Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

“I hated being volunteered. The problem with my life was that it was someone else's idea.” 

I’m well past the age of reading YA books. Especially YA books with cheesy cover and title fonts like this one. Yet with all those prestigious awards and recognitions, the coveted stamps of approval, and ironically, that cover; I decided to give it a go.

Those who have been following my blog will know that I never read romance. Never. I’m not by any means a cheesy, romantic soft mess who’s full of feelings. Yet this book hit me right in the gut, moments after reading it, I dissolved in a puddle of tears in the middle of my transatlantic flight. This is a book I owe my fifteen-year-old self.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secretes of the Universe is about two boys, Aristotle (Ari) Mendoza and Dante Quitana growing up in El Paso, Texas during the 1980s. When Ari, a perpetually annoyed and angry teen met Dante, a sentimental and know-it-all young man, their whole world changed. As readers, we witnessed their lives from age fifteen to seventeen, watching their relationships with oneself, each other, and the world grow, change and strengthen. Told from Ari’s point of view, the writing is brisk and crafted in pitch-perfect dialogues. The story was enthrallingly told, beautifully written and emotionally plangent that some passages bring tears.

I had a very faint idea of what Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe was about prior to reading it, and I almost loathe to reveal too much about it. To most people this book will probably just be a cute book or a fun read, but its tender and honest exploration of identity earned a giant sob from me. Several themes feature prominently in this book. These include Mexican-American identity, gender and sexuality, particular masculine gender roles and internalized-homophobia, deep rooted social stigma, intellectualism and family relationships and dynamics.

Just like most books I enjoy, this novel is not plot-driven. It doesn’t really have a plot. However, it is a great book about identity and self acceptance that I think most readers will appreciate, gay or straight.