Aristotle and Dante Dive Into the Waters of the World follows Aristotle and Dante as they discover their place in the universe. Aristotle is faced with the struggles of bullies, making friends, and figuring out what he wants his future to look like. The upside is that he is finally with clever and beautiful Dante who shows him feelings he has never felt before. Suddenly, Aristotle is faced with a tragic loss, and he is forced to fight even harder to create the life that he wants.

Just like so many other fans, I was beyond excited to read the sequel to Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. Sadly, I was let down by Aristotle and Dante Dive Into the Waters of the World. In the first novel, the writing was lyrical and intriguing; Aristotle was emotional, unsure of himself, and slightly angsty—just as most teenagers are. Though he was complex and at times a little unrealistic, he was a lovable and emotionally complex character trying to discover himself. As I plunged into the new novel, I quickly realized that it was not comparable to the first book. Aristotle is overly theatrical, misogynistic, and he no longer sounds at all like a seventeen-year-old. The sequel loses the first book’s unique style of conversation and witty banter; everyone is suddenly a melodramatic philosopher, delivering extremely opinionated lectures that end in tears. The plot itself is uninspired; it lacks the symbolism and depth from the first novel. I think Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe would have been better as a standalone. If you are able to pick through the prolonged monologues, unimaginative plot, and unrealistic conversation, this book is mediocre and disappointing.

​​(Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing us with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

3.5 stars. I have been super excited for this one since I loved the first book in the series (probably in no small part to the audio narration by Lin Manuel Miranda). I enjoyed this sequel, but it in no way compared to the first book in the series. My favorite part of this book is the relationships that Ari develops throughout the story (Susie, Gina, Cassandra, his mom and dad), but overall the character development was weaker and I just was not as invested in what was happening to everyone. The plot was meh in many places, and places where it could really have taken off (visiting Bernando), it just fell short (and there were some things that happened that straight up ticked me off). In addition, the thing that bothered me the most was the way the teens talked.....it felt too adult and too enlightened to really feel true to the characters and that age group. If you read the first book, I definitely think you need to read this one, but do not set the bar as high or you will be disappointed.

I had really high hopes for this book after waiting years for the continuation of the original. It was not what I had hoped for... somehow some of the lyrical beauty of the original was lost. Worth reading, but not my cup of tea.

So good! Seeing Ari becoming stronger and more confident, with Dante supporting him was such a joy. These characters are realistic and relatable and it was so fun to see them grow. Seeing the relationship of Ari and his parents, especially his dad, expand was also a big strength of the book in my eyes. Sáenz's prose feels so gentle and quiet while making readers feel so much.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy of this to review! I remember loving Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe back when it came out, so I was excited to dive into this one. Especially because it has an absolutely gorgeous cover!

This book picks up pretty much where the first one left off, if I remember correctly. It’s been quite a while since I read the first book. What’s great about these books are definitely the characters. Like Ari, you’ll fall in love with Dante, his quirky personality, the way he doesn’t seem to care what other people think. The side characters are also well developed, creating a cast you’re sure to fall in love with.

However, this book is very slow moving. Usually, I’m fine with slow moving books, but I just had a hard time getting into this narrative. Maybe it’s because it’s been too long since I read the first book. I don’t know. I’m not sure this book needs to be as long as it is, as pieces of the plot definitely feel like they drag a bit. There are beautiful moments, and I wish we had more of a chance to focus on those.

Despite the length, there are absolutely lyrical moments throughout the book. I do wish we got to see more of Dante throughout the book, as this is definitely more focused on Ari’s journey. But, if you loved the first book, I’m sure you’ll be just as hooked in this one.

I was so looking forward to this after how much I had loved Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. Sadly, it didn't live up to the hype for me, or I suppose didn't live up to the expectations I had set for myself.

I loved how this continued the introspection and character growth from the first book. However, I feel like this almost went too far. The relationship from the first book seemed to take a complete backseat to Aristotle's personal growth. While I loved seeing him grow as a person and come into his own as an adult, it seemed like too many new characters and issues were brought in, and not all of them were seen through to a conclusion or resolution. I liked watching his friendship with Gina, Susie, and Cassandra develop, but all the other characters that were introduced seemed to muddy the story that was being told.

I felt like this book handled grief in a very realistic and healthy way. I think it sets a great example for teenagers about letting themselves feel their feelings and find ways to honor a lost loved one while continuing to live their own lives.

While I was excited to see more Ari and Dante after how magical the first book was, I almost feel like this is a book that wasn't really needed. I feel like the characters--with the exception on Ari--didn't really change or grow much from the first book and weren't really in a different place. Ari's growth was worth the book being written, but setting this as a sequel and it being so different from the first may lead to some readers being let down. It still has the same lyrical writing as the first, so it is a beautiful read in that sense.

