Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Such a beautiful sequel to the first book. It was nice to dive back into this world and these characters.

Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World had the same lyrical writing that the first book did. While it is not fair to compare the two books because they portray different times in the boys’ lives, I felt that the second book expanded on the relationships that the boys had and would stick with me longer. It was a beautiful story that made me reminisce about childhood friendships and wonderful teachers. It reminded me of the leap of fate that we make sometimes and also of the trials and tribulations of discovering ourselves in the midst of societal identity and constraints.

This book will always have a special place in my heart and I look forward to reading it again sometime in the future! Read my full review on my blog, Armed with A Book. I have also posted some art there!

I received a review copy from the publisher and since this is one of my favorite books, I also bought my own finished copy!

I read Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe right before reading the sequel and was blown away. I thought it was phenomenal. I knew there was hype around it and now I know that this book is so deserving of the hype. The sequel, Aristotle and Dante Dive Into the Waters of the World, is just as good. It continues the story right where the first book left off and continues to be true to the characters of Aristotle and Dante.

This novel was a five-star read for me. It was new, fresh, and easy to emotionally invest in. I know so many people have said it before and I'll say it again: these books are worth it for almost every reader. I highly recommend picking these up, whether you read Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe yesterday or years ago. The sequel will be worth it.

Hey book lovers! I'm here with a book review for Aristotle and Dante Dive Into the Waters of the World written by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, which is the sequel to Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets to the Universe. I received an arc from Netgalley and I'm very late posting my review. I have one more review to do for another arc, then I'll be caught up. I'll be reading just one arc a month in order to be able to read the books on my TBR and keep up with the reviews. That's the plan anyhow...and I'm pretty sure I said the same thing in January when making resolutions - hahaha!

Title: Aristotle and Dante Dive Into the Waters of the World

Author: Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Publication Date: October 2021

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Suggested Reader Age: 14+

Genre: Coming of Age, Love, LGBT, Family Life, Mexican-Americans

› Told from Aristotle's perspective, this book is about two young adults learning to love each other, struggling to keep it hidden from the world. The story takes place in the 80s when being gay and AIDS were talked about hand in hand. Ari is "the poet" and his boyfriend, Dante, is "the philosopher". Ari is trying to build a relationship with his father and has to deal with an enormous loss. Ari and Dante are wading the waters, trying to figure out how to have a relationship, whether they should tell friends and family, and what will happen after they are finished high school.

› Characters: 6
I disliked pretty much all of the characters, which would have been okay if it were intended, but I don't think I was supposed to get to the end of the book not liking any of the characters. However, they are developed in regards to feeling distinct, with strengths and flaws.

› Atmosphere: 6
There are many intense scenes that should have made me feel something, but I didn't feel anything.

› Writing Style: 8
Quality writing, quick to read due to the amount of dialogue.

"It was true, adults were teachers. They taught you things by how they behaved. And just now, my mom and Mrs. Alvidrez taught me a word Cassandra had begun to teach me: "forgiveness." It was a word that needed to live inside me. I had a feeling that if that word didn't live inside me, the word "happiness" would never live inside me either."

› Plot: 4
This was very, very, very slow. I had a hard time sticking with it to the end.

› Intrigue: 3
I didn't want to keep reading, and only finished it because it was an arc.

› Logic: 4
Ari's mom talked about wanting his father to touch her and it just gave me the heebie-jeebies. His mother also outed him to his sisters without his permission and no one called her out on this! I'm a mom of two, and I would never in a million years out one of them to the other. Also, sexist comments like: "Wolfing down food like a guy" pulled me out of the story.

› Enjoyment: 5

Average 5.14

1.1-2.2 = ★
2.3-4.5 = ★★
4.6-6.9 = ★★★
7-8.9 = ★★★★
9-10 = ★★★★★

My Rating ★★★

› Final Thoughts
• After giving five stars to the first Aristotle and Dante book, I was extremely excited to receive an arc of this book. Sadly, I walked away feeling disappointed. This story would have been better left as a stand-alone. If you loved Ari and Dante and want to be back in the world, seeing their love and struggle, then you'll probably enjoy this.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review.

