The first book was just so good that this one did not live up to the hype of the other. However, I enjoyed it for what it was and may even go back and reassess!

Admittedly, I did not finish this one, but that is because I ended up realizing that the first book in this series was just so perfect that I didn't want to risk it with the sequel. I will gladly tell people about this one, and I made read it someday when I'm less emotionally invested and devastated by the first book but not just yet.

Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Wonders of the World" is a sequel that, while enjoyable, may not have lived up to the magic of the first book for some readers. The characters just lacked some of the same depth or charm that made them so captivating in the original story. However, I still enjoyed the story and the message of it, and I still recommend it for readers of the first book.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe was a life-changing and heart-changing book for me. So it’s hard not to make comparisons to the two books. While this book didn’t have as much impact to me, it was still an honor and a privilege to get to spend some more time with Ari and Dante.

It took years to get a follow up to the first Aristotle and Dante book, which was gorgeous and beautiful and has my heart forever, and there are times when reading "Dive in to the Waters of the World" where you feel like there might have been too many years. I'm so glad I got to see these characters again. At times it feels a little fanfiction with how it wanted to tie everyone and everything to the AIDS crisis and how everyone was accepting of the boys. But at least with that latter point, it was nice to see the characters find acceptance and love around them, even if it feels like it's a stretch for the time and place. It still made me cry.

I loved returning to these beloved characters and spending more time in Saenz's mind. Heart-warming, life-affirming, and a very worthy follow-up to the beloved original.

I enjoyed reading this one but it felt really repetitive. Definitely liked the first one better but loved seeing them again !!

Benjamin Saenz does it again as he continues the story of dante and aristotle. recommend for grades 9th and up,

“Stories were living inside us. I think we were born to tell our stories. After we died, our stories would survive. Maybe it was our stories that fed the universe the energy it needed to keep on giving life.

I adored the first one and I was thanking my lucky stars that the same energy continued for the second one. This is just something about this world and characters that will forever have a piece of my heart. This author is just a brilliant writer and I think that he could write about literally anything but somehow captivate an entire audience. I literally have no notes, no complaints, I ate this up in one sitting.

I feel so silly for sleeping on this book for so long. It captures the magic of the first book and it just explodes from the pages. I laughed and cried and cried and cried. This was so tender and lovely. I love Aristotle and Dante with my whole heart.

“Yeah, I think I might get lost a hundred times, a thousand times, before I find out who I am and where I'm going.” Such a genuine coming of age story.

5 stars, wish I could give it TEN!!

I wish I had written a review when I first finished this book in September of 2021; it's now April 2023. What I can write is that I rated this book as my favorite fiction read of 2021, if helps anyone. This author comes through for me each and every time, and he is definitely in my pantheon of favorite authors. The love, the laughs, the heart, the heartbreak that characterize his books, including this one, are beyond compare. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!

Many thanks to #NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is the sequel that didn't need to exist. Some books are just fine being all finished the second you close the back flap. I found this book to be very slow, and although we get a bit of character growth that was nice to see, overall, it was a continuation that just clouded the main impression I had from the first book. It felt like a grab to hang onto the coat tails of Aristotle Dante, instead of coming up with a new concept for a book.

The first book was one of my favorite books ever, it truly resonates with me. But the sequel felt too long and a tad boring from time to time. It was dragged so much, But I still enjoyed it

I remember hearing the author talk about the first Aristotle and Dante at an ALA awards ceremony. Everyone in the room was in tears. This book…it is so well written. I didn’t want it to end.

We've waited so long for this and it was everything we could possibly want. Aristotle and Dante have such a big place in the hearts of teens and young adults worldwide and have been embedded into so many classrooms. This is a sequel you will cherish as much as you loved the first one.

While I didn't feel the need for a sequel after reading the first book, I was excited to reunite with these characters as they progress through their lives together.

There are some authors who tell a good story and there are some who write prose that lulls the reader into a seeing the brilliance of controlling the English language. Saenz does both. We are immediately connected to Aristotle and Dante as deep characters even if we haven’t read “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe.” This book stands on its own, while beautifully fleshing out any wonders or questions from the first book. This book was a bit heavier than the first, which makes sense because falling in love is very different from being in love. Being in love takes work and is sometime heartbreaking and terrifying. Saenz tackles social issues from the 80’s such as the Catholic Church’s views on homosexuality and the AIDS crisis. As you sit down to read this story, be prepared with your favorite snacks (you’re not going to want to get up) and a big box of tissues.

Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Water of the World had me ugly crying, laughing, screaming in outrage, and grinning from ear-to-ear. I'm so, so, so happy Benjamin Alire Saenz has given us this gift of more Aristotle and Dante. Aristotle and Dante represent a huge shift in YA literature for me--a shift from plots revolving around lies and misunderstandings, to honesty and reflection of our feelings, and how to be better humans. I'll always hold Ari and Dante close to my heart because, and as I've told many people, Ari and Dante renewed my faith in YA literature. I read Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe right after reading a string of books where my heart was trampled on, and I was feeling like all YA authors were nothing but sadists-- so I was never reading another YA book again. One thing I loved about this book was its focus on the AIDs pandemic, which I think has been largely forgotten. 5/5 would and will recommend for anyone looking for a gorgeously written book full of love and hope.

This book was the perfect follow up to "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe". I must say the first book meant so much to me and I was worried about the author writing another one but it was all I wanted for these characters and more. The writing was the same throughout and just as good as the first one. This series is a must read for any queer kid who feels alone and those who seek to understand them.