Recently one of my friends urged me to read a book titled Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, telling me how much he loved it, although I doubted it was really as great as he kept saying. Because of his enthusiasm towards the novel, and because the book was sitting on my shelf waiting to be read, I figured I'd give a shot. And let me tell you, I was not disappointed in the least.
The story is told from Aristotle's (Ari) point of view, and focuses on him, his friendship with Dante, and their quest to unlock the secrets of the universe (hence the title). Ari prefers to keep to himself, not really interacting with anyone besides his parents outside of school. After he meets Dante at the pool, the two start a friendship, learning more about themselves and each other as the book progresses.
The main reason I found the book so enjoyable is how wholesome and real and, as my friend describes it, pure. Saenz creates characters who, on the surface, are trying to make it through the day, but learn about themselves on a much deeper level. Rather than try to run away from what they're feeling or thinking--although Ari does this for one thing--or try to act super macho about it, they question it and try to figure why it's happening. When they do reach an answer, they refer to it as discovering a secret about the universe. Ari tends to do it by doing certain activities he finds solace in. Dante takes a different approach by becoming more outgoing and curious about everything around him. However, both use each other and their friendship as a starting point.
One of my favorite moments is after Dante leaves a drawing for Ari. Upon seeing it and staring at it for awhile, Ari realizes that it's a portrait of him, and represents him more than he expected (it's not actually Ari, by the way). He realizes how much Dante actually understands him, and how little mind he paid to traits about himself. It's one of Ari's major turning points, and helps him continue to grow as he gets older.
Another quality that made this novel stand out for me was how the characters related to each other, beyond just Ari and Dante. I loved the way they related to their own parents and to each others' parents. Rather than focus on the tumultuous relationship between teenage boys and their parents, Ari and Dante have strong, healthy ones with their parents. Ari's father struggles with a mild form of PTSD (although it's not explicitly mentioned), which closes him off from Ari, but doesn't hinder how he treats his son or wife. In fact, there are several moments, especially near the end of the book, where Ari's father opens up immensely about why he was traumatized from war. His mother, who's naturally more open than his father, also grants Ari the space he needs and wants. She doesn't try to control him, but she also watches out for him and is protective of him, and offers him someone to turn to when he's ready to talk about anything that troubles him. Similarly, Dante's parents are caring in many of the ways Ari's parents are, but as a family, they're closer to one another. However, after they've all had time to meet and get to know one another, they all learn from each other. Nothing about the relationship between all of them if forced or unnatural.
Overall, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe was an excellent and riveting read. While it has its occasional moments of sadness, ultimately it's a touching story about love (and not necessarily romantic love), friendship, identity, and understanding yourself, and with wonderful moments of humor. It's easy to get lost in Saenz's story. It's certainly a book to put at the top of your reading list.