It took me awhile to put into words how I feel about this book but here I am with a review at last:
First of, thank you so much Netgalley for this arc.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is one of my favorite book of all time. i loved the relationships and i’ve never related to a character as much as i have to aristotle. It means so incredibly much to me which is why i was so excited about this sequel.
Unfortunately, I was underwhelmed by this book.
I loved the first 40% but as the story continued, I felt like it was getting very repetitive. A lot of Aristotle’s monologues were saying the same thing without adding anything important to the story.
I was also disappointed about the lack of Dante. A part of what made the first book so special was his character and I think that the second book could have benefitted from his presence.
I wish this would have been at least 200 pages less.
On the positive side, I loved being able to see Ari’s character go through so much growth!
Even though this sequel wasn’t what I anticipated, I’m really glad I got to read it, if only for the nostalgia and the love I hold for the first book.

This book was so much. So happy to have a follow up because one book was not enough for these two.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

As their time in high school is coming to an end, Aristotle and Dante Dive Into the Waters of the World and navigate the world of high school and what comes after. Their relationship matures and evolves, just like the world around them. Aristotle learns the true meaning of friendship, finally forming close bonds with his classmates and family. Haunted by his dreams, what will it take for Aristotle to come to terms with the memories he cherishes and the reality of who his brother has become? At a time when AIDS disproportionately impacted the 2SLGBTQA+ community, those who have lost loved ones face unthinkable scrutiny. Ari endures an unimaginable loss and struggles to lean on those who hold him close. Through all of this, Ari and Dante begin to explore their interests as college looms in the future. Is their relationship strong enough to face the journey ahead? Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved how the first book ended, so I was never convinced that Ari and Dante needed a book two. I'm still not convinced after having read this book, but I'll admit that I enjoyed it a heck of a lot. Except for the end, which was just drama for the sake of drama.

Side note: How can I get Lin Manuel Miranda to narrate my audiobooks? *insert crying emoji*

This book was heartwarming and sad all at the same time and Ari saw some great character development. Even though this book didn't need to exist, it's certainly worth the read if you enjoyed the first one.

A great sequel that explores what it is to be a gay Mexican American teen in the 80s at the height of the AIDS crisis. Full of heart and highly relatable. I loved getting to know Dante and Aristotle even better and the way their relationship affected their families. Highly recommended, especially for fans of Like a love story. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance review copy!

The first Aristotle and Dante book is very special to me. I like to think that I picked it up just at the right time, not necessarily when I needed it, but when I was ready to read it. I was very excited to see there would be a sequel, but also a bit frightened, in case a sequel published nearly a decade after the first book could tarnish my experience and sentiment for the story. These fears could not have been more unfounded. What follows is not so much a review of the book's storyline, or plot points, but how this book made me feel. Because it made me FEEL. And that is the most powerful.

Aristotle and Dante are two of my favourite characters in the world. I have always found it more difficult or more challenging to find a connection to male narrator voices, and even more so as I get older find it difficult to build a connection with teen characters (and I mean typical teen characters, not the teens we get in fantasy novels that are more like miniature adults). I mean teens that make mistakes and hurt others' feelings and who do stupid things, but also who are learning what it is like to be human and how to love and how to navigate a world that isn't really meant or ready for you. Because that is ultimately what I draw from these books, a story about the trajectory of a life that isn't what you thought you would have, but feels raw and real and genuine. And even when tragic events happen that make you sob and cry and get angry at the author for making you feel these emotions (Benjamin Alire Saenz is 3/3 for me at this point in time), you still are glad that you can feel these emotions, and that you are able to feel them, and feel human in this way. Life is messy, but it's also beautiful, and this book helps remind me of that.

But that's my own personal experience in reading Aristotle and Dante's stories. Because life isn't always sunshine and roses, it's messy and sad and heart breaking and unfair. The ending life has isn't always what you wanted it to be, or what you assumed it would be. Tragedy happens, grief envelopes, things are said, life moves on, and it's not fair. It's really not fair. Much like the first book that came into my life at just the right time, this one did as well. I don't know how the author has done it, twice, ten years apart, in the same series, but he has. I don't know how he has made me feel like I could be back in high school again, feeling things for the first time, but he has. It's truly magical the power that his words have had on me. What do I have in common with Aristotle and Dante? Absolutely nothing. So nothing, that I can't even come up with one thing that we share. And yet...and yet I feel like I'm right there with them. It is remarkable, and I am in awe, and I will never doubt this author's ability to capture me again. While I think Ari and Dante's story is finished and has come to a natural end, I would happily pick up a third book, no questions asked.

