Title: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
Author: Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Summary: Dante can swim. Ari can't. Dante is articulate and self-assured. Ari has a hard time with words and suffers from self-doubt. Dante gets lost in poetry and art. Ari gets lost in thoughts of his older brother who is in prison. Dante is fair skinned. Ari's features are much darker. It seems that a boy like Dante, with his open and unique perspective on life, would be the last person to break down the walls that Ari has built around himself.
But against all odds, when Ari and Dante meet, they develop a special bond that will teach them the most important truths of their lives, and help define the people they want to be. But there are big hurdles in their way, and only by believing in each other―and the power of their friendship―can Ari and Dante emerge stronger on the other side.
Rating: 5/5 stars
Review:
In case you didn't notice in the title, this review will be without spoilers! So now we've covered that, let's talk about how absolutely wonderful this book was. It doesn't really have a solid plot (hence why I decided to keep this review spoiler-free) but it remains just as captivating without one that you barely notice the lack of it until you've finished already. This novel takes you on a journey within the lives of these characters, exploring family, love, identity and everything in between.
I loved that Ari, the main character, was so flawed but I could still understand and empathise with him. I found his inner frustration towards himself something I could really relate to. Also, the importance of his family's story is one of the things I found most interesting. And possibly by extension of the family, the element of culture and identity that gets frequently discussed in the novel was so important and I appreciated how much focus it got.
The relationship between Ari and Dante literally makes my heart swell just thinking about it. There was such an authenticity to their friendship. I loved the ease they had with each other and the subtlety of their growth. It was just beautiful to read. Many of the other relationships were lovely as well.
I really did adore this book start to finish. It was a near perfect read for me. I read it so quickly (it is a very quick, easy read) that I actually didn't appreciate it's glory and the warmth and happiness it gave me until I was turning the last page. I would honestly recommend this to anyone.
Have you guys read it yet? What did you think? Let me know in the comments!
Until next time!
Jess, xxx
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