THE SUNDAY REVIEW | ARISTOTLE AND DANTE DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE – BENJAMIN ALIRE SÁENZ

Dante and Aristotle are two characters who will leap off the page and act out their story vividly in your mind. And they will be as real to you as the people you share your life with. They’re flawed but beautiful, vulnerable but strong, scared but loyal. When we first meet Ari, he is frozen inside himself. He’s looking for a way to connect, not only with people, but with the world. He doesn’t fit in, but isn’t as torn up about that as many other characters we meet at this time of life. He seems… already dulled out in a way often seen only after years of being beaten down by a world that only allows a very few to shine.

One day he goes to the pool, mostly just as something to do. But he meets another boy there. Dante. Dante offers to teach him to swim, an offer he refuses at first. This offer somehow turns into a friendship, and Dante not only teaches Ari to swim, but also to feel. To dream. To open up to the world in a way he hadn’t even realized was possible. On the surface the two boys are opposites. Dante’s family is open and warm, they joke and talk and discuss things like art and literature. Ari, on the other hand, comes from a family that is closed and doesn’t talk about anything, even his brother, who is in jail. Both boys are Mexican-American, but this identity isn’t one Dante can connect to, though he wants to. For Ari, it’s a strong part of his life, but not necessarily in ways that are positive. Both boys feel conflicted about their identities and family relationships, but for different reasons. Because the book is told from Ari’s perspective, however, we feel his inner turmoil more acutely as it begins to erupt.

Two events occur that will prove to be formative. The first is Dante telling Ari that his family is moving to Chicago, and the second is an accident shatters both boys’ lives, the impact of which reverberates through their families and their community. It opens up wounds that will take a long time to heal, and not just physical ones. It also leads to a journey of self-discovery, and leads Ari to question who he is, who he could be, and who he really loves.

This book is one of those YA books that transcends categorization. It’s one that made me feel deeply, and that will stay with me for a long time. It’s also one that I think does a good job of challenging stereotypes and cultural limitations, and that may help some readers feel seen and less alone in a situation where they aren’t able to freely be who they are. Books that do that always have so much value beyond what’s on the page.

I’ve heard this is being made into a film, and that there’s a sequel to it due out soon. I will be eagerly diving into both. It took me a long time to get around to this book. But it was well worth the wait.

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. – Goodreads

Book Title: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
Author: Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Series: Yes – Aristotle and Dante #1
Edition: Hardback/Audiobook
Published By: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Released: February 21, 2012
Genre: Fiction, Young Adult, Culture, Family, LGBTQ2IAP+
Pages: 359
Date Read: August 30-31, 2021
Rating: 9/10
Average Goodreads Rating: 4.33/5 (352,121 ratings)