This Printz Honor Book is a “tender, honest exploration of identity” (Publishers Weekly) that distills lyrical truths about family and friendship.Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they … time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.
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I’ve read this book before, but every time, I love it more than I thought possible.
This time, I listened to the audiobook, which is narrated by Hamilton’s Lin Manuel Miranda. I knew I loved this book before, and his narration just brought the story alive in a whole new way for me. He captures both Aristotle and Dante perfectly, and brought so much emotion to the story that you can’t help but drop everything and listen.
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is about two boys as they discover themselves one summer. They are an unlikely pair who form a quick and intense bond that only grows as time goes on.
This one has received plenty of buzz and praise over the years, and it was the perfect book to revisit while I wait for Saenz’s next book, out in March!
I put off reading this for a long time because of all the buzz around it. I tend to believe most bestsellers are overrated but in this case, the book is well worth the hype. This book is beautifully written, poetic and thought-provoking. I experienced a whirlwind of emotions as these boys, who are on that strange and terrifying cusp between childhood and adulthood, spent their summers try to figure out who they are in addition to the secrets of the universe. I laughed. I cried. My heart ached for them and their naivety and their hope for the future. I fell in love with the characters and their story and I know it will be going on my reread shelf. I listened to the audiobook which is read by the one and only Lin-Manuel Miranda and that only increased my joy in reading this book. I’d give it more than 5 stars if I could.
This book was so great I could never put it down. I’ve reread it a million times. It’s a great book!
There are books that simply own you. This one is one of them.
PERFECT in every way.
That was a roller coaster.
This is such a good book! I won’t spoil the ending, but it is such a thought provoking and breath taking finish to the book.
I don’t get the hype. Not my favorite read
This was a great summer read! I enjoyed this story of friends growing up together
The day Dante approaches Aristotle at the community pool and asks to teach him to swim, everything changes. Neither of them have ever truly had a close friend before, so their relationship is new and wonderful. Together, they face many obstacles as they navigate growing up and going from boys to men. Together, they figure out what life means and what it means to love.
This book was so good. The plot really pulls you in and wraps you into the story, moving along a good pace. The characters are realistic and relatable, as are the things they go through. I couldn’t put the book down. My only real complaint is that sometimes the writing was almost over simplistic, more along the level of a middle grade novel than YA (though the content itself was appropriate for YA).
I really enjoyed this book more than I thought I would! I would definitely recommend this book! It was just a great book and well written.
I thought the way the characters were written in this book were *chef’s kiss*. I personally liked Ari a lot because I related to him in so many ways: I’m someone who values my alone time, doesn’t like much attention, as well as a lot more. One of my favorite recurring quotes from the book is “The problem with my life was that it was someone else’s idea.” I have many others, of course, but this one is definitely one of my top 10. I also love the way that Dante and Ari interact with each other. It is very clear to the reader that they are best friends. Ari seems to let his very tall walls down a little when he is with Dante. Lastly (I just HAD to include this), when Ari figures out that he loves Dante, too, and they go on a drive to the desert and end up kissing…my heart SQUEALED! Would definitely recommend this beautiful, diverse book.
I cannot describe how this book you made me feel. I felt sad, there were times I want to kick the book, and there were times I was laughing it was. I’ve never seen something like this and I recommend it to everyone
The ending will surely leave a mark on the reader.
I am reading this book at 53 years old after finding it at B&N as a recommended read. The story is written from the first person of a 15-17 year old young man going through a great sexuality crisis. The story is in a clipped prose of a teenager, but the end result of the novel is absolutely beautiful. I wish all parents had the reaction to sexuality that characters in the novel have. Unfortunately that does not happen to often. But the story itself is helpful I think to teenagers who are coming to grips with the sexual part of their lives. If you have the time, this is a great read even if your are no longer a teenager.
Beautiful and captivating, I couldn’t put this book down. I loved the writing and the whole tone of book. It made me feel warm and happy.
The whole book is from Ari’s POV and while I really liked his character, I liked Dante even more. This is a really beautiful coming of age story. I loved their relationships with their parents. The main character is really relatable. I just wish it was a bit longer. The ending just left me wanting more. I want more of them as a couple damn it!!
The book is about two Mexican American boys, set in the 80s, is a coming of age story, written in first-person POV (Ari’s). The book is 359 pages long but I read it in a day.
The book starts when Ari is 15 years old and he struggles in making friends, growing up, and being a teenager.
Ari’s dad suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). His brother, who he looked up to when he was a child, was in jail. He never had much connection with his older sisters and his mom was cool, but no one could talk about his brother in the house. He started hating himself and second-guessing himself.
Ari meets Dante one day at a swimming pool and they instantly become friends. Dante’s views of the universe were otherworldly. His relationship with his parents was what every child wants with their parents. I can just imagine his smile.
The thing I liked most about this book was that although it’s a love story, it didn’t revolve around Ari and Dante, but the people surrounding them too. The way the author portrays Ari’s and Dante’s families, their issues, their understanding, was beautiful.
There was homophobic violence which made me cry, literally. It was more emotional than descriptive. The author treated Ari’s character with so much kindness.
There was not a single part of this book that I didn’t like and never a dull moment. I highly recommend it if you’re going to pick up an LGBTQ book for your next read.
Very Good and educative
This is a book that gets under your skin and becomes part of you. It tells the story of two teenagers, Aristotle “Ari” Mendoza and Dante Quintana and takes place in Texas during the 1980s. The short, poetic chapters follow Ari and Dante over the course of two years as their tentative friendship evolves from a random meeting at the swimming pool into a powerful bond that will change them both forever. My favorite thing about this book is the lyrical prose—it is a quietly strong story that gently builds and builds into a force of nature. The ending initially took me by surprise, but after reflecting on it for a while, it seems like the only ending this book could have had. This is a stunning, heartrending narrative about the family we create for ourselves and how love can astonish us in the best possible way.
not my typical book, but it was fascinating. loved it from start to finish. definitely recommend to anyone, despite type.
I have read so many great books recently. This is one of them. I loved the friendship building, the coming-of-age and the romantic tension that developed in the story. Such a wonderful examination of self and coming to terms with identity in a beautiful way.