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strozi's review against another edition
5.0
I loved it! I really enjoyed Zach's journey, I felt connected to him but also to every other character in the book. I couldn't put it down and just had to read it all! Would recommend having tissues nearby though, there are a lot of touching but really painful moments in the book. But also so much beauty.
kjanie's review against another edition
4.0
4.5/5 stars
Once again, Benjamin Alire Sáenz has rendered me speechless with another beautiful and touching story. His writing is not only full of powerful images and is profoundly poetic, but it also seems to captures feelings and emotions that can't be explained with literal prose. This was a very raw and quite heavy exploration of alchohilsm in a teenager and his experience inside a mental health facility. Even though I've never experienced what Zach has, this book was written in such a way that it perfectly captures the feelings of anxiety, lack of identity, loneliness and self discovery that everyone can realte to in some capacity. This was definitely not the most fun book series because of the harsh subject matter, but it also wasn't all darkness as it had very hopeful and heartwarming moments as well.
Zach is only eighteen, but he’s not spending his time at high school like the other teens his age. Instead, Zach is at a rehab facility because he’s an alcoholic. He can’t quite remember the chain of events that led him to rehab and he’s not sure if he ever wants to remember, remembering means so much more pain. Zach has the idea that God decides how ever is, and God decided that he would be sad. Sad and lonely. He doesn’t want to talk to his therapist, his roommate is so nice but Zach doesn’t really want to talk to him about anything important either. Everyone has an opinion on how he should live his life, but in reality, he has to figure it out for himself.
I really hate my attempt at trying to describe this book, so really take that synopsis with a grain of salt. This book is so much more meaningful and beautiful than I could possibly describe. It’s not about action or major exciting conflicts, but more about an emotional journey for Zach and the other characters we meet along the way. I thought this book was so unbelievably gorgeous! It was heart-wrenching, raw and touching. I used to read (and love) hard-hitting young adult books a lot but I’ve taken quite a long break from them. This book has made me realise how much I actually love these more emotional, mature YA books with quite serious themes.
I also feel like I’d forgotten how much I loved this author’s storytelling. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is one of the most beautifully written, touching and heartwarming books I’ve ever read, a definite favourite. That’s why I have absolutely not idea why I didn’t read more from this author. I’m so happy that I’ve finally changed that because this book was unforgettable. The storytelling was done perfectly as Zach’s past and present fused together perfectly. I think it progressed in such an effortless and natural way which is why I think it was so fantastically executed. Yes, there were times I was frustrated with Zach. But there were also times when I just wanted to hug him and I felt so proud for him. He slowly got better and felt better about himself and it was in no way unbelievable. I don’t really know how to describe what I am trying to articulate, basically I just really love this author and this story.
I was quite surprised when I first started this book because the writing was so different than the first book I’ve read by this author. I have to admit, it did take some getting used to but I very soon ended up liking it and thinking it was perfect for the book. There were so many times when I read a line that I thought was absolutely perfect. Saenz just seems to articulate things that can’t be said using literal prose. Even though I’m not an alcoholic and haven’t gone through the stuff Zach has, I could still relate and connect to so many lines in the book. I think that’s the real beauty about the writing in this book, it really gets to the core of the coming of age story, regardless of the subject matter.
I think this book is sadly underrated. I really think this is one of the best explorations of alcoholism and therapy in YA and yet so many people haven’t heard of it. Beyond that, this is also just one of the most heartwarming and hopeful books that I’ve read in a long time. Don’t get me wrong, there were also a lot of heartbreaking, sad and frustrating moments at all. Basically this book was just one ball of crazy emotions, but I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. It left me feeling so fulfilled and satisfied, which is all I can ask for in a good book.
“People who have monsters recognize each other. They know each other without even saying a word.”
Once again, Benjamin Alire Sáenz has rendered me speechless with another beautiful and touching story. His writing is not only full of powerful images and is profoundly poetic, but it also seems to captures feelings and emotions that can't be explained with literal prose. This was a very raw and quite heavy exploration of alchohilsm in a teenager and his experience inside a mental health facility. Even though I've never experienced what Zach has, this book was written in such a way that it perfectly captures the feelings of anxiety, lack of identity, loneliness and self discovery that everyone can realte to in some capacity. This was definitely not the most fun book series because of the harsh subject matter, but it also wasn't all darkness as it had very hopeful and heartwarming moments as well.
Zach is only eighteen, but he’s not spending his time at high school like the other teens his age. Instead, Zach is at a rehab facility because he’s an alcoholic. He can’t quite remember the chain of events that led him to rehab and he’s not sure if he ever wants to remember, remembering means so much more pain. Zach has the idea that God decides how ever is, and God decided that he would be sad. Sad and lonely. He doesn’t want to talk to his therapist, his roommate is so nice but Zach doesn’t really want to talk to him about anything important either. Everyone has an opinion on how he should live his life, but in reality, he has to figure it out for himself.
I really hate my attempt at trying to describe this book, so really take that synopsis with a grain of salt. This book is so much more meaningful and beautiful than I could possibly describe. It’s not about action or major exciting conflicts, but more about an emotional journey for Zach and the other characters we meet along the way. I thought this book was so unbelievably gorgeous! It was heart-wrenching, raw and touching. I used to read (and love) hard-hitting young adult books a lot but I’ve taken quite a long break from them. This book has made me realise how much I actually love these more emotional, mature YA books with quite serious themes.
“That’s how I feel. I think God is the wind. It’s all like a game to him. Him. God. And it’s all pretty much random. He takes out his pen and starts writing on our blank hearts. When it came to my turn, he wrote “sad.” I don’t like God very much. Apparently, he doesn’t like me very much either.”
