Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

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Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

4.3 of 5 stars 4.30 · rating details · 2,066 ratings · 599 reviews

A lyrical novel about family and friendship from critically acclaimed author Benjamin Alire Sáenz.

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 shar...more

Hardcover, 359 pages

Published February 21st 2012 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

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The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green

Best YA Fiction with GLBTQQI themes / characters

43rd out of 374 books — 1,076 voters

Mock Printz 2013

15th out of 75 books — 272 voters

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Jan 10, 2013 Thomas rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Thomas by: John

Shelves: glbt, five-stars, favorites

3 STEPS TO BECOME ME, THOMAS:

1. Obtain a copy of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe.

2. Read the book.

3. Fall in love. Fall in love with the writing, the characters, everything. Read past midnight, read in school, read everywhere and all the time. Slam the book shut and whisper-scream oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh. At the end of the book, allow a single tear to run down your right cheek and say a silent prayer of thanks for the fact that you are able to read at all.

Perh...more 3 STEPS TO BECOME ME, THOMAS:

1. Obtain a copy of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe.

2. Read the book.

3. Fall in love. Fall in love with the writing, the characters, everything. Read past midnight, read in school, read everywhere and all the time. Slam the book shut and whisper-scream oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh. At the end of the book, allow a single tear to run down your right cheek and say a silent prayer of thanks for the fact that you are able to read at all.

Perhaps I’m making this book seem more dramatic than it actually is. It’s not dramatic at all, in the typical sense. There are no overtly sentimental Nicholas Sparks plot twists, no super sexy erotica Fifty Shades of Grey style, not even an ardent declaration of love via Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. This book is about two Mexican-American teens trying to find their way in the world, but before they do that, they find each other – Aristotle and Dante, the former a self-doubting silent guy, the latter an expressive, fair skinned swimmer. We experience the story from Ari’s perspective, from the first time he met Dante at his local swimming pool.

I’d never really been very close to other people. I was pretty much a loner. I’d played basketball and baseball and done the Cub Scout thing, tried the Boy Scout thing – but I always kept my distance from the other boys. I never felt like I was a part of their world.

Throughout the book, Aristotle and Dante are exposed and layered, continually growing more complex but also becoming more bare. Their coming of age story is shown beautifully. What seems like a simple story about friendship is a simple story about friendship, but there are profound themes woven in and the quality of the characterization is simply breathtaking. Dante, a lover of poetry and a passionate crier, reminded me of myself so much it hurt, while every ounce of Aristotle’s emotions – his confusion, his longing, his hate – resonated with me.

I sometimes think that I don’t let myself know what I’m really thinking about. That doesn’t make much sense but it makes sense to me. I have this idea that the reason we have dreams is that we’re thinking about things we don’t know we’re thinking about – and those things, well, they sneak out of us in our dreams. Maybe we’re like tires with too much air in them. The air has to leak out. That’s what dreams are.

Benjamin Alire Saenz has poetic prose. There aren’t many compound sentences or large SAT words in this book, but every word impacted me. Sometimes the shortest sentence flooded me with feeling. Every description of Dante’s laugh, every time the boys would call each other weird, every moment they spent together – it felt like I was there, experiencing their friendship and their bond.

Have you ever heard that saying, if there’s a book you want to read but it’s not published, write it yourself? I won’t stop writing, but Saenz has accomplished that for me here. Saenz dedicates this book “to all the boys who’ve had to learn to play by different rules.” As a homosexual Asian-American living in Virginia, I’ve had to learn to play by the rules of my parents, my society, and most importantly, myself. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe will speak to Mexican-Americans, homosexuals, tom-girls, book nerds, loners, etc. Essentially, it will appeal to everyone who’s ever felt different, who’s ever felt like they weren’t sure of who they were. Highly recommended for all.(less)

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Mar 20, 2013 Ami rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Ami by: Cayce

Shelves: young-or-new-adult, 5-stars_rating

All the Secrets of the Universe
Through all of youth I was looking for you
without knowing what I was looking for
— W.S. Merwin

The Book Smugglers , a book review blog, wrote this review, and I quoted ...

