[From the Archive] Book Review: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
[From the Archive are book reviews that I wrote on my previous other blogs.]
One of my main issues is… I cannot write proper review for the books I love no matter how hard I try. I feel like all I have to say is “THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD, YOU HAVE TO READ IT!” and it’s really unfair for the book.
So I will try…
I will try to write a somewhat intelligible review on this magical book called Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe.
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| ★★★★☆ |
It’s very hard to find the words to describe this book, but to put it simply – if you are looking for a plot driven book, then this is not the book for it. If you are looking for an emotional and moving coming-of-age tale told in a beautiful almost poetic writing, then stay. Pick it up and get lost in it. You might not be able to put this book down and there might be tears. There definitely were tears for me.
Like I said, there isn’t much of a plot in Aristotle and Dante, it’s simply a slice-of-life story about two boys who meet one summer. And it is gorgeous! Ari is a bored teenager with no friends who cannot understand his parents, especially his father who is rarely talking, and doesn’t know how to swim. Dante is an excitable teenager, with an even more excitable family, who will teach Ari how to swim. And that’s how they meet. From there on, they start forming a beautiful friendship while learning more about themselves, going through changes, and discovering… the secrets of the universe.
Plot-wise, the story is predictable, but that’s not the point of this beautifully written novel. And besides the main big coming-of-age theme, growing up and sexuality, we also have a huge focus on family and especially on that moment when you understand that your parents are more than just parents and you start to view them as the humans they are – with their flaws and their dreams. This happens to all of us and in my case, I think I loved my parents even more ever since I realized this. When did you start to see your parents as complex humans?
One of the main reasons why I loved this book is so much is very personal. It really transported me back in my teenage years. It felt like finally someone was putting into words what I felt as a teenager growing up and learning about my own sexuality. I was a little bit like Ari and, of course, I had my own enthusiastic Dante. Ah, nostalgia…
What more can I say about this book other than it was simply beautiful. A perfect book for summer.
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz was first published in February 2012
and won Stonewall Book Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature and Pura Belpré Award for Narrative