I also feel like I’d forgotten how much I loved this author’s storytelling. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is one of the most beautifully written, touching and heartwarming books I’ve ever read, a definite favourite. That’s why I have absolutely not idea why I didn’t read more from this author. I’m so happy that I’ve finally changed that because this book was unforgettable. The storytelling was done perfectly as Zach’s past and present fused together perfectly. I think it progressed in such an effortless and natural way which is why I think it was so fantastically executed. Yes, there were times I was frustrated with Zach. But there were also times when I just wanted to hug him and I felt so proud for him. He slowly got better and felt better about himself and it was in no way unbelievable. I don’t really know how to describe what I am trying to articulate, basically I just really love this author and this story.
I was quite surprised when I first started this book because the writing was so different than the first book I’ve read by this author. I have to admit, it did take some getting used to but I very soon ended up liking it and thinking it was perfect for the book. There were so many times when I read a line that I thought was absolutely perfect. Saenz just seems to articulate things that can’t be said using literal prose. Even though I’m not an alcoholic and haven’t gone through the stuff Zach has, I could still relate and connect to so many lines in the book. I think that’s the real beauty about the writing in this book, it really gets to the core of the coming of age story, regardless of the subject matter.
I think this book is sadly underrated. I really think this is one of the best explorations of alcoholism and therapy in YA and yet so many people haven’t heard of it. Beyond that, this is also just one of the most heartwarming and hopeful books that I’ve read in a long time. Don’t get me wrong, there were also a lot of heartbreaking, sad and frustrating moments at all. Basically this book was just one ball of crazy emotions, but I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. It left me feeling so fulfilled and satisfied, which is all I can ask for in a good book.
“All my friends thought I was a very happy human being. Because that's how I acted- like a really happy human being. But all that pretending made me tired. If I acted the way I felt, then I doubt my friends would have really hung out with me. So the pretending wasn't all bad. The pretending made me less lonely. But in another was, it made me more lonely because I felt like a fraud. I've always felt like a fake human being.”
healnotslay's review against another edition
5.0
he is just such a Good writer
each character feels so fleshed out and real even if they're only there for a few paragraphs
the language is both beautiful & easy to read which i think is quite a hard balance to hit
i don't know how to write about this but i want to read everything he writes, he makes me feel like marchetta feels i get why people say that now
now i'm going to reread ari & dante probably
each character feels so fleshed out and real even if they're only there for a few paragraphs
the language is both beautiful & easy to read which i think is quite a hard balance to hit
i don't know how to write about this but i want to read everything he writes, he makes me feel like marchetta feels i get why people say that now
now i'm going to reread ari & dante probably
haycorn's review against another edition
5.0
I wept. I sat in my room and wept because oh, it was so beautiful, it broke my heart and it was beautiful.
In all honesty, this book reminded me more of Stephanie Kuehn's Charm and Strange than Dante and Gabriel... but that is not a bad thing!
In all honesty, this book reminded me more of Stephanie Kuehn's Charm and Strange than Dante and Gabriel... but that is not a bad thing!
cathreadsalot's review against another edition
5.0
“The heart can get really cold if all you've known is winter.”
This book deserves more hype, so that is exactly what I am going to do – hype it up.
The main character, 18-year-old Zach, wrote hope on my heart; I was rooting so hard for things to get better for him. Reading about him trying to come to terms with all the trauma he faced and what got him to Cabin 9 with all the other addicts had me in tears on I would say at least ten occasions.
I think that the author did a great job in addressing the important topics of addiction and mental health in a delicate way, such that it made sense coming from Zach’s perspective as the narrator. Everything about this was so beautiful, even the really hard parts to get through, because in the hard parts there was healing. I absolutely loved Adam and Rafael. The relationship Zach had with both of them was pure magic; there is no better way to describe it. It made me believe that there is good in the world.
I am going to miss these characters so much, but I’m so happy I got to know them. A well deserved 5 star read by an author who has never disappointed me.
This book deserves more hype, so that is exactly what I am going to do – hype it up.
The main character, 18-year-old Zach, wrote hope on my heart; I was rooting so hard for things to get better for him. Reading about him trying to come to terms with all the trauma he faced and what got him to Cabin 9 with all the other addicts had me in tears on I would say at least ten occasions.
I think that the author did a great job in addressing the important topics of addiction and mental health in a delicate way, such that it made sense coming from Zach’s perspective as the narrator. Everything about this was so beautiful, even the really hard parts to get through, because in the hard parts there was healing. I absolutely loved Adam and Rafael. The relationship Zach had with both of them was pure magic; there is no better way to describe it. It made me believe that there is good in the world.
I am going to miss these characters so much, but I’m so happy I got to know them. A well deserved 5 star read by an author who has never disappointed me.
rcaivano's review against another edition
This was written from the perspective of a young boy going through rehab and wanting to do well. He has no life, no real family, nothing to shoot for, but he wants to try but finds it incredibly difficult to do so. I can't imagine what it's like, but he does face his demons and tries to find happiness.
smisaacs's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. This is such a beautiful beautiful book. Sáenz is quickly becoming my favorite author. This book is amazing. It's sort of a stream-of-consciousness narrative, like we're living inside of Zach's head, and we only know what he knows. But he can't (or won't) remember a lot of the things that happened to him, so we're truly going on the journey with him. It's sad, but beautifully so. It's also hopeful. The ending is a tad cliche but I don't care because it made me so happy. Love love love.
jennyreader9's review against another edition
5.0
I cried throughout this entire novel because I just fell in love with Zach. He has such a strong presence, I find myself looking around at my students and wondering what they themselves have encountered that would be similar to Zach.
One word: FABULOUS.
One word: FABULOUS.
kilosmom7's review against another edition
2.0
i accidentally read a spoiler and now i don't really need to finish the book. upsetting. but i really enjoy the way this is written. like a continuous train of thought.