"I think the best thing I can say about the book is how I can see Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe as a book that can be picked for a lit class to be dissected for its craft and examined for its themes BUT only after the reader is able to recover from becoming a blubbering me...more

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Mar 10, 2013 Cayce rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, m-m-best, glbt-ya

Having thoroughly enjoyed the author's writing style in Last Night I Sang to the Monster, I had very high expectations for Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe , especially given that I've heard nothing but raves about it.
The title and cover has caught my eye immediately. Its cover features, without doubt, one of the most stunning artworks ever to grace a book jacket. So pretty and unique - I could literally stare at it forever. Also, the truck on it foreshadowed some kind o...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Isamlq rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-favorites

Beautiful even with all the sad that's in it. Or is it beautiful because of the same?

It's sad, he's sad, in fact, most everyone in this is. All those questions, some of those feelings? It's one of those books that slowed me down, I'd normally go through something like this quickly (it isn't such a thick book, right?) but all those feels had me slowing down; a fact that has me coming away from this with a clearer picture of both boys and their families.

Aristotle, at first there was this disconne...more

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Mar 21, 2013 Mike rated it 5 of 5 stars

(some spoilers sorry!)
I love love love this book!!! Here's the funny part half way through I returned my book to the library because I thought the book was just another Bromance-that-doesn't-lead-to-romance but I was wrong. There are so many things I loved about this book, I loved that at first I could not tell it was a gay book even though the bromance was extreme I really couldn't tell and I didn't know for sure Dante was gay until half way through the book and I had no idea Ari was gay until...more

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Apr 08, 2013 Kellee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: lbgt, about-books-or-reading, bullying, contemporary-historical-fiction, mental-health-depression, multicultural, printz-award-or-honor, religion-faith, romance, survival, ya-teen, teach-mentor-texts

Reviewed at: http://www.teachmentortexts.com/2013/...

So beautifully written. One of those books that you want to tell everyone to read because it is so literary and lyrical. While reading, I felt I had to keep stopping to take notes because I had so much I wanted to share with you all. In a way, Aristotle & Dante reminded me of John Green in that way. His characters are so intelligent, the voice so pure and mesmerizing, and the story so enthralling- all aspects of a literary young adult nove...more

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Mar 29, 2013 Alex rated it 4 of 5 stars

I can't recall the summary Amazon or GoodReads gave for this book so I'll create my own: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, is a book written about a peculiar friendship formed between two boys named Aristotle and Dante who find themselves clinging together for solace in a world rife with misunderstanding and confusion.

Now, before I begin, I'd like to add I might be biased because I knew I was going to love this book the second I read the words: Th...more I can't recall the summary Amazon or GoodReads gave for this book so I'll create my own: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, is a book written about a peculiar friendship formed between two boys named Aristotle and Dante who find themselves clinging together for solace in a world rife with misunderstanding and confusion.

Now, before I begin, I'd like to add I might be biased because I knew I was going to love this book the second I read the words: The problem with my life was that it was someone else's idea. It's a difficult book to put down and the only reason I left it for so long was because I knew I wouldn't be able to put it down the next time I picked it up; I had to see it through...which is part of the reason why I stayed up last night until 2AM to finish the last two-thirds of it.

This book is a refreshing read. It's been a while since I've read anything stylistically similar to Sáez's concise, taciturn writing, though Sáez is skillful in arranging his words so the crux of the situation is still clear. Furthermore, since the entire book is narrated in first person by the reticent Ari (A.K.A. Aristotle), the tension and honesty of his silence easily comes through to the reader and its a silence that builds up the story in a such a skillful manner that I ended up crying when it was all over.

The story itself is touching, pure and extremely nostalgic. I think any young adult wondering about his/her place in the world will find this book relatable and perhaps he/she will find some solace in knowing that Ari and Dante are just as lost and in a way the reader is vicariously experiencing a journey of self-discovery with these two boys. While the ending might not be 100% relatable to the reader, I think the reader will have some greater understanding and security in his/her identity.