I've been anticipating this sequel with bated breath ever since I heard it was happening. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is my favourite read ever, and so I had high expectations for this book. I'm happy to say that it met them. I've never felt so seen by any author/character, and the writing is as poignant and gorgeous as always. I cried, I laughed, I loved it. Thank you Benjamin Alire Sáenz.

I read ARISTOTLE AND DANTE DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE when the book came out at 12 years old. I didn't understand all of the themes thoroughly back then, but when I picked it back up a few years later when I was in high school, I fell in love. It's still my favourite book and I have read and dissected it dozens of times. I always wondered what was next for Ari and Dante because the first book ends just when things begin taking off.

The second book was absolutely perfect. It had everything I wanted and then some. The way Benjamin Alire Saenz weaves together themes of Mexican-American identity, the AIDS crisis, growing up, friendship, love, familial relationships, and standing up for important issues was flawless. Nothing felt "too much." Every theme had its place in the book and worked tremendously.

I didn't think I could love Aristotle and Dante, and even their parents and friends any more than I already did. But I do. They are all such lovely, beautiful people. By the end of the book, I was so extremely proud of Ari and all that I know he would do.

If I had it my way, I'd want one more Ari and Dante book before we say bye to them for good. But I am also equally as happy ending Ari and Dante's story where it ended in this book. I just know I'm going to miss them so much, and I can't wait for the film!

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, but it didn't quite hit me as hard as Sáenz's first book Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. I found this one to not build on the story of the characters as much as it could have, which caused it to end up feeling a little unnecessary.

The characters were still exceptionally developed, and continued to show growth which is one of the strongest points about these novels.

I did have some issues with the way the character's shame of being gay started to become a little heavy handed, which didn't work as strongly as it felt like the author meant it to. This novel could have also used a lot tighter editing, as my ARC and the print version both contained so many mistakes in missing or repeated words and the wrong character name being used. I also felt the author got a little repetitive in what he was trying to say, that it started to feel like he was trying to pad his word count. I don't remember if this was a technique he employed in the first novel in this series at it's been awhile since I've read it, or if this was something new, but it got a little excessive in this one.

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<p><strong>My Thoughts: </strong>I wish I could tell you that I wept while reading this book because I had fallen further in love with Ari, Dante and their love story.</p>
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<p>I wish I could tell you that when I found myself swearing it was happily, instead of angrily at getting to listen to Lin Manuel Miranda reading this book so perfectly, in the same way, he did the first book.</p>
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<p>I wish I could tell you that I loved this. </p>
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<p>But I can't.</p>
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<p>It's 2021. </p>
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<p>In 2020 the HRC recorded 44 instances of violence against transgender people, which was the most violence recorded against transgender people since they began recording it in 2013.</p>
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<p>It's 2021 and the HRC thus far has recorded 41 instances of violence. I can only hope more crimes do not get added to the pile. </p>
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<p>It's 2021, and I'm sick of seeing hate crimes being excused in media, in fiction, in reality. </p>
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<p>This book had me covering my mouth in horror, as the crime Ari's brother had committed was described. I closed my eyes and paused the audiobook, unable to listen or look further as I followed along in the book as a transgender person was repeatedly misgendered. </p>
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<p>I set the book aside, figuring that I could take a break and go back to it. I finished, but the joy never returned. Well written? I suppose. In the context of the 80s? Sure I can see people excusing it for that reason.</p>
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<p>But it's 2021 and we deserve better, even if the books take place in the past. </p>
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In short, this book was absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking. It deals with so many big topics in such an elegant and touching way that it actually made me cry - and I rarely ever cry while reading (film is another story...)

