Aristotle & Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz was a wonderful read! Set in the 80’s with the friendship of two teenage boys growing up and learning about themselves, each other, and their families.
I connected to some of the themes and cultural aspects of the book as I grew up in a Mexican-American household and can see how these behaviors and ideas are still consistent and present in the Latine community.
Before we get into the book review and overview, I want to give out a few trigger warnings within the book. Despite fiction books being a form of escapism from the realities of our world, sometimes those realities can be reflected in fiction.
Trigger Warnings
- Violence (Car Accident, Murder)
- Drug use & Alcoholism
- Hate crime (Homophobia & Transphobia)
- Mental Illness & Grief
- Language (Cursing)
Disclaimer
- Book reviews are based on my personal opinion, my thoughts while reading the book, and how the books fulfills my book rating system and its categories.
- Reviews are not meant to be hurtful – we all have different opinions on what we like in books such as preferences in story point of view (POV), writing style, story pacing, etc.
For my reviews, I will so my best to create spoiler-free book reviews to those who have not yet read the book or those who plan to read the book in the future.
Now, here is a breakdown of the six categories:
- PLOT: The plot centers on the relationship of Aristotle “Ari” and Dante as they grow up in El Paso. They learn about their community, each other’s families, each other, and even about themselves. The story follows them amid moments and memories as they navigate feelings and events in their lives.
- SETTING: The story’s primary setting is in El Paso, Texas, with a part of the book also taking place in Tucson, Arizona, briefly. The book also references Chicago, Illinois.
- WRITING STYLE: Sáenz’s writing style was straightforward and poignant to provide insight into Aristotle’s thoughts and feelings to create fast-paced storytelling! From Aristotle’s perspective, the book provided insight to a dynamic character who didn’t know how to express his emotions. Since I grew up in a Mexican-American household, I related a lot to the experiences of Ari and Dante. Some dialogues and scenes made me laugh out loud and silently weep! One critique I have is that there was so much ‘said’ in the book for my liking.
- CONFLICT/ RESOLUTION: As a coming-of-age story, there were many conflicts throughout the book resolved relatively well. The realism to their issues and their solutions didn’t feel like there were any loose ends untied.
- CHARACTERS: The main characters are Aristotle “Ari” Mendoza and Dante Quintana. The story also had the protagonists’ parents who are somewhat involved and connected with the teenage boys (which I find refreshing since most YA books often have absent parents). There are also minor characters such as Ari’s classmates, people in their neighborhood, and Ari’s distant family members. The supporting characters provided details to Aristotle’s and Dante’s personalities, communities, and relationship dynamics.
- CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: The character development and growth of teenage boys in this book were wonderful! With the internal/ external conflict experienced by Aristotle, the reader sees the continued development of his aspirations and wants and provides details of the people in his life. Aristotle and Dante’s beautifully crafted friendship and growth illustrate their stories as a coming-of-age book! In terms of young love, the characters experience the varying layers of love (first love, family love, heartbreak, etc.) to illustrate their depth and growth. I genuinely cried at the different sides of love in this book depicts and illustrates!
Overall Book Rating & Review
I finished Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe in five days! I enjoyed the book from the first thirty to forty pages!
Ari & Dante made me laugh and cry! The character development was so wonderful and heartbreaking, and the conflict/resolution in the story! I would now need to resolve the heartache of finishing this series and moving on to a new book or series in therapy.
The pacing was fast, and the chapters were not lengthy, which I (surprisingly) enjoyed. I was constantly laughing or crying and felt so happy to see Mexican-American identity in books! Because I was familiar with some of the Latine references in the book, it was a lovely emotional rollercoaster! Despite being tired and annoyed with the word ‘said’ in the book, the storytelling and character growth made the reading worth it!
Therefore, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is a 5-star rating for me! I’m overjoyed to have read this book, and I’m anticipating the sequel coming out in October 2021! It was an excellent book about acceptance, belonging, and growing up!
Found Book Tropes
- Friends-to-Lovers
- Coming Out Story
- Angsty Teen
- Open-Minded Parent(s)
- Everyone Can See It
- Big Damn Kiss
- Shell Shocked Veteran
- Doesn’t Like Shoes
NOTE: A sequel title Aristotle and Dante Dive Into the Waters of the World is set to be released in October. I have pre-ordered it and look forward to reading and reviewing it in the near future!
Questions for You
- What are your thoughts on Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe?
- What parts of the book were relatable to you?
- What are some things you look forward in the upcoming sequel?
Midnight Skies 