queen. Majority of real gay men do not act in such a fashion. This stereotype sets their cause back, not helps.
I also wholeheartedly disagree with the main character being gay. Why couldn't there have been angst and looking within to know that he could truly love his friend, but not "love" him and let them work through what it would be to remain best friends. This is reality.

Two teen Mexican American boys trying to answer deep questions about Identity, sexuality, friendship and family.

Ari, a brooding boy, but always open minded and patient. Especially when it comes to his relationship with his parents and his friendship with Dante. He doesn't wear his heart on his sleeve, pretty guarded emotionally. Ari is the youngest of the siblings and born years after the rest. So he resides alone with his parents. There is a mystery in his life regarding his older brother who is in prison. The lack of knowing what happened with his brother, and his parents not healed enough to talk about his brother causes a lot of awkward situations in his house. This becomes a major focus of Ari's story.

Dante, always asking questions why and why not? He's a fiercely dedicated friend and stands by his strong emotions. Wears his heart on his sleeve. Although he himself has a hard time relaying his emotions verbally he does a lot more of it than Ari.

Ari and Dante are at a time in their lives that they are experiencing the most in life. Questioning every feeling and emotion they have and over the year that this book takes place discover deep answers to their questions.

A friendship that was made in the spur of a moment, but become deeply rooted throughout this hectic and emotional year of their lives. This book will have you laughing and pondering questions of your own.

The audiobook is narrated by Lin-Manuel Miranda who gives the perfect voice to the characters of Dante and Ari. The story is told all from Dante's perspective, but the narrator really brings out the emotional content in his reading of this story.

I do not read a lot of contemporary novels. But every once in awhile I see a title that sparks my interest. This is one of those I am glad that I picked up, Great summer reading pick for your To -Be - Read stacks.

I'll be honest, I went into this book not really knowing much about it other than the fact that it has really good reviews and that it has one a crap ton of awards.

I really wasn't quite sure how I felt at the beginning of the story. The writing felt a little elementary and I found myself thinking "...this book won how many awards?" a few times. And I got real sick of reading the sentence "I laughed." over and over again.

But this book is mostly dialogue and is an incredibly quick read. Once I got into the story, I found myself not wanting to put the book down. I lost track of the amount of times this book made me cry. My husband looked at me like I was a crazy person a few times, but there is something to be said for a book that can cause tears to roll down your cheeks not just once, but on several occasions.

One of the things I loved about this book was the presence of strong parental figures. In a lot of young adult books, parents seem to be fairly absent. These parents weren't perfect, but they loved their children and were strong role models for them throughout the story. Some of the parts that made me cry the most had to do with dads crying. Because that makes me think of my dad crying, and well, darn it if that doesn't turn me into a blubbering mess.

I just felt like this book was trying too hard. Set in 1987, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (even the title is trying too hard) tries to conquer topics such as:

Depression
Anger
Coming to terms with your sexuality
Struggling with your race
Family drama (the main character's brother is in prison)
PTSD (the main character's father was in Vietnam)
And I'm sure there's more. I felt like a bit of a cynic at one point for saying "Ohhh that's why it has so many awards. The author shoved almost every tough topic he could think of into one book."

Also, two female characters were introduced and given a fairly heavy amount of importance for a while, and then they just *poof* disappear. I started to feel like they were just there to fluff up the middle.

I toyed with giving this book 3.5 stars instead of 4 because of the slow start in the beginning and the reasons listed above, but it really was a beautiful book. I bumped up the rating a bit just for the sheer amount of times that it made me cry and because I was just so darn happy for Dante and Ari at the end.

I would highly recommend this book - but I would stick to reading it at home due to the fact that it may cause you to ugly cry a few times.

I picked this book up because I needed to tell my mom whether or not this book is appropriate for middle schoolers. I think it is. I was not expecting much from this. I was pleasantly surprised. Throughout the book you follow Ari through all the trouble and self doubting of a teenager and more. It was a lot more interesting than I expected and their where parts where I could not put the book down. I am satisfied with the ending and I would recommend this book to teenage boys.