With the highest recommendations from book club friends, I listened to the first book in this series over the summer, and then was ecstatic when I received an ARC of this highly anticipated sequel.

These boys grabbed my heart in the first book and didn’t let go – Ari, who would rather spend time with his dog than anyone else while pondering the meaning of life, and Dante, a born romantic who wears his heart on his sleeve. They squeezed my heart even tighter this time around and even shattered it at times. This novel is set in the eighties when the AIDS epidemic made headlines every day – when two teenage boys tragically had to hide their sexuality because it wasn’t safe for them to admit they were gay.

“My love for him is silent. There are a thousand things living in that silence.”

Fortunately, these two have a strong support system in their parents and a few select friends. That doesn’t mean they don’t have doubts about who they are. When Ari asks his mother if he’s a sin, it nearly brought tears to my eyes. Plenty of these heartfelt conversations may require tissues, so be prepared.

Ari finally steps out of his comfort zone and allows people in who’ve had their hands extended in friendship for years. He also discovers maybe he and one of his enemies have more in common that he believed. You can never be sure what people are dealing with in their lives.

“When you are standing all alone, the people who notice – those are the people who stand by your side. Those are the people who love you.”

Something I found amusing was how Ari comes to the realization his parents are actual people. After mending the relationship with his father, the two of them spend time together that will profoundly affect Ari for the rest of his life. He also sees the influence his mother has had on her students and the sacrifices she’s made along the way. How his parents met and fell in love.

This is a coming of age story that deals with love, loss, grief, homophobia, and racism, but also offers hope for a better future. As you can see from the above quotes, the writing is beautiful and inspirational, and the characters undergo tremendous growth. It’s a series I’ll continue to recommend.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I am fairly staunchly opposed to follow-up novels to critically acclaimed works that come 10 or so years down the line. Rarely, in my opinion, are they successful—Find Me, the follow-up to Call Me by Your Name, was downright one of the worst books I’ve ever read and demolished the (to me, important) work the original text had done; Margaret Atwood’s The Testaments I refuse to even touch for fear that on the heels of the TV show (also won’t touch that), she clarified critical ambiguities in her original work. So when it seemed like finally, finally, after all these years, the Aristotle & Dante sequel was actually happening, I began to feel a fair amount of trepidation. Yes, a novel can take a long time, and this has been in the works for a while. But Aristotle & Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe was published in 2012. That now makes this 9 years later that it is seeing a sequel for itself, and it’s long. I was openly and frankly hesitant.

Yet when I pulled open the first pages of this novel, I was startled to find that it picked up exactly where the first book had left off—like, exactly. It didn’t miss a beat. I had not read Aristotle & Dante since my first read in 2014—when I was 15—so I had not read it in 7 years, and even I could tell that it did not miss a beat. And as the pages spooled on, I became even more impressed by the extent to which Benjamin Alire Sáenz was able to access and return to Ari’s voice and the tone he had created in the original novel. I really do believe it is a rare kind of author who has that ability. And rather than piggyback off of the success of the first novel and tell an easy story fans probably wanted to hear, he wrote a moving, exploratory text about family and friendship, grief and loss, love and what it means to not just discover an identity, but to settle into one. And it is, I think, a gift to its original, young, and moved readers more than anything else.

While there’s very little I can say without dipping into spoiler territory, I was moved to tears at multiple turns when I don’t think I ever was with the first novel, and there was a heavy presence of family relations (discovering, navigating, letting go of, and (re)establishing) that I found unexpected and incredibly moving. The only real issue I had was the novel’s central metaphor—you’d assume from the title that it would be one of diving into uncharted waters, and while that was brought up often enough, the metaphor the novel kept returning to was one of cartography, of charting a path across the world, marking yourself and your stories down upon the land. It just didn’t make much sense to me considering the first novel’s frankly gorgeous use of swimming and pools—I wanted to see a lot more of that “diving into the real waters of the world” concept. And there was another thing I wasn’t quite a fan of but am still working my thoughts through, but that I’ll definitely have to keep under lock and key for a while.

Overall, I was just so moved and impressed. Aristotle & Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe always felt like a novel about identity to me. Aristotle & Dante Dive into the Waters of the World established that reading. As a teenager, I had some awareness of that resonance—as an adult (and it’s curious to me, I have to add, that many of this book’s original readers will be returning to these pages as adults—I think my adulthood came in handy when it came to emotional access, even if it did not when it came to some cheesy lines) it was impossible to look away from how deeply this novel is about settling into one’s own identity, all the beautiful but at times deeply, deeply difficult ways you do or are forced to do that. And it was never, of course, without a heavy dose of hope. Well and truly a gift.

