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Reviews tagging 'Violence'
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
516 reviews
viselik's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I adored every aspect of this book; it had me completely engrossed, making it a challenge to put down. The way the author crafted Aristotle's character and his growth felt incredibly genuine and organic. It was heartening to witness him mature and embrace his true self, especially in the touching plotline about discovering the truth about his brother. The way Ari's family came to terms with it and supported him throughout was truly heartwarming and endearing.
Dante's character was equally captivating, with his aloof and humorous demeanour, balanced by the love and care shown by his family. Throughout the book, Dante's development took some unexpected turns, which added to the depth of his character.
The gradual progression of their relationship from being so different to becoming close friends was undeniably heartwarming. Witnessing their individual growth and the way they supported each other was truly delightful. I couldn't help but adore how Dante fell for Ari first, while Ari himself was initially unaware of his feelings and even denied them. Watching him come to accept himself and embrace his emotions, with the help of his loving family, was incredibly sweet and made the eventual coming together of Dante and Aristotle all the more heartwarming. This book is a beautiful journey of self-discovery and love that left me with a warm and satisfied feeling by the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug use, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Murder, Lesbophobia, and Alcohol
Minor: Sexual content
oliviapincin's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Violence, and War
sleepy_ink's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
"How could I have ever been ashamed of loving Dante Quintana?"
What the fuck... That's all... Just what the fuck... Its 3 am and I just finished this... And I- it was so bittersweet, and it made me happy, and jealous, because why am I so alone... But like my god...
What the fuck... That's all... Just what the fuck... Its 3 am and I just finished this... And I- it was so bittersweet, and it made me happy, and jealous, because why am I so alone... But like my god...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Homophobia, Violence, and Car accident
hotbitch's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Car accident, Murder, and War
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual assault
auggie_reads's review against another edition
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Violence
nickitaylor915's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
"Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe" by Benjamin Alire Saenz is a beautiful coming-of-age story that explores themes of identity, family, and friendship. The book follows the relationship between two young boys, Aristotle and Dante, as they navigate the complexities of growing up in 1980s Texas. The writing is poetic and the emotions are raw, making for a truly impactful reading experience. My only criticism is that the pacing is slow at times, but overall I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a thought-provoking and touching read.
4.5⭐️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, and Car accident
Moderate: Transphobia and Violence
Minor: Murder
alisazhup's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"Do you think it will always be this way?"
"What?"
"I mean, when do we start feeling like the world belongs to us?"
I wanted to tell him that the world would never belong to us. "I don't know," I said. "Tomorrow."
Love was always something heavy for me. Something I had to carry."
A beautiful and poetic slow-burn queer romance. It was slow paced and character-driven, almost like a slice of life story.
What I disliked:
(Mild spoiler): On page 255 (of the U.S. paperback), Dante asks if he can kiss Ari. Ari explicitly says no three times, but Dante keeps pleading and begging. Eventually, Dante makes Ari stand up, close his eyes, and kiss him anyway. This event was brushed over and then brought up later in the book as a sort of romantic occurrence. I haven't seen any other reviewers bring it up but I had issues with it. I hated it because it was a non-consensual kiss. I didn't feel it was romantic or endearing at all.
"What?"
"I mean, when do we start feeling like the world belongs to us?"
I wanted to tell him that the world would never belong to us. "I don't know," I said. "Tomorrow."
Love was always something heavy for me. Something I had to carry."
A beautiful and poetic slow-burn queer romance. It was slow paced and character-driven, almost like a slice of life story.
What I disliked:
(Mild spoiler): On page 255 (of the U.S. paperback), Dante asks if he can kiss Ari. Ari explicitly says no three times, but Dante keeps pleading and begging. Eventually, Dante makes Ari stand up, close his eyes, and kiss him anyway. This event was brushed over and then brought up later in the book as a sort of romantic occurrence. I haven't seen any other reviewers bring it up but I had issues with it. I hated it because it was a non-consensual kiss. I didn't feel it was romantic or endearing at all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia and Violence
vr_alyssa's review
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
2017 review:
Those five stars relate to plot. It really got to me. Just a story of two teenagers, best friends, and life in 1987. It's heartbreaking because it's easy to relate to (no matter your gender, race or sexual preference). I really loved this book.
2023 review:
I decided to re-read this book on a whim. I honestly don't know why. I mean, I already had a pile of books I'm currently reading. Simultaneously, I had forgotten how much I love this book. Not because it's eventful, or fast-paced and action packed (like most books I read these days), but because it's so incredibly human. I don't know if I appreciated how beautifully it depicts the teenage condition last time I read this novel, or how it demonstrates how complicated unconditional love can be. But man. I ugly cried a couple times near the end, which caught me off guard. Because I honestly did not remember how much I love this book, just that I loved it.
Those five stars relate to plot. It really got to me. Just a story of two teenagers, best friends, and life in 1987. It's heartbreaking because it's easy to relate to (no matter your gender, race or sexual preference). I really loved this book.
2023 review:
I decided to re-read this book on a whim. I honestly don't know why. I mean, I already had a pile of books I'm currently reading. Simultaneously, I had forgotten how much I love this book. Not because it's eventful, or fast-paced and action packed (like most books I read these days), but because it's so incredibly human. I don't know if I appreciated how beautifully it depicts the teenage condition last time I read this novel, or how it demonstrates how complicated unconditional love can be. But man. I ugly cried a couple times near the end, which caught me off guard. Because I honestly did not remember how much I love this book, just that I loved it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Violence, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Cursing, Drug use, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Alcohol
Minor: Death and Murder
dominic_t's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was a beautiful story. I loved all the characters, and I loved seeing how they grew and changed. The writing is beautiful. I loved seeing how Dante and Ari's relationship developed. I loved their friendship, and I loved seeing them fall in love.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, and Violence
redheadorganist's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Animal death, Death, Homophobia, Sexual content, Transphobia, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Outing, and War