So, if this book was so great, why did I only give it four stars? First of all, if I could, I would give it 4.5 stars because what I didn't like was fairly minor in the overall scheme of things. But honestly, I felt like there were some things that led up to the ending that should have been more evident in the beginning. As a result, I felt like the ending was rushed, though Sáez did manage to finish it off on a graceful note that left me in tears.

And so to anyone still questing on the path to self-discovery, I'd bring this book along for the journey.(less)

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Jul 16, 2012 Claire rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am not an avid reader of YA novels, however, I confess I fall for titles which include names that arouse the classical-scientist/artist-wanna-be in me. I also tend to notice books on display and well, this, with it's calligraphic writing and understated artwork, were convincing asides.

I was expecting a meaningful journey from Saenz's protagonists and was not disappointed. The friendship that develops is organic; the characters and their family, identity, teenage relationships, emotions, and c...more

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Mar 26, 2012 Doret rated it 5 of 5 stars

The story begins in the summer of 1987, 15 yr old Aristotle (Ari), has a good relationship with his mother, his father is a man of few words and the two don't know where to begin. Ari also misses his older brother, Bernardo immensely but since he went to prison no one in the family is allowed to speak his name. Ari is angry and always ready to fight, until he meets Dante at the pool Ari has no friends. 15yr Dante is almost the complete opposite of Ari, he's closer is father and unafraid to show...more

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Feb 18, 2013 Scott Robins rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, lgbtq

Absolutely breathtaking and beautiful. Hands down, one of THE best LGBTQ YA novels ever written.

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Feb 13, 2013 Jennifer Haight rated it 4 of 5 stars

Any book that has this passage as a preamble:

Why do we smile? Why do we laugh? Why do we feel alone? Why are we sad and confused? Why do we read poetry? Why do we cry when we see a painting? Why is there a riot in the heart when we love? Why do we feel shame? What is that thing in the pit of your stomach called desire?

Has my heart.

I wondered how that felt, to really like yourself. And I wondered why some people didn’t like themselves and others did.”

Aristotle (Ari) is burdened with living in a...more

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Apr 01, 2012 Newengland rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: finished-in-2012, ya

Well-written, sensitive story of one very angry Mexican-American boy named Aristotle. He thinks his anger is over an older brother in jail -- one his parents refuse to talk about. But it is more than that, as we will learn.

He hits it off with bubbly, intellectual kid named Dante (also Mexican-American, though much less dark and brooding). The two vow to unlock the secrets of the universe together but, it turns out, the secrets of the universe are much closer to home. OK, in the mirror, then.

At f...more

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Feb 07, 2013 David rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-fiction

A Top Shelf review, originally published in the February 14, 2013 edition of The Monitor

Discovering the Secret of Love

Sometimes you get lucky and find a book so compelling, so beautifully written, so satisfying and important that you want to run around telling everyone to buy it NOW. That’s exactly how I felt after reading the last page of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by poet and author Benjamín Alire Sáenz. Grappling with heady themes of family, identity, violence an...more A Top Shelf review, originally published in the February 14, 2013 edition of The Monitor

Discovering the Secret of Love

Sometimes you get lucky and find a book so compelling, so beautifully written, so satisfying and important that you want to run around telling everyone to buy it NOW. That’s exactly how I felt after reading the last page of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by poet and author Benjamín Alire Sáenz. Grappling with heady themes of family, identity, violence and forgiveness, this YA novel (winner of the 2013 Stonewall Book Award, Printz Honor Award, and Pura Belpré Author Award, among others) manages also to tell a thrilling coming-of-age story with spare, poetic artistry.

At the core of the book is the friendship between Aristotle (Ari) and Dante, two Mexican-American teens living in El Paso in the late 80s. Ari’s parents love him very much, but his relationship with his veteran father is difficult and uncommunicative. Hanging over the family is the violence that landed Ari’s older brother in prison, after which he was basically erased from all conversation. Ari, who keeps to himself but has a reputation as a fighter that keeps the bullies at bay, meets Dante at the municipal pool. Intellectual, uninhibited and very outspoken, Dante comes from a family in which nothing is hidden: communication and open affection are the norm. As is often the case when outsiders bond, the boys help each other deal with their journey toward independence and maturity, and their engaging, deep conversations ring very true. They get through some very difficult times together, each becoming an integral part of the other’s family.

