Looking for a breezy novel to kick off the summer break? Look no further than "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe." This coming-of-age-story, written by Benjamin Alire Saenz, follows two teenage boys, Aristotle and Dante, who develop a friendship during the summer. With each other's help, both Aristotle and Dante attempt to grasp the complexities of love, friendship, and family; basically, "the secrets of the universe."
As far as YA characters go, Aristotle and Dante are top-notch. The story is told through the perspective of Aristotle, whose own personal demons and family problems seem to haunt every action he makes in the novel. Through Aristotle, we learn about Dante, who on the surface seems to be in touch with his unique identity, but beneath he is hiding his internal struggles. The dynamic between Aristotle and Dante is playful and will surely elicit a few chuckles during their bantering.
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As sophisticated as the rendering of the two protagonists are, it is worth noting how equally complex the minor characters are fleshed out. Aristotle and Dante's parents, for example, are depicted in lovely detail. A common gripe for YA fiction is the lack of involvement of parent figures or the one-dimensional attributes of said figures. Here, Aristotle and Dante's parents are given their due. Although not the main characters, they are just as complex and life-like as the two main characters.
In terms of story, Benjamin Alire Saenz seems to favor realism over adventure. If you are looking for a novel where characters overcome extraordinary, externalized feats, you won't find it here in "Aristotle and Dante." What you will find, however, is rich dialogue and plot that forces characters to make large, yet very quiet, decisions.
Much of the novel explores the theme of love, and how their are different ways to love and different types of love, something that Aristotle and Dante learn through experience and observation. This exploration culminates at the close of the novel in a sweet, albeit too sweet, final scene. If you are one who is a sucker for a happy ending, then you are sure to enjoy it. For me, the ending was a little too neat. The book does a great job of reflecting reality, and although the concluding scene is very sweet and tender, it seems to go against the grain of the book, in my opinion. Because the novel is so interested in the different types of love, I thought the relationship 20 pages prior to the concluding scene was complex, messy, and honest, and might have been the perfect to conclude there.
This being said, "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe" is an insightful and beautiful tale that will be sure to please most readers, regardless of age or gender.
4.5/5 Stars
