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A review by jolovesbookstbh
Aristotle and Dante Dive Into the Waters of the World by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
5.0
Saénz illustrates the sweet reality of young love intertwined with fear of condemnation and tragic loss. He offers a beautiful look at growing up as a gay immigrant in 1980s USA being ravaged by the horrors of the AIDS crisis.
The book takes twists and turns and deals with death as well as new beginnings. It is an emotional rollercoaster throughout. Saénz succeeds in building not only a beautiful (yet tragic) world, but also in illustrating love in all its forms. Not only romantic, but also love between friends and most notably love between parents and their children. The characters on the whole make the story feel human and relatable. Strong female characters and especially Ari’s admiration of them bring a special layer to the story that is being told. The history of solidarity between women and gay men is thereby beautifully illustrated.
Ari’s character development in this book in particular is genuinely admirable. He shows how opening oneself up despite fear of rejection and loss makes one brave rather than weak.
Truly the quintessential coming of age queer love story.
The book takes twists and turns and deals with death as well as new beginnings. It is an emotional rollercoaster throughout. Saénz succeeds in building not only a beautiful (yet tragic) world, but also in illustrating love in all its forms. Not only romantic, but also love between friends and most notably love between parents and their children. The characters on the whole make the story feel human and relatable. Strong female characters and especially Ari’s admiration of them bring a special layer to the story that is being told. The history of solidarity between women and gay men is thereby beautifully illustrated.
Ari’s character development in this book in particular is genuinely admirable. He shows how opening oneself up despite fear of rejection and loss makes one brave rather than weak.
Truly the quintessential coming of age queer love story.