This book is a continuation of Ari and Dante's relationship; however, it ultimately focuses on Ari. I read the first book earlier this year, and when I realized the second was available, I immediately requested it. There is a strong overtone of finding oneself in the mess of life, especially while dealing not only with the stresses and anxieties of a teenager in high school, but also with the constant social adversity when facing hate and discrimination for who you choose to love as well as dealing with a deluge of grief.

Where I cannot directly relate to the experience of being fully part of the LGBTQ community (I am bisexual, but I've had predominantly heterosexual relationships), I fully appreciate some of the difficult topics and discoveries dealt with when speaking against adversity during the era this book was based. The 1980s was rife with hate and judgement - coupled with the AIDS epidemic (originally called GRID, or gay-related immune deficiency) this did not bode well for those who stepped outside of the expected. Homophobia ran rampant as the epidemic continued, and those who identified with the LGBTQ community got the short end of the stick when dealing with these sometimes radical views.

The largest piece that resonated with me was the discussion of grief throughout the novel. I lost my dad just shy of 4 years ago, and as Ari was coming to terms with his loss I could feel that well of emotion rise in my throat. This ultimately made me cry - which, if you know me, I rarely do when reading. From a cultural perspective, I was extremely touched by the traditions of Ari's community as they banded together to grieve - to the point where previous points of contention were dismissed in an attempt to provide support for the bereaved family. For the most part, my matriarchal culture was much the same, however through immigration and distance of family, we didn't feel the same level of support when my dad passed - and, honestly, that was the hardest part in my grief journey.

Overall, it is an enjoyable read and a well-rounded conclusion to Ari and Dante's story.

I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I loved how absolutely wholesome this book was. It gave me such warm and fuzzy vibes from the relationships that take place. I don't think a sequel was exactly necessary, however it was done really well. We can see the growth of the characters and how they expand their social circles and just become more comfortable in their own skin. This is a great YA book to just sit down and read, and feel what the love and pain that the characters experienced. The ending felt rushed but otherwise, the story was amazing.

Firstly i have to say how beautiful the writing is. The words are almost poetic and covered a variety of sensitive topics such as the AIDS pandemic, homophobia and the grief and worry of death within the lgbtq+ community of the time.
The character depth is lovely, in particular the growth. i adored how Ari's friendship with the girls developed and their banter made me smile so many times. The "twists" at the end made me tear up and really feel for what the characters were going through.
I did really want to love this book, but unfortunately I do feel like the magic of the first one just wasn't there. It took me a while to get through it and i kept putting it down, for me not having that spark to keep me hooked. That being said, i did like it and do feel a sense contentment that I got to see Ari and Dante's story through.

(Copy provided by the publisher via netgalley)

An absolutely stunning sequel filled with Saenz's beautiful, nearly poetic, prose. Fans of the first book are sure to love this continuation.

Aristotle and Dante dive into the deep waters of the world exceeded my very high expectations.
Going into this book I was very excited and hesitant. This was a sequel to one of my favourite books of all time.
I was afraid that I might not like it.
Thankfully I was given an arc that took me longer than I'd like to admit to start. Once I finally did I knew within the first few chapters that this story was going to be just as important and as beautiful of a story as the prior novel. Throughout the whole story not once did my opinion change.
Aristotle and Dante discovered the secrets of the universe mean's the world to me and did so much for me and this follow-up book did just the same so many years later.
The way Benjamin Alise Sánez tells stories is so wonderfully thought-provoking, beautiful and at times pretty funny. This novel truly did it all for me.
With the very important themes of aids, coming out, and relationships of all forms being the focal point of this novel this story ended up being a very emotional ride for me.

Oftentimes in 500+ page novels, I find myself getting bored but not once did I wish this book was over. I wished for more and was constantly trying to elongate my reading experience.
Aristotle and Dante dive into the deep waters of the world was so quick paced 500 pages felt more like 200.

To conclude Ari and Dante and the other characters surrounding them are so important and this duology should be in the hands of as many teenagers and adults as possible.

This book was really enjoyable. I liked the topics we dealt which such as grief, the AIDS pandemic, being queer in a time it was frowned upon and many other topics as well and I thought they were well executed.

I feel like this was a good sequel, I enjoy these characters. I will say I did feel like a few of the scenes were almost repeats but that did help get the message of those scenes across.