![]() ![]() I was scared that the sequel wasn’t going to live up to the first book and that I would be disappointed. To me, Ari and Dante #1 is a near perfect book, and it’s also very clearly written as a standalone novel. ![]() I wasn’t just excited, though I was also a little apprehensive. So, you can imagine how excited I was to read its long awaited sequel: Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World. ![]() But when Ari is faced with a shocking loss, he’ll have to fight like never before to create a life that is truthfully, joyfully his own.Īs long time followers of this blog might now, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (2012) is one of my all-time favourite books. The boys are determined to forge a path for themselves in a world that doesn’t understand them. And, always, there is Dante – dreamy, witty Dante – who can get on Ari’s nerves and fill him with desire all at once. Suddenly he finds himself reaching out to new friends, standing up to bullies and making his voice heard. But something in him cracked open when he fell in love with Dante, and he can’t go back. He expected his senior year to be the same. Now they must discover what it means to stay in love and build a relationship in a world that seems to challenge their very existence.Īri has spent all of high school hiding who he really is, staying silent and invisible. I recommend it to anyone looking for a heart-warming book that can warm even the coldest hearts, to anyone looking for a cozy read with a lovely, inclusive queer representation.In Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, two boys fell in love. Having purity to it, it speaks of truths that are not only harsh, but identified in nearly every person’s life and it is a beautiful story of learning (and allowing) how to see yourself through the eyes of those who love you. Overall, this is one of the few books (although I say this way too many times) that had me saying “I love this” or “this is quote is wonderful” at every other page. This particular narrative is important as it promotes an idea that cannot be stressed enough: men and boys are vulnerable, emotional and they are allowed to express whatever they are feeling. While one character feels completely alienated from the masculinity norms society established and boys and men perform, the other one stands in contrast to this masculinity refusing the specific acts of dominance and violence. One specific theme that is approached through this juvenile prose and that stood out to me is toxic masculinity. The prose is quite simplistic, but it doesn’t fail to amaze and convey moments of sadness, love and hope that can take one’s breath away. Although they are the opposite of each other, there is some things that bring them together: loneliness and their “inner demons”. While Ari is confused and his world is shaped by uncertainty, anger and repressed feelings, Dante is exactly how Ari wants to be but cannot, he knows what he is looking for, does and wears exactly what he wants to do and wear. Although it might seem an easy-going, fast-paced story about the relationship between two boys, it’s much more than that: it’s their relationship with their families, historical backgrounds, culture and, most importantly, with themselves.įocusing in parts on self-acceptance and repressed feelings sparkled with the uncertainty of ethnic and sexual identity, the novel portrays Ari and Dante discovering the secrets of the universe – not all the space and time and its contents, including planets and stars, but rather the inner universe of each character. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz is many things at once, hence why I found it difficult to organize my thoughts and write a review. ![]()
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