REVIEW OF FICTION & FANTASY BOOK #3: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

 Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

 Review by Lucinda Zamora-Wiley

1.     1. Bibliography:

Saenz, Benjamin Alire. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. New York:

     Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2012.

 

2.     2. Brief plot summary:

Aristotle has always wanted to learn to swim, but as a loner, he’s not likely to enroll in any classes any time soon, no matter that it’s summer in 1987 in El Paso’s scorching heat. But then at the pool one day, he meets a quirky boy named Dante, and they have a belly laugh over the oddity of their pair of names; they bond immediately. The novel covers the ongoing friendship between Ari and Dante as they live through their unique high school experiences—Dante, who is openly gay; Aristotle, who is still looking forward to his first kiss. Ari and Dante become soulmates who love to read together and invent games to beat up Dante’s tennis shoes (for which he feel great disdain), and most importantly, they become beloved sons to each other’s parents. There are some significant conflicts that Ari and Dante experience as friends—including when Ari risks his life to save Dante from an oncoming car (Ari breaks both legs and an arm in the rescue!); Ari’s struggle with his parents’ secrecy over his brother’s imprisonment for murder; Dante’s brutal beating that he experiences at the hands of homophobic machos; and their mutual search for self-identity and self-acceptance, all while looking for love (sometimes in the wrong places). In the end, this novel is one with a number of subplots that all lead to a beautifully satisfying conclusion for the reader—young adult or not.

3. Critical analysis with specific literary considerations pertinent to each genre:

Benjamin Alire Saenz’s style is lyrical and poignant in his telling of Ari and Dante’s story. He crafts a plot that is profoundly authentic—not only to the 1980s and El Paso, Texas, but to a friendship between two incredibly smart teen-age boys, boys who feel deeply and share openly with one another. These Mexican-American boys are true representations of their culture—Ari who openly embraces his Hispanic identity and Dante who continually questions if he’s really a “true Mexican.” What Saenz does best is storytelling with a heart. His readers fall in love with the humanity of his characters—flaws and all—because this is real life, and it’s easy to see our own struggle to love ourselves mirrored in the lives and experiences of Ari and Dante. In the end, after independent journeys of growth and evolution, beautifully rendered by Saenz, Ari and Dante fall in love with one another, and the story ends with the boys engaging in a moving kiss under the stars in the desert of El Paso. Readers who fell in love with the story and characters of Ari and Dante will be thrilled to learn that a sequel to the novel is due very soon—Saenz says he finished writing it in 2020. I, for one, will be waiting with open heart and great expectations.

4. Awards won (if any) and review excerpt(s):

·       Lambda Literary Award

·       Stonewall Book Award for LGBT fiction

·       Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award honor

·       Pura Belpré Award

·       Michael L. Printz Award honor for Young Adult fiction

 

* Booklist writes, "Sáenz writes toward the end of the novel that “to be careful with people and words was a rare and beautiful thing.” And that’s exactly what Sáenz does—he treats his characters carefully, giving them space and time to find their place in the world, and to find each other...those struggling with their own sexuality may find it to be a thought-provoking read." 

* Horn Book writes, "Ari’s first-person narrative—poetic, philosophical, honest—skillfully develops the relationship between the two boys from friendship to romance." 

* Publishers Weekly writes, "a tender, honest exploration of identity and sexuality, and a passionate reminder that love—whether romantic or familial—should be open, free, and without shame.”

5. Connections:

·       Just as beautiful a work as Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, is Benjamin Alire Saenz’s other YA novel: The Inexplicable Logic of My Life. It’s similar in terms of development of rich, human and humane characters, coverage of LGBTQ topics with empathy and respect, and a profoundly moving plot.

·       Students might have fun researching the luminaries for whom Aristotle and Dante are named—the real men in history.

·       There is so much gratitude that YA readers might experience when they realize how loving and accepting Ari and Dante’s parents are regarding love for and acceptance of their sons. Students may want to begin a Gratitude Journal to begin reflecting on the many things in life for which they may be grateful.

·       Dante writes some great letters of friendship to Ari while Dante is apart from him and living in Chicago. Have students write a letter to a friend, expressing gratitude and honoring the many gifts owned by this friend. Have students seal them in an envelope for “unwrapping” for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or World Kindness Day in November. Letters can also be written for custodians, teachers, and other appreciated school staff and faculty.