This book is one of the few LGBT stories I've read that has Mexican American representation which is great. The book was written beautifully and it's impossible to not love every character in the book. Dante was very quirky and witty and Aristotle was sarcastic and humorous, they're personalities both worked well together and it was a very one-of-a-kind relationship. Another great thing was all of the very concise conversations between Ari and Dante, it was very sweet and it made it feel like there was insight on every bit of their relationship and character. It was also great that both families were supportive and loving when it came to them both being gay. Overall a unique and positive story and it's definitely worth a re-read.

Aristotle (Ari) is a lonely, angry teenage boy with a brother in prison. Dante is a smart boy from another school who teaches Ari how to swim. The two seem to have nothing in common when they meet at a swimming pool in Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, but as time moves forward they develop into deep rooted trust and loyalty. As Dante’s feelings for Ari develop into something decidedly deeper than friendship, Ari must come to terms with his friend’s feelings as well as his own.

The book deals with budding sexuality and the exploration of individual identities, and above all the lesson that love is not shameful, no matter what it looks like. It’s a love stories that goes well beyond these two boys, encompassing the love between parents and children, the love that brings communities together, and love for oneself. Ari’s journey from boy to man is handled with tact, never too marginalized and never too dramatized. It covers many aspects of growing up through the boys’ experiences, dealing with family, PTSD, drugs, alcohol, and juggling overlapping identities of sexuality and ethnicity all without becoming overwhelming to the reader. It’s a good read for adults as an exploitative piece and an important read for developing adolescents as a lesson in finding themselves. A good novel for ages 12 and up.

Read It. Note It.
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Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is told from the POV of Aristotle (Ari). This book is more of a coming of age story about a teenage boy and how he comes to understand the meaning of life rather than your typical contemporary novel. With strong focuses on family and friendship, this book was an incredible account on the pressures and the uncontrollable nature life and the surprises it brings.

Although Ari is one of those characters that you grow to love, in the beginning it was hard for me to understand him well enough to connect with him. His negative nature in the beginning made it difficult to want to get to know him as a character. Dante, on the other hand, was completely lovable from the moment he was introduced. I found myself loving all the characters in this book especially Dante's parents. I even loved Legs!

I liked the realistic elements and problems the characters faced in this book like bullying, moving states, and acceptance. All very strong issues in this book that made the story even more powerful. All the problems the characters faced were believable and allowed the reader to better connect to the story's message because of how most can relate with common issues such as bullying.

I was very pleased that Ari changed throughout the novel for the better and I thoroughly enjoyed reading his story and how different events that happened in his life went into shaping his character and personality. I really loved that this story wasn't what I had originally expected it to be. It was better I feel to go into this story blind, you get more out of it that way. I feared that the hype would kill my love for the book by setting my expectations too high, but for me the hype was rightfully deserved!

My favorite scene had to be Ari's recovery. It put a lot into perspective and allowed me to understand why he behaved as he did. I liked the friendship between Ari and Dante the most.... Duh lol.... it's the main focus of the story's plot. I liked the bullying aspect least for obvious reasons. It was heartbreaking but served its purpose in the novel.

I feel that the ending was very well done and I was left content with how it ended. I would recommend this to those looking for a coming of age story from a boy's POV. I would not recommend this to someone who is close-minded or judgmental. I feel that you have to be open-minded to really enjoy this story and appreciate it for what it is. I rated this 5/5 and rate the cover 8/10 despite the novel's crazy long title! It's a very quick, enjoyable read with amazing writing. I was thoroughly pleased with this novel and can say that it is different in a good way from what I have read in contemporary lately!

Erica

Genre: YA Contemporary
Read: Feb 03 2105
My Review:
Now, its best to go into this amazing book knowing as little as possible. However, know that this is a find yourself book that is written from a confused teen's POV. The reason for such a high rating is the voice itself, its so vivid and angry. The MC goes through the struggle of looking within himself and asking himself questions that confuse him. His family and friends help him along the way. Overall, this is a beautiful story that everyone should read.

