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A review by yasidiaz
Aristotle and Dante Dive Into the Waters of the World by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
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
Ari and Dante are another pair that has made a permanent home in my heart, and I can't be mad about it.
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets to the Universe will forever be my favorite one between both books, but this sequel is so much more than I could have asked for. I cried so much with this book, perhaps more than the first one. Seeing the internal struggles of Ari, especially while being a gay teen at the height of the AIDS pandemic, broke me but felt necessary.
I love the way we see Ari grow, how he matures as a person, and how he learns to love himself and be loved. I love the emphasis that just because he and Dante love each other, doesn't mean they are or have to be perfect, that they will always be learning and growing as men. And as much as I love romance, I love a story that puts as much emphasis on the friendships and familial relationships, as much or more than the romantic ones.
Most importantly, the love their parents had for Ari and Dante will always be dear to me. I am glad this never turned into a story where the gay kids had to deal with homophobic parents. Those things happen and we have many stories touching those lived experiences. But the reminder that not every parent, even in the 80's, is going to turn their back on their children is revolutionary. And as a Latine person, who had to grow up with media portraying Latine parents as unsupportive and downright abusive, representation like this is even more needed.
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets to the Universe will forever be my favorite one between both books, but this sequel is so much more than I could have asked for. I cried so much with this book, perhaps more than the first one. Seeing the internal struggles of Ari, especially while being a gay teen at the height of the AIDS pandemic, broke me but felt necessary.
I love the way we see Ari grow, how he matures as a person, and how he learns to love himself and be loved. I love the emphasis that just because he and Dante love each other, doesn't mean they are or have to be perfect, that they will always be learning and growing as men. And as much as I love romance, I love a story that puts as much emphasis on the friendships and familial relationships, as much or more than the romantic ones.
Most importantly, the love their parents had for Ari and Dante will always be dear to me. I am glad this never turned into a story where the gay kids had to deal with homophobic parents. Those things happen and we have many stories touching those lived experiences. But the reminder that not every parent, even in the 80's, is going to turn their back on their children is revolutionary. And as a Latine person, who had to grow up with media portraying Latine parents as unsupportive and downright abusive, representation like this is even more needed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Death of parent
Moderate: Transphobia