Then Dante’s father gets invited to teach a year at a Chicago University, and the book shifts gears as Ari struggles to deal with his increasing depression alone, while letters from Dante track the other boy’s dawning realization that he is gay. When Dante returns to El Paso and is confronted by violent responses to his orientation, Ari begins a journey that could either land him in prison like his brother or finally heal the open wound that has kept his parents and him from full happiness.

Sáenz is a master of pacing and dialogue, his prose poetic and deeply affecting. I also found it very refreshing that the boys’ parents, as flawed as they might be, are integral parts of their lives (rather than distant figures who have little impact on the story or horrible ogres who just don’t “get” teenagers). The concluding pages are some of the most powerful writing I’ve had the pleasure of reading, and though some critics have found the uplifting final scene a little too pat or unrealistic, Sáenz earns it through his careful development of these wonderful, real characters. Beautiful.
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May 15, 2013 Kristy Sartain- Whispering Pretty Stories Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is an unbelievably heart-wrenching story of two boys who become each other’s best friends one summer when Dante offered to teach Ari to swim. Both boys are 15 at the time and both have Mexican heritage. The story is set in El Paso, Texas. Dante’s dad is a college professor and Dante’s mom is a psychologist. Ari’s mom is a teacher and Ari’s dad is a Vietnam War veteran, turned mailman. Oh, the story is set in 1987.

A good chunk of the book is about Ari trying to find out more about his older...more

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May 04, 2013 April Fell rated it 5 of 5 stars

April M. Fell
Genre: Controversial
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
Awards: Stonewall Book Award (2013), Printz Honor (2013), Best Fiction for Young Adult (2013)
Pura Belpre Author Award (2013)
APA: Saenz, B. A. (2012). Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. New York: Simon and Schuster.

Saenz completely hits this one out of the ballpark. This is a book that is finished in one sitting and captivates the reader from page to page with insightful dialogue. Thi...more April M. Fell
Genre: Controversial
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
Awards: Stonewall Book Award (2013), Printz Honor (2013), Best Fiction for Young Adult (2013)
Pura Belpre Author Award (2013)
APA: Saenz, B. A. (2012). Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. New York: Simon and Schuster.

Saenz completely hits this one out of the ballpark. This is a book that is finished in one sitting and captivates the reader from page to page with insightful dialogue. This is the story of a developing friendship between Aristotle (Ari) and Dante, two 15 year old Mexican-American kids who could not be more different. Ari is very confused about his life. Although he has supportive parents, there are deep seated issues he must grapple with in this novel. His brother was imprisoned for murder when Ari was young and he has vague recollections of his life growing up with him. His parents are reluctant to discuss this with Ari because it is a very painful part of the past and they think by keeping it secret, it will protect Ari from a similar future. Ari’s father is a veteran of war and suffers post-traumatic stress disorder and Ari is not privy to his father’s emotional side.
Dante on the other hand is confident and lives with a full understanding of who he is. He is struggling to understand how to deal with sexual feelings he has toward Ari as their relationship grows. Dante discloses to Ari over time of his feelings and subsequently, Ari’s emotional turmoil throws him into fits of anger and resentment. He does not understand his feelings and can’t seem to make sense of what is happening to him both physically and emotionally.
Ari takes Dante to the desert at night where they ponder the meaning of life as they lay in the back of Ari’s truck. They are at ease with one another and when they are together, they can talk about anything. This is something that is foreign to Ari, having grown up in an environment where it was simpler to keep everything inside.
Saenz is a master storyteller who writes with honesty and sensitivity about these two boys who come to understand their relationship and how they come to terms with being gay. Highly Recommended

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Apr 21, 2013 Erica rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 08, 2013 Eddie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Holy shit, I loved this book. Secondly, I love to cuss in reviews. It's so liberating. Let's all say a four letter word together, shall we? I really, really loved it. I think this book will go down as one of my favorites, ever. I didn't even want to scroll down to read peoples' reviews because I didn't want to come across a 3 or lower rated review. I loved this book that much that I thought to myself, don't scroll down after rating this book because I'd find it hard for someone, unless homophobi...more

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Apr 05, 2013 Sara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-literature-2013

Audience: The audience for this book is intermediate elementary school. Because of the length of the story, as well as the detailed and intimate language, I think it would best fit 7th and 8th graders.