Recommend: YES!

I truly loved this book. I was hooked on every event in the story. Also Aristolte is a relatable character. I feel we have all been Ari at some point in our life.
The friendship between Aristotle and Dante is so good because it has its ups and downs just like any real friendship. Then when Dante comes out as gay I love how Ari was so unfazed. He didnt want to loose a good friend which led to many more things. Reading about Ari's mysterious past and seeing him realize his place in the universe was well worth the read.

Aristotle and Dante are unlikely friends: Ari up his anger at his father, his imprisoned older brother, and his confusion over his identity. Dante is self-assured and kind. The friendship that Ari and Dante share withstands a summer of near-fatal accidents and a long school year of separation that ultimately forces the boys to face their questions about identity and their relationship.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is a thoughtful, beautifully written novel punctuated with moments of quiet humor and heartbreak. Ari’s endless questions about what it means to be an adult and a man, his fractured family, and the secrets of the universe preoccupy most of the book, but eventually lead him to his biggest question: how he really feels about Dante. Communication is a big theme in this book as Ari learns how to connect and talk with his father, how to talk with his mom about hard subjects, and how to get past the easy subjects of conversations with Dante to talk about love and his feelings of inadequacy. Every quiet moment is important in this story of exploration, identity, friendship, and love.

I usually fall for books in the fantasy genre but this title really grabbed my attention. For a second I thought it was a philosophy book by Aristotle and Dante Alighieri(lol) which left me confused because they didn't live in the same time period. Anyways, the book was amazing. Before I checked it out, I was a bit bummed about the books I've been reading lately; they're nice and all but they didn't make me thinking, I couldn't relate to them or their characters, they weren't smart, witty or refreshing. Then I stumbled upon this jewel. I read it in a day. This book has forever changed my life and the way I look at the world. I found everything I was looking for within its pages. And much, much more. It has inspired me to be more open, more carefree, to live in the moment and have fun- Note: THIS IS NOT A SELF-HELP BOOK. I just related to it on such a deep level that it had this effect on me. I'm already thinking about reading it again. Also, I'm considering buying a physical copy for myself. I'll definitely get copies for my friends.

I liked the fact that the book was mostly set in the summer time and all the references the boys made about summer and their time spent and living. It got me thinking about my summer and how I would live it.

This is definitely a great, great book.

The story begins in the summer of 1987, 15 yr old Aristotle (Ari), has a good relationship with his mother, his father is a man of few words and the two don't know where to begin. Ari also misses his older brother, Bernardo immensely but since he went to prison no one in the family is allowed to speak his name. Ari is angry and always ready to fight, until he meets Dante at the pool Ari has no friends. 15yr Dante is almost the complete opposite of Ari, he's closer is father and unafraid to show kindness and is sure of who he is.

Somehow these soon to be men who are very different quickly become good friends, as the story evolves their bond gets even stronger. As the summers pass, the boys experince love, pain, heartache and loss, pretty much every emotion that will touch your heart. Saenz does it in such a poetic way, you can't help but be fully engaged and moved by the beauty of his words.

Reading Saenz is always a beautiful experience, he is one of my favorites. Every single time I read one of his novels, I happily lose myslef in his words. When I am finished the characters he's created will stay with me for a long time. If you've never read Saenz you are seriously missing out but Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is a wonderful place to begin. A 2012 favorite.

Ari has always felt lonely; adrift in a universe that he can't grasp, unable to understand how to simply just be. He can hide his feelings so well they become too hard to translate. Then there is Dante; vociferous, self-assured and open Dante. When they meet at the local pool and Dante offers to teach Ari how to swim, they develop a friendship and set out together on a path to open up each other's worlds.

This quietly beautiful book spoke to me in a way that only a handful of books ever have. It's one of those books that you don't want to devour; you want to savour the words because each and every one of them counts. The writing is earth shatteringly passionate, so infused with honesty and sincerity that simple sentences had the power to take my breath away.