Aristotle and Dante are back in this sequel, picking up from where they left off. This year the boys are seniors in high school, and are privately dating.

It's hard to narrow down exactly what I liked about this book. The writing style of Benjamin Alire Saenz, is as always, very different to what we are used to. His narration through Ari is almost a stream of conciousness style of writing. As such it is sometimes stilted, and is very dialogue heavy. In general, I don't particularly enjoy that style of writing, but it is done so masterfully in Saenz's books, that it seems to add to the enjoyment of the book, rather than detract from it.

Ari grows emotionally a great deal in this book. He starts to open up to people who have been trying to be his freinds (most notably, Gina and Susie), and has more meaningful and in depth conversations with both of his parents. He learns a lot about himself, and the reasons that he has hidden himself away from others.

The AIDS epidemic is still in the forefront of the news cycle, and it is a poignant reminder of just how terribly the disease ravaged the world. In a time when most of us don't need to recall just how horribly the world acted toward gay men during this time of crisis for them, it brings back the enormity and hopelessness of the time. It also, sadly, brought to the forefront of my mind just how far we still have to go in the acceptance of all lifestyles. It is devestating to be reminded of just how little progress we have made in nearly 35 years.

Reading about Dante and Ari again is like returning home to see two old friends. I very much enjoyed this sequel, and the many issues tackled, and being with Ari as he navgates a new world as a gay man. It is a book I will encourage my teenagers to read, and one I will be thinking about for a long time to come.

Thank you so much to Simon and Shuster for providing me an eARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

Amazing. Excellent. Everything I could have hoped for. The first half of the book focuses on Aristotle and Dante's relationship, but the majority of the book really focuses on the world at the time and how they navigate all of the issues that are happening outside of their own little bubble.

Rarely is a sequel as good as the first in a series. Saenz's second book set in Ari and Dante's world is a book that is greater than the sum of its parts. It equals the first book. The growth of the characters is poignant and real. I highly recommend this book.

Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World by Benjamin Alire Sáenz was, sadly, a disappointing followup to the first book. I enjoyed that one but was on guard about the transphobia. I was hoping that this book would clarify and redeem the first.

This book didn't feel as deep and meaningful, or have as much growth as I would have hoped for in a sequel. The style was distracting and the dialogue felt choppy and awkward. It just felt like there was too much effort to be deep and philosophical. There is also biphobia, transphobia, and misogyny that needs to be addressed. I had hoped that Sáenz would grow in his compassion and use this book to support the full lgbtq+ community, but this was just a let down.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for the advanced read in exchange for my honest review.

Have you ever been so upset by a book that you heave it at the wall? That is not usually me. But this book! My only regret is that I didn’t reread Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe before starting this one.

In the 1980s Dante and Aristotle are seniors in high school as their relationship continues. Their families play a big role as the boys’ relationship develops. The AIDS pandemic is a huge issue. As the story progresses, they not only confront homophobia, but racism. They form new friendships and come of age. At about two-thirds into the book, my ugly cry and the book throwing began. Ari and Dante’s story seeps into your heart. It shows us how far we have come and reminds us that we still have far to go with so many parallels to life today. Right now I’m going to listen to the first book and eagerly anticipate listening to this one. (I did listen. It made me love the second book even more.) This is a must buy for my high school library.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I had the privilege of reading this a few months ago, and I don't think I've stopped thinking about it since.

Usually, I am wary of sequels, because even thought you *want* more than anything to return to the world and those characters of stories you love, they never usually match the magic of the original.

This was not the case with ARISTOTLE AND DANTE DIVE INTO THE WATERS OF THE WORLD.

I deeply loved this continuation of Ari & Dante's story, and the new facets and colors it added to their journey. It kept the same beauty and breathlessness of the original, while bringing beautiful additions. Plus, we get to see what happens AFTER the falling in love montage. I feel lucky, as a writer, that we get this deep--but tender--dive inside. I love the characters (esp the females) that we got more of. The writing, of course, was transcendent. This book is romantic and magical, captivating and tender. It will intensely tug your heartstrings and warm them through. Benjamin Alire Sáenz truly is a gift to the world!

The synopsis:

In Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, two boys in a border town fell in love. 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.