Appeal: I think this book would appeal to 7th and 8th graders. The story's content discusses two children and their friendship. I feel 7th and 8th graders can relate to this subject because they are growing up and going to different schools. Also, the book talks about how the boys figure out who th...more

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Mar 30, 2013 Mel rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was a strange mix of bland and weird. Saenz adds in a lot of realistic depictions of family and friends - including some awkward conversations that I'm not entirely sure were relevant to the plot - but it is so realistic, and so unlike what I expect in a story, that's almost like a literary uncanny valley. I found myself squirming at points, wishing that Saenz would have made Ari like a stereotypical teenager so that I could get back in my comfort zone.

And I guess that all would've bee...more

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Mar 30, 2013 Tom rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, ya-general

"Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe" is a tough book for me to review.

It's narrated by Aristotle ("Ari"). He is a difficult, inscrutable teenager. He takes pride in his aloofness. His thoughts are short. He lives in El Paso. He has bad dreams. His brother is in prison. His father was in the war. His parents don't talk about either thing. He doesn't have any friends. This doesn't bother him. He doesn't like other people.

And on and on and on like that. At the beginning of th...more

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Mar 11, 2013 Phoebe rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Phoebe by: Nancy F.

Shelves: bridge, ya, romance, multicult, printz, coming-of-age

Don't give this book to anyone seeking action, since it is really the story of the main character's journey to self-acceptance and peace. Aristotle is an angry boy, for several reasons, but the chief one is the fact that his older brother is in prison and his parents won't say his name. Ari doesn't know why his brother is there, or what the real story is. The day he meets Dante, an unusual and fascinating person with a father who could not be less like Ari's taciturn, war-damaged father, is the...more

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Mar 06, 2013 Nicole rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: lgbtq, teen, young-adult-fiction

"As far as I was concerned, the sun could have melted the blue right off the sky. Then the sky could be as miserable as I was."

"I got along okay. I had school friends. Sort of. I wasn't wildly popular. How could I be? In order to be wildly popular you had to make people believe that you were fun and interesting. I just wasn't that much of a con artist."

"Words were different when they lived inside of you."

"Something happened inside me as I looked out into the vast universe. Through that telescope...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: family-story, glbt, romance, young-adult

Ari (short for Aristotle), is a loner, and mostly content to be a loner, until he meets the lively Dante at the pool. They become best friends, even when Dante admits to being gay. Over the course of a year they go through many events--like Ari saving Dante's life and ending up in the hospital--and family issues, while Ari slowly figures out just who he is, and what he wants.

This is a thoughtful book, unfolding as slowly as Ari's understanding of himself. It is beautifully written, and uncovered...more

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Feb 18, 2013 Monica! rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paul-is-definitely-gay, read-in-2013, reasonably-realistic, what-is-this-feeling, winning-is-for-winners, manly-man-man-man

Jesus Christ but the adults in this book are just unbelievably well-adjusted.

Holy shit.

I mean, I’m not saying I was expecting “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe and Shortly Thereafter Dante is Tragically Beaten To Death with a Tire Iron by Men Who Fear What They Don’t Understand and Dammit Dante, Aristotle Wishes He Knew How To Quit You,” but neither was I expecting this:

(Spoilers.)

Ari, the problem isn’t just that Dante’s in love with you. The real problem—for you, anyw...more

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Feb 18, 2013 Rosalia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, realistic-fiction, printz-award-honor, young-adult, pura-belpre-award

Ari and Dante meet the summer they turn sixteen and quickly become best friends which is odd because Ari doesn't really do friends. Ari doesn't like himself and feels stifled by all the secrets that are kept in their family. Dante (and his family) are more open although Dante also keeps his own secrets.