Both Ari and Dante are nuanced and layered - from his ability to strip every part of them bare and exposed to their often disjointed conversations - Sáenz is a writing force to be reckoned with. He makes you feel, and when I say feel I mean really feel. Experiencing Ari unfold and struggle to reform into who he wants to be was devastating but ultimately so full of joy. His development will speak to anyone who has every felt unsure of who they are, to everyone who has ever felt different.

What I loved most about this book was the honest and tender displays of familial love. How even when that love is hard to express, it is still right there, a constant. It beautifully conveys how much love can stifle and suffocate when it's not expressed in important relationships and how silence can cause pain. The exploration of identity and sexuality was illuminating and open. Simply put, it was beautiful to behold.

This is a book of love. It's a reminder that love, all the different kinds of love, is something to be treasured. It is something that is deserved and should be free from shame. For a book that quietly flew under my radar, I can tell you one thing for certain, this book doesn't simply fly; it soars.

family, friends, a dog, and more.
a story that perfectly illustrates the ecotone between childhood and adulthood. the secrets of the universe are within ourselves. we are vast and inscrutable and simultaneously simply who we are. and that changes too. great read. interesting characters. i want to live next door to Aristotle Mendoza & Dante Quintana.

THIS BOOK IS AMAZING!!! This book expresses how awkward a teenager in transitions can feel, and how that person must over come every difficulty that life brings. The characters in this book are incredibly realistic and ANYONE can relate to how the different characters feel. I think that this book is a good start for anyone who wants to get into LGBT books or just wants to try something new. Benjamin Alire Saenz throws so many situations into the story making the plot twisted as ever and many of the situations, some are pretty hard to get through without shedding a tear, are heart wrenching. You will deffinitely form some sort of connection to the characters and you will not be able to stop reading once you start.

Five stars. I wouldn't consider rating it anything else. Benjamin Alire Saenz wrote a masterpiece that I devoured in one sitting. This book is about friendship, discovering yourself, and two boys who couldn't be any more dissimilar in a way that made them exactly alike. Aristotle is a teenage boy who doesn't understand his place in this world. He hasn't figured out where he fits in. His entire life, he thinks, have been created for him without a word of his own choices. Dante is amazing at everything, but he doesn't feel connected to everyone else. These characters made the entire book so enjoyable. I wouldn't change a single thing about them. Saenz's writing style can only be described as beautiful. His short, sweet, and to the point sentences made reading it all the more enjoyable. One of my favorite quotes in this book (and there were many) was this beautiful one when he saw his mother and father holding hands.
"I wonder what it was like to hold someone's hand. I bet you could sometimes find all the mysteries of the universe in someone's hand."
I have never been so entranced by a book like I was with this one. Made me laugh, cry, and smile in a matter of seconds. Definitely a highly recommended read. Don't pass it up.

There are no words to express how beautiful this story is. It just blows you away. The emotion that runs through the story is almost overwhelming, that's how much you will love Dante and Ari. Just beautiful.

Once you read just one book by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, you will rush to read them all. He is a unique voice in YA literature, writing real characters in heartwrenching situations. His books are universally appealing. They are a fast read, not because the stories are lightweight, but because the writing is sublime and you rush to find out what happens to his irresistible characters. Get the tissues ready because his stories are never easy, but they are beautiful. I highly recommend this book to teens and adults.

I had no idea what to expect of this book. I randomly picked it up on campus while in the library. I vaguely remembered seeing it on #BookTube somewhere. It was so good. I can’t say enough good things about it. The characters were so charming and likable, although maybe not to the other characters in the story. This is the only book I’ve read in quite awhile that has such a fantastic family dynamic as well.
Characters – 5 Setting- 5 Plot- 5 Conflict- 5 Resolution – 5

5 stars!!

