This one was not for me.
Thank you NetGalley for providing a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I've heard many things about this book. Good things, mostly.

But I can't remember most of them, because I'm crying too hard.

This book is a poem. It's heartache in page-form, and it's beautiful and funny and deceptively simple and just ... so, so well done. Aristotle and Dante deserve the universe, and this is going to be a very short review, because nothing else I say will do them justice.

Read this. Read this. Read this. And when the sequel comes out, read that too.

I'm not usually a contemporary YA person but *clenches fist* THIS BOOK.

Aristotle and Dante. Philospher and Poet. In Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, Benjamin Alire Saenz introduces the themes of family, race, identity, and sexuality through the eyes of two teenaged boys living in El Paso, Texas. Aristotle, “Ari” meets Dante in the summer of 1987 and they strike up an instant friendship. Ari was born after his Father returned from the Vietnam war, the youngest of 4 children. His older twin sisters are married and have children of their own, and the family never speaks about his older brother. Ari has a close relationship with his Mother, but he barely talks to his father who continues to be impacted by the war. Ari struggles making friends, pushing away those who try to get close. Ari wrestles with his family dynamic and trying to come to terms with the truth about the brother he barely remembers and the father he barely knows.

Ari hasn’t met anyone like Dante before.

Dante’s family is free with their emotions and embraces everyone they meet with welcoming affection. Dante is an only child who is a deep thinker, well read, and excels at art. He brings out the best in Ari, challenging him, motivating him, and supporting him. Ari would do anything for his friend. When Dante’s family moves to Chicago, Ari and Dante start writing letters to one another. It is through the letters that Dante expresses the exploration of his sexuality and identity and Ari is supportive and accepting. Upon his return, Dante seems clear about his identity, while Ari is still struggling with exploring his own identity. Ari’s family ultimately provides the clarity that he needed to start understanding himself and helps him feel the bond of family he always wanted. The story of Aristotle and Dante is not one you could soon forget. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! This book is amazing! I recommend it all the time to the young people I know . Storyline Carrie’s you along, and character devolpment is amazing! So good!

A fantastic story about friendship, love, anger, mistakes, regrets and so much more. I'm so glad I finally got to read this, and the hype surrounding it is so deserved as an own-voices latinx story. The characters are flawed and wonderful, the plot is fairly slow but the writing is melodic and lyrical.

This is a book that released in 2014 from an American award winning poet and author. I only just discovered it as it has a sequel ("Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World") coming out in October. It is a YA novel with LGBTQIA content. Set in the USA it features Aristotle who is a teenage boy of Mexican heritage. He is a bit of a loner. He has two much older sisters and a brother who has been in prison since he was four and who is never talked about. When at a local swimming pool, he meets Dante who offers to teach him to swim. Dante is an only child and a bit of a know-it-all. He goes to a different high school. They quickly become best friends and over several years discover more about themselves and the world. This is a wonderful coming of age recommendation for teens. I really enjoyed it.

5/5

an amazing read! This love story was one I read in 1 sitting, and I CANNOT wait for the sequel!

I am an absolute mess after reading this. I have never loved anything this much or cried as much as I have while reading this. I don't know any words that can describe how perfect this was and how excited I am for the sequel

This is a story about two boys who at fifteen are just living their lives. There's no real plot, however, a few things happen that are very realistic and engaging until the end.
The only reason Aristotle and Dante doesn't get five stars from me is the ending. There is a significant event or moment that I just have a hard time accepting as likely. It's especially hard to swallow given how honest and realistic most of the rest of the book is.

I love the writing sooo very much. It's compelling and feels like a fifteen year old wrote it that has a decent handle on the English language. (Lol).

As always I won't talk specifics or spoilers but besides the end that I found ridiculous there is also a few moments were people seem to heal or handle situations way better than should be physically possible. So be forewarned that there are some little things that might annoy.

At the end of the day Aristotle and Dante is a beautiful story of two teenage boys and an unlikely, but perfect friendship. It touches on why loners are usually loners, gay relationships, bullying/violence amoungst teens, separation and above all else love.

I would highly recommend this for anyone to read as I think there are lessons or reminders that adults can benefit from here as well.

PS: I'm kinda disappointed there is a sequel as I feel like it's better to not know more of the story... will be interesting to see how that plays out I suppose.

It was a privilege to walk alongside Aristotle Mendoza, the protagonist of this young adult novel, as he wrestles with his life and feelings, as he discovers his true self.

Angry, lonely, uncertain and unable to express himself to his family or his (one, new, best) friend, Ari never hid his feelings from the reader. Author Benjamin Alire Saenz offered a deep and loving portrayal of inner conflict and emotional truth.

Though not revealed until the end, the protagonist's coming out was not contrived but authentic, tender, and made me like him even more.

I did find dialogue repetition somewhat annoying, though that may well suit a young adult readership. Personally, I felt it detracted from the author's much more nuanced portrayal of the characters.

Such a lovely, lyrical book. I enjoyed the writing style, and look forward to more of Benjamin Alire Saenz' books.

Ari and Dante meet and become friends , and they both deal with issues within themselves, and with their families. It is a great coming - of - age story that touches on family discord, sexuality, and friendship.

I look forward to a re-read of this book, hopefully the audio, as I have been told Lin-Manuel Miranda does the narration, and how can that be anything but wonderful ?

This was my second time reading and I love it just as much, if not more! Aristotle and Dante have a piece of my heart and I am ready to "dive" into the next book.

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 discover that they share a special friendship.

Words cannot do this book justice. I didn't expect to like it so much but I gradually fell in love with this book page by page. Ari and Dante are just so special together. I love how their friendship blossoms into something so magical. You can see their connection and how right they are for each other. I can definitely see why this book won a book prize. I love the sneak preview of the sequel at the end especially. So looking forward to it!

Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy for me.