Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is a mix of emotions: anger, disappointment, happiness, loneliness, love. Essentially the wave of feelings one gets between summers of growing up in a desert community.
It starts a little slow, a little janky maybe, but once you get past the first few chapters and really meet Dante, it falls into place. You have sullen, quiet, fighter Ari vis-á-vis the smiling, smart, spirited Dante, both of which aim to find answers to questions they have in their heart of hearts.
It will take a couple of scars, nosy girls, many kisses (oh so many kisses), driving lessons, several letters, unopened envelopes, Los Lobos songs, pencil sketches, swimming sessions, a dog, and several parental conversations to find the answers to these (or to find that there are none), but what a journey it is.
Watching (and reading) Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is like watching two different personalities find themselves and define themselves in the universes they collide in.
Beautiful coming-of-age book that brought tears to my eyes. Simply lovely.
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Review first written March 22, 2019.