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe was one of the first romantic novels I could really connect with.
It is the story of two teenagers growing up together, discovering who they are, and what they mean to each other. While on this roller coaster ride of life, they learn many things, and discover, as the title may suggest, the secrets of the universe.
Where many authors would choose to portray a relationship as something 2-dimensional and flat, Benjamin Alire Sáenz chooses to display how a relationship grows and changes the people that are a part of it, as well as pointing out that a relationship is also largely built by the world around those involved. Besides doing a fantastic job at realistic fiction and accurately displaying the complexity of life, Benjamin has also shed light on two diverse families and the hardships they must go through. The words paint a fluid picture that takes emersion to a whole new level. Growing up is hard, but through the hardships that the two boys endure, they become stronger and better equipped to face the world ahead of them, and following this process as a reader has allowed me to learn and grow from their experiences as well.
As I read through this book, I felt myself becoming drawn further and further in - not only by the characters and their story, but also by the writing style itself.
I look forward to reading any other book by Benjamin, and I highly recommend this one.

This is a great book. It is written with beautiful language and has great storytelling. This novel has a great, solid story, and strong, interesting characters. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is definitely a book you should pick up if you have the free time to read another book. I was stuck to the book as soon as I started reading. It's an interesting and fun read that does, in all respect, have it's slower less interesting parts but doesn't fail to disappoint with a satisfying, all be it very predictable, ending. Please pick this book up and give it a read, it deserves every award given to it.

this book is an emotional rollercoaster, and it described every aspect of what a teenager is going through. this book saved my life and will probably save somebody else’s. I was given this book from a friend and I’m so glad she gave it to me. my perspective was expanded so much to an extent that I can’t even explain. I read this book in 3 days, and yeah it’s a 359 page book but it didn’t even feel like that because I was so into the story. hands down best book I’ve ever read in my life.

I was put off at first, knowing that this is a Young Adult selection, but within the first five pages I was hooked. Who would have ever thought that reading a book about two teenage boys could turn into a sweet, funny, sad, emotional journey? It helped that the two boys are highly likable and clever and have parents we would all wish for. In this author's hands, it turns into magic.

I rarely write reviews with more than a few phrases containing "good, did what it was supposed to, nice, etc", but wow this book has changed everything. It is beautifully written, and I knew this book was going to be great the moment I read the first page. I read the first line, and I instantly fell in love. It was really down to earth, it didn't feel too cheesy, or lame, or too pretentious; It felt real. I laughed, I smiled, and I definitely cried. Please buy this book because you will love it.

I felt like this book was a great story about 2 boys growing up and learning things about themselves that they never knew and discovering who they want to be as people. I really liked how well the author is able to explain how the characters really feel deep down about not only themselves but the people around them. Even though the book was very descriptive it did take a little too long for my liking to get to the main point of the story but, overall it was really good. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants an easy read along with a different kind of love story and a good self discovery book.

The narrator of the audiobook was wonderful and his impersonations of Gina and Susie were hilarious!! What a powerful story. I only wanted more! I would've liked to have seen more of Ari's brother. If Ari ever got to connect with him or not. This book had me laughing out loud and and bawling my eyes out. Dante was such a brave soul. Really good book, I wish it hadn't ended. An excellent coming of age novel.

I woke up at 2 AM, couldn’t sleep, reached for the Kindle and downloaded a sample. Found myself ordering it and finishing it in 5.5 hours. Who needs sleep!

What an amazing story of friendship, family, love and self discovery. I love it so much!

Needs a label, preferably large and on the (exquisite) front cover:

WARNING: Reading this book will crack your heart right open. Then it will stitch it back together and love away all the hurt.

I couldn't love this book more. Ari and Dante are two of the most beautifully drawn characters in YA; every twist and turn they take individually and as a complex and fascinating unit is deeply soaked with emotion, but it never gets sloppy. I'm not a crying kind of person, and on at least four instances, their story took my breath away and brought tears to my eyes. Benjamin Alier Saenz again captures and pins down the elusive target of the male teenage brain, showing the bildungsroman arc of physical and psychological development with grace and compassion. When I finished reading this, the world was a richer place, the colors a little more intense, the light more clear. I felt open in a way I rarely do.