This is probably one of the most moving coming of age novels I have read in a very long time. I think a lot of people feel the way Ari feels growing up. They don't like themselves and don't feel...more

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Feb 13, 2013 Erin Sterling rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-school, language, award-winner, read-2013, story, character, teen-fiction, teen-lgbt, teen-multicultural, teen-realistic

4.5. After reading it, I understand why it won so many awards (Pura Belpre, Stonewall, Newbery Honor) because it is a fantastic book. I'm curious to hear what teens think of it because it's a pretty contemplative, thoughtful story and one that reminded me a little of The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Basic premise is that Ari (short for Aristotle) is a loner without many friends who ends up becoming friends with this other kid Dante who also doesn't have many friends but is more comfortable being...more

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Feb 02, 2013 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen-coming-of-age-boy, teen-family, teen-friends, teen-guy, teen-hispanic, teen-lgbt

This recent recipient of the Belpre award absolutely captures moments of beauty, the insecurity and seriousness of transitioning into adulthood, and the role of family dynamics. Unfortunately, one of the things it does not do is truly let us in to the protagonist's head. Telling readers repeatedly that "I'm inscrutable" does not suffice. Dante, on the other hand, is an open book, and a fascinating one at that. Fifteen year old Aristotle and Dante meet one summer day at the community pool. Dante...more

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Jan 29, 2013 Wandering Librarians rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: boy-appeal, family, fiction, friendship, growing-up, lgbtq, realationships, realistic-fiction, serious-issues, ya

Aristotle and Dante meet one summer in high school. Ari can't swim. Dante teaches him, and even though they are incredibly different, the two become close friends. Ari's brother is in prison, and he doesn't even know why. His family won't talk about it. All the not talking presses on Ari, until he isn't sure what to do or where to turn. And all the while there's Dante, seeming to love him unconditionally, which might be more than Ari can stand.

This was beautiful. It was just beautiful. It was mo...more Aristotle and Dante meet one summer in high school. Ari can't swim. Dante teaches him, and even though they are incredibly different, the two become close friends. Ari's brother is in prison, and he doesn't even know why. His family won't talk about it. All the not talking presses on Ari, until he isn't sure what to do or where to turn. And all the while there's Dante, seeming to love him unconditionally, which might be more than Ari can stand.

This was beautiful. It was just beautiful. It was moving and heartfelt. It explored sexuality and friendship and growing up and family and what happens when you hold things inside. I thought the sparse writing style was perfect. I loved it. And I was teary at the end. While there are many books I love and that have moved me, I really don't often cry over books. But I was just so happy, at the end, and had such a feeling of, "at last, the universe if finally making sense for Ari and he so deserves it and I'm so glad," I had tears in my eyes.

Ari was a wonderful character. Despite the fact that he was the narrator of the entire book, and it was a first person narration, it was very hard to get to know him, and know what he was really thinking. The writing style worked perfectly for this. Dialogue was realistic, which meant short, chopped sentences. It never felt choppy, however. It was kind of amazing how lyrical and smooth it was. It somehow came out seeming poetic, rather than choppy are terse.

Ari's parent's both love him very much, that is clear, but they are not a family that shares their feelings. And they never, ever, talk about Ari's much older brother who is in prison. Ari doesn't know why he's in prison. He misses him. He feels the absence. And he constantly feels all the not talking that his family isn't doing. His father was in Vietnam, and returned physically sound by psychologically damaged. He cannot talk about the war. He cannot talk about much of anything. Ari is a loner. A lot of that is because he isolates himself. He does not seem to fit in with the other boys. And Ari likes being alone. He is uncomfortable with other people.

Dante has a large, outgoing personality. He's happy and upbeat and always talking. He has great parents who love him and who he can talk to about anything. Dante has no problem approaching people and talking to them. Despite all this, Dante also doesn't have any close friends. He is a loner in a different way. He too feels apart from others. Ari is the only one he really feels close too. And as Dante realizes he's gay, Ari is the one he falls in love with.

There was just so much going on in this book, but it all went together seamlessly. It never felt like there was too much. The focus was not even so much Ari and Dante's relationship. It was more the harm that can be done when people don't talk to each other. When people are not able to express themselves or talk to others, especially those that love them and care about them, it causes pain and sadness.