Ari has spent all of high school burying who he really is, staying silent and invisible. He expected his senior year to be the same. But something in him cracked open when he fell in love with Dante, and he can’t go back. Suddenly he finds himself reaching out to new friends, standing up to bullies of all kinds, and making his voice heard. And, always, there is Dante, dreamy, witty Dante, who can get on Ari’s nerves and fill him with desire all at once.

The boys are determined to forge a path for themselves in a world that doesn’t understand them. 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.

A huge thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. ARISTOTLE AND DANTE DIVE INTO THE WATERS OF THE WORLD is out October 12th. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

I liked this book, but didn't find it as meaningful as the first book. The first A&D was so thought provoking and lovely, so this one had a steep hill to climb.

A sweet and contemplative follow up to a lovely contemporary YA novel, ARISTOTLE AND DANTE DIVE INTO THE WATERS OF THE WORLD reacquaints us with teenage loves Aristotle and Dante. Now that they are together, they have to try and navigate a 1980s Texas world where being gay is hard, as is being Mexican-American. Though it feels a little repetitive at times and meanders a little bit, overall this is a gentle and introspective novel about young love and finding those who will support you, especially in times of great crisis, be it on a personal level or a global one. Aristotle and Dante remain complex and relatable main characters, and their love is very easy to root for. The emotional beats hit hard, the salient points come through, and love, not just romantic but also platonic and familial, is the center force. And the style is, once again, so beautifully done and written.

I was so excited to read this book when I saw it on the list at NetGalley, but it was unfortunately a DNF for me. I got about 20% of the way through, and I found it was bogged down by the style. It may be that I am in a different place with different tastes in books from when I read the first book in this now series, but to me, it just wasn't a recipe for success.

Aristotle loves Dante. Dante loves Aristotle. What should be simple is so complex against the 1987 setting of Aristotle and Dante Dive Into the Waters of the World.
It’s summer in El Paso, Texas and Ari and Dante are trying to navigate their new found love. 1987 was not a friendly time for the gay community. Public affection could quite literally cost you your life. On top of all the secrecy, Ari also feels shame. Shame because the world sees someone as him as a sin, as dirty and as not worthy of living.
This book beautifully explores one young man’s journey as he grapples with his sexuality, society’s opinion of his lifestyle and the first stages of the AIDS epidemic that was quickly claiming the lives of so many gay men in the prime of their lives.
While the book sometimes teetered on the edge of cheesy sentimentality, it also offers bits of wisdom and almost poetic views of the world and how we see others in it. There was one part (I didn’t mark it and then couldnt find it when I went back) in a conversation between Ari and his father that talked about your perception of people. They talked about how it was a construct YOU made about them and how often, when you got to know them, it was wrong. There were many moments like this one throughout the book.
Another bright spot in this book that will stay with me was the anguish Ari felt that he had to hide his relationship with Dante. The stark reality that they weren’t free to hold hands, to kiss or show any affection in public because it could cost them their lives. It brought to light the privilege that I, as a white, cis female have. This is a great book to read for insight into what LGBTQ people go through just to merely exist.
Overall, I loved this book and like the first Aristotle and Dante book, it will stay with me for a long time.

*I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Thank you Netgalley for this amazing Arc of Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World!

This was incredible. The first book begins this story of self discovery particularly with Ari and this sequel really just is seeing and feeling life's lessons really shape his character from that 15 year old young adult into a young man.

I could read this authors words of love and words about love, the meaning of love, defining love in new ways for me personally looking through Ari's eyes, his perspective and life experiences, anytime!! I really think there are times in my life when I'm just going to have to reread these just to be presented with this author's teaching way of writing about the different topics covered in these stories.... racism, homophobia, loss and grief, bullying. (Trigger warnings for these topics as well).

The first book and then finally, this sequel, speak of love, family, friendship and forgiveness (So many things really) I hope people choose to pick these books up at a time in their life when they could really use these words. This is a story I just can't help but believe we could all learn from.

Take my rating with a grain of salt, because I've unfortunately decided to put this book aside. Aristotle + Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is one of my favorite books of all time, so to say I was excited for this sequel is an understatement. I got about halfway through, though, when I realized that I was just not enjoying this book at all. At first I thought it might be because I read way less YA now than I did years ago, but there was just none of the magic of the first book here. The dialogue felt so awkward and stunted, not at all how people talk especially teenagers. I didn't feel the same chemistry between Ari and Dante, and the beautiful poetic prose of the first book is now lost behind forced philosophy and far too little plot. Other reviewers have said that there are some biphobic and transphobic statements in here as well, so after weeks of forcing myself through this, I think I'm finally going to tap out. I don't want this book to ruin my love of the first. I'm so sad to give up on this one, but I hope it finds its readers.