The book also does something unusual in YA: It shows dynamic, rounded parental figures, in this case *four* (what other YA book does that?), and their stories are woven into the fabric of the book as mirrors and foils of the story of Ari and Dante.

This book is brave and beautiful. Alier Saenz mentions in the prologue that he had second thoughts about writing it, and almost abandoned it. I'm so, so glad he made it past that and brought Ari and Dante to life.

This book was about two boys, Ari and Dante, who struggle through their teenage years together, but soon form a bond that no one can break. The book was well written with short chapters that show Ari’s dilemma with his life and wondering what to do with it. While Dante helps Ari through his problems when he has to deal with his own too. The whole book is a quick read but worth it for the ending. I recommend this book to anyone who might be going through the same thing or just likes reading the progress of hardships and friendships.

I read quite a bit, and this has been the best experience I've had had with a book in quite a bit. That old cliche of laughing and crying and whatever else - it rings true here. Saenz does a lovely job balancing insights about family, class, coming of age, Mexican-American identity, self-acceptance, and love, but what really distinguishes this book is the lyricism of its language. It reads like poetry, accessible but still vivid and poignant. I highly recommend reading it.

I highly recommend this book to everyone. It is a story about two young boys who form a friendship and slowly learn about each other. This book has a very slow pace for a YA novel but I can promise you when you are done with it, you will be glad you read it all. The author's main focus for this book was to show two boys going from boyhood to adult hood. The book is a great book to introduce or talk about sexuality, family issues, Mexican identity, and friendship. Since the book does contain a lot about sexuality, and a lot of topics which are not suitable for children, this book is a high school teens and young adults. The author decided to leave out a lot of information in the beginning of the novel with makes you wonder a lot but at the end it all comes together. The title matches perfectly with the novel.

Set in 1987, Dante and Ari are fifteen-year-old Hispanic teenagers who meet at the swimming pool and despite their striking differences become good friends. Ari is reticent, impassive, and haunted by the enigma of his older brother (he's in gaol for some undisclosed crime which his family will not discuss). Dante is outgoing, articulate, confident and perfectly upfront that he thinks he is gay. He's also not shy in letting Ari know that he's attracted to him and would like to kiss him. This novel is aimed primarily at teenagers and has won numerous literary awards, both gay and mainstream. It's not hard to understand its success. The two main characters are extremely well developed and the reader quickly becomes entangled in their lives and dramas. When complications arise, the story becomes extremely affecting and moving. Older readers will enjoy this just as much as teens - at its core, it's a charming love story between opposites that tugs at the heart strings and which will quite likely move you to tears.

I randomly chose this book in the library because I needed something to read and I liked the title- SO glad I did!!!!! I couldn't put it down, read in all my classes and finished it the same day. The writing was beautiful; Saenz doesn't use any extra words but manages to convey the emotions of the story perfectly, and the conversations between Aristotle and Dante are a joy to read. He really lets the reader get to know Ari, the narrator, and stays true to that perspective throughout the book. Personally, I didn't think I had much in common with Ari, but through Saenz's words I came to feel like I understood him really well. The parents are well-crafted too, though you only get to see them from Ari's point of view, and they're believable even when they surprise you. I hope Saenz writes more about these characters, because they're fantastic and complex and I'd love to read more about them.

Ari & Dante is widely considered to be required reading for those seeking LGBTQ+ YA and it's not hard to see why. Thought-provoking and moving, this story deals with coming out, coming of age, race, family, and friendship. While it didn't necessarily break my heart, it's still an emotional ride and one that does the subject matter justice.

I liked this! I thought it was captivating and the voice of the narrator was honest and eye-opening. However, I did like the second half of the book more than the first half - it started out a little too slow, but it did catch on in the end.

Beautifully written, pitch perfect, and so full of heart. One of my all-time favorite YAs. The writing in this is poetic and beautiful. And I can't imagine anyone not rooting for Ari and Dante throughout. Great story about friendship and family. If you get the chance, listen to the audio book because Lin-Manual Miranda narrates it and his voice is perfect for this one.