Ari saw this in many ways. He can't talk to his parents about what he most wants to know - what happened to his brother, and why they act like his brother is dead. Because of this, he is closed off from everything else. Ari sufferers some serious depression at some points, as he begins to feel everything closing in on him, and since he can't talk about it he doesn't know what to do.

Even in Dante's seemingly perfect family, there are things that aren't talked about. Dante can't tell his parents that he's gay. He's afraid of disappointing them. It's actually Ari who is able to talk to them about it.

Aside from not being able to speak, there was also the look at being a dark-skinned verses a light-skinned Mexican. Dante is very light skinned, and is self-conscious about it. It's practically the only thing that makes him feel uncomfortable. He says he doesn't feel Mexican.

There is, of course, the issues of sexuality, and the discovering yourself and who you are. And when you discover your gay, and you're open with it, the dangers that can come with it.

When Ari and his family finally started talking at the end, and that in turn lead Ari to be able to speak honestly with Dante, I was just so happy. Finally! It was so long coming!

I can't do it justice. Just read it. It's really, really good. (less)

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Dec 20, 2012 Allison rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

Very nicely done. Simple, direct, thoughtful narration from one of the most meditative narrators I've encountered in YA lit. It's lyrical and lovely, and I love the way it touches on so many meaty themes--family, identity (from many angles: race, culture, sexual orientation, gender, etc), relationships, violence, etc. And I think the short chapters made it very readable. Once again, because of spoilers, I feel limited in how much I can explain of why this book was so good. But I will say that th...more

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Dec 07, 2012 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars

I finished this book last week, just before the article about the lack of Latino characters in YA lit was published in the New York Times. Timely. Essentially, it tells the story of the developing friendship between two very different Mexican-American boys, Ari and Dante. The story begins in the summer of 1987 when Ari meets Dante at the local pool and Dante offers to teach him to swim. Despite their differences (Dante is artistic, upbeat, and outgoing; Ari is unsettled, reticent and often angry...more I finished this book last week, just before the article about the lack of Latino characters in YA lit was published in the New York Times. Timely. Essentially, it tells the story of the developing friendship between two very different Mexican-American boys, Ari and Dante. The story begins in the summer of 1987 when Ari meets Dante at the local pool and Dante offers to teach him to swim. Despite their differences (Dante is artistic, upbeat, and outgoing; Ari is unsettled, reticent and often angry), they are drawn to each other and become friends.

Unlike most YA books, their story (narrated by Ari) doesn't end at the end of the summer or the following year when Dante, whose father is an academic and accepts a visiting professor position in Chicago, moves away. Instead, it flows into the following summer when Dante returns. Saenz takes his time with the pacing of the book in order to let both boys grow up.

While I found parts of the story more believable than others (I had a hard time buying some of Dante's letters to Ari in the middle of the book), the writing is lovely and I sincerely appreciated the rich and complex depiction of both Ari and Dante's parents. These are parents who are present in their son's lives, who struggle to do the right thing and accept their own mistakes, who learn along with their children, and who love -- and are loved by -- both boys.

As I was finished the book, I just wasn't sure what I thought about the ending -- possible? realistic? I'm still thinking about it and I've re-read it several times. Each time, despite my reservations, I find different parts deeply affecting (and very sweet). And there's so much to talk about: identity, masculinity, memory, family, fear, acceptance, violence, love, friendship.

When I had the chance to hear Benjamin Saenz talk about his books last month at NCTE, he explicitly said that he writes specifically for young men "because I want them to understand that we see them." In the case of this book, perhaps it's really possible that Ari can't let himself see himself until the very end. When he finally does: happiness.

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About Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Benjamin Alire Sáenz (born 16 August 1954) is an award-winning American poet, novelist and writer of children's books.

He was born at Old Picacho, New Mexico, the fourth of seven children, and was raised on a small farm near Mesilla, New Mexico. He graduated from Las Cruces High School in 1972. That fall, he entered St. Thomas Seminary in Denver, Colorado where he received a B.A. degree in Humaniti...more

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“I bet you could sometimes find all the mysteries of the universe in someone's hand.” — 25 people liked it

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