Reviews tagging 'Violence'

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

516 reviews

purplepenning's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Transphobia, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cursing, Death, Drug use, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Murder, Alcohol, and War

Minor: Animal cruelty and Cancer

iksme's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia and Violence

matheo's review

emotional reflective

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Murder, Lesbophobia, Toxic friendship, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, and Alcohol

strangeaddictin's review against another edition

hopeful reflective sad medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Drug use, Homophobia, and Violence

jsumner1125's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful 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

This was a book that wasn't directed at me in anyway yet I adored it.  It follows a teenage boy as he learns and grows who he is as a person.  I connected to the parents in this book.  Raising teenagers is hard, you have your own issues and as your kids age they realize the parent isn't all knowing and can make mistakes but in the end love is what can make a person whole.  Really well done coming of age story.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Drug use, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

capriqueen's review

emotional 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

2024 reread. It’s been years since I first read this, and I was a little worried it wouldn’t live up to my memory. But it did, it so did

It’s a love story, but it’s also family, it’s hurt, it’s trauma, it’s healing, it’s anger, it’s questions, it’s growth

Had me nearly in tears at several moments in the last fifth of it. God it’s so beautiful 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Violence, and Car accident

Moderate: Drug use and Alcohol

Minor: Transphobia

bugzandthingz's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-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

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Content Warnings

Minor: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

eyelash_0205's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective medium-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

5.0

This is such a genuinely beautiful story. The way it's written from Ari's point of view gives you the most detailed insight into his mind. The development and discovery is incredible.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Homophobia, Violence, Car accident, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Drug use

acxjkc's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-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

4.5

I first read this book at 14, when the French translation was published. I was a lost teen who didn't have any friends, didn't know who I was, didn't how to be a man and didn't how to fit in in this world. Suffice to say, I devoured the book in one setting. I adored it. It made me feel less alone, like there was someone out there who would understand me. And it made me feel hopeful, which I desperately needed at that time.

I am now 20 and I decided to read this book once more. I'm an emotional mess now that I've finished it. I don't know if I love the book purely for what it is, or because it's opened a window to the child that I was. Probably both. Every few pages I got emotional because I remembered my younger self relating to the characters, their struggles, their relationships. In a lot of ways, I was very similar to Aristotle and Dante, and when I wanted to give them a hug I also wanted to hug 14-year-old me and tell him it'd get better. 

I'm very sensible to poetic imagery, and I think this book was full of it. Maybe the philosophical reflections aren't that deep, but they're from a 15-year-old character, and they felt very real to me at that same age. Thinking about your place in the universe, your body, your family, your future, your friends... it's paramount in the life of a teenager, and I feel like the author transcribed that well.

It may not be the book of the century, it may not have the best writing I'll ever read, but it's definitely a touching, sincere book that will stick with me forever.

The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because of the transphobic attack that is mentioned, which I feel was completely useless and violent for no good reason. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Violence, and Car accident

Moderate: Transphobia

iirissr's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Homophobia, Car accident, Murder, and Alcohol