This is the most moving book I have ever read about adolescents slowly awakening to their true selves. Ari and Dante, best friends, are beautifully rendered by astonishing author Benjamin Alire Saenz. This book left me breathless and in tears. It is a major work. Heartbreaking, uplifting and true. Perfect.

Lyrical & lovely & painfully honest, Ari's voice works so beautifully I'm willing to accept the fact that there's a time-warp problem (in my humble opinion). I completely buy the complicated relationships that abound, & the sticky wicket of Ari's internal life. I can even buy that Dante's parents settle into Dante's homosexuality so comfortably, but when Ari's parents are even more accepting of Ari's homosexuality - to the point that they encourage his relationship, it's tough to buy. Saenz gives us good background on both families that helps us move toward believing the parents' acceptance, but the book takes place in the mid-70s in New Mexico, & having lived in the mid-70s in California, with any number of friends coming out in various ways, I don't know. Maybe folks in NM were more progressive than folks in CA? That notwithstanding, I love the book. I love Ari & his family, Dante & his family, & the very classy resolution. Here's hoping all the parents of those who come out in the future can rise to the loving level of these two sets of parents. It would be a better world.

I'm a 13 year old boy who read this book, and I must say, it was amazing. I've never read any of Benjamin Alire Saenz's work before, but this book has encouraged me to continue reading his books.

The story begins by introducing Angel Aristotle Mendoza, who prefers being called Ari. Ari is a fifteen-year-old who appears to be a loner, and is tacit and secluded, keeping his feelings to himself. Dante is outgoing, sure of who he is, friendly, and very bright overall. Saenz's tale follows these two boys as they journey from being boys to men, and as they both discover who they are.

Saenz has written a story that is compelling, that kept me glued to the pages for hours. He has written a story that keeps both Ari and the readers in the dark until the very end. Overall, I found this book highly enjoyable, and recommend it to all who read this review.

How refreshing to read a YA book about the emotional experience of teenage boys. Benjamin Alire Saenz ability to authentically capture the emotional turmoil that teenage boys experience truly connected me to the characters and the story. Ari's anger, frustration, and uncertainty is so beautifully contrasted by the gentle openness and naiveté of Dante. Though I'm not young, or Latino, or gay I identified with both boys because I knew how they felt. I've been there and like them, survived to glimpse the secrets of the universe. Anyway, make some time to share Dante's and Ari's journey towards manhood, you won't regret it.

I read this book knowing nothing about it beforehand,other than the title. I actually assumed it was going to be some time-warp fantasy ha, how wrong was I. SPOILERS
Things I loved
I read the entire thing in one sitting, so for me that shows that it was written well was mysterious and paced well and above all very interesting.
I fell head over heals in love with Ari, I love tortured quiet boys with daddy issues IRL so I'm possibly biased , but he was rich and well written right from the get go, whether your into his vibe or not.
Their relationship was beautiful, soulful and facinating.

Things I hated
They wernt all that mexican so why bother, I get they were American born but it felt so like a white person colouring up his characters to score points with the awards judges , I found this particularly frustrating because Dante continously refers to not feeling like a real mexican and yet we never see any mexican culture , issues faced by a cultural minority, I don't know there was a few references to food and names and church.
Ari didn't need to be Gay in fact I personally feel that their interesting unusual relationship was more interesting more beautiful when they were just friends, two lost souls clinging to each other dispite huge differences, is far more poetic than what we were given in the ending.

The brother and the dads PTSD were such obvious and unnecessary devices , why does the PTSD suddenly disappear ? And why does a family full of accepting ,moral modern people produce a violent homophobic womanizer ? Ari could have been a weirdo all on his own he doesn't need all these ...reasons

A touching story about family, friendship, love, and finding yourself. Set in the 1980s, it follows Aristotle, a 15 year old Mexican-American who's struggling with his identity. I really liked the characters, the flow, and the overall message.

I wasn't a fan of the style of writing. However, the main character's confusion and torment about his feelings felt realistic and the storyline was interesting. It is an easy read on a very controversial topic.

This book is so good. It was moving, poetic, thought evoking, and beautiful. I finished it in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. The story of Aristotle trying to find himself in the world will always be one of my favorites. This author seriously has a way with words. This will certainly be a loved book in my house for many years to come!

I loved every second of this book. Ari and Dante are as real as any teen boys as I have ever met, and I am a high school teacher. As they explore their own thoughts, readers get inside their hearts. I found myself crying so many times in this book. Great book. If you like John Green, you will probably like this book.

I read this book in about a week. I would have read it faster, but it was so good that I didn't want to stop reading it. I literally have not read another book since this one because this book was so good. I cried, I laughed, I screamed, and I fell in love with this book. It is an amazing love story, full of a hard dose of reality that makes it even more amazing. It's filled with the twists and turns of life and how complicated it can be. It's an amazing story of overcoming boundaries, finding who you are, figuring yourself out, and the making of an amazing friendship. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for something that is real and touching.

This book centers around two gay teens discovering their sexual identities. I like that this book tried to tackle that topic, I think more YA books dealing with these kinds of issues are needed. However, as someone who is transgender and queer myself, I had a few problems with it:

*One of the characters is, I think, supposed to be gay, but has spent half the book trying to kiss and date an 18 year old women. It's possible that he's actually bisexual, but the book doesn't really resolve or explore the issue. I like the idea of exploring more gray areas between sexual identities, but I don't think this book did a good job of it.

*There's a lot of discussion about an instance where someone retaliates against a hate crime (one of the gay characters is beaten to the point he goes to the hospital) by beating the homophobic jerk who did that to him. The book is very down on that, like it's totally unreasonable to respond that way. I'm sorry, but if you've had to live in fear because people target you with violence for who you are, you might not feel that fighting back is so wrong.

*There's some victim-blaming and shaming of another queer character who runs when the hate crime occurs. Four guys v. two, and yet he's supposed to do the "brave" thing and stand and fight. Again, if you've ever actually been targeted with violence for your sexual orientation and gender identity, you realize that how to react in those moments isn't as clear cut as we'd like to believe.

*There's an incident where a transgender sex worker is beaten and killed. On top of that, she is misgendered and referred to as a "transvestite". "Transvestite" is usually an offensive term [...]

So while I really would have loved to love this book, I think it misses the mark. I definitely wouldn't recommend it to anyone who has a history of dealing with hate crimes themselves.

A refreshingly honest story of life, friendship and love.
Despite the list of well-deserved prestige awards won, this novel is humble and down-to-earth, featuring the journey of two realistic characters as they stumble through life trying to discover who they really are.

4.5 stars. What a great book. This book is a gay-coming-of-age book but also about so much more. Family relationships, friendships, love, loyalty, anger. I enjoyed it very much. The ending is beautiful.

Reading this story truly gives the reader a chance to dive into the life of a being a teenager again. This a story full of love, family, self discovery, and true friendship. These two characters truly give the reader a chance to experience a powerful friendship overcoming the many obstacles of life in such a beautiful way.

This was such a good book. I teach YA at a collegiate level, and this book definitely hits its mark - telling a story that is beautiful, unique, and insightful. I would recommend (require) this book to be read by anyone who enjoys a good YA novel. (:

This book is amazing. I feel those who read this book and gave it a bad review didn't even try and lost interest when they saw it was about to two boys of color. This book shows love between two boys that you can feel yourself. You feel Aristole's anger and Dante's love for Ari. It's amazing!!

MY FAVORITE BOOK IN THE HISTORY OF ALL LITERATURE!!! It deserves to be read and reread and omfghggfhoh I love this book so much. PLEASE READ THE WRITING STYLE IS BEAUTIFUL, THE CHARACTERS ARE HUMAN AND RELATABLE AND PRECIOUS, AND THE STORY'S PLOT, OMG THE PLOT IS SO FANTASTIC. IT DESERVES 10000/10