Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (Aristotle and Dante, #1)
In 1987 El Paso, fifteen-year-old Aristotle Mendoza struggles with a silent household and his own suppressed anger. His life changes when he meets Dante Quintana at a public swimming pool. While Ari is withdrawn and guarded, Dante is expressive, intellectual, and comfortable with his emotions. Their friendship develops through shared experiences involving car accidents, desert landscapes, and family secrets, including the mystery of Ari’s incarcerated brother. As both boys mature, mereka confront physical violence, cultural expectations, and the realization that their bond is evolving into romantic love.
Teenagers and young adults look to this story for its realistic depiction of male vulnerability and the search for heritage. Readers find a honest look at how adolescents bridge the gap between their childhood identities and their adult selves. The book provides a template for understanding how to communicate with parents and how to navigate individual desires within a traditional family structure. A reader finishes the book with a clearer perspective on the patience required to understand their own history and the courage needed to accept a partner.
Deep, inward-looking, contemplative and thought-provoking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Mindful Reader. Which reader are you?
Insights from Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (Aristotle and Dante, #1)
“I bet you could sometimes find all the mysteries of the universe in someone's hand.”
Ari spends so much time feeling like a locked room. Dante is the only one who bothers to look for a key.
“Words were different when they lived inside of you.”
Silence in a house can feel like a heavy weight. Ari’s family keeps so many secrets that the air feels thick with things unsaid.
“I was always tired. I didn't know why.”
Dante sees the world in bright colors even when things are gray. He makes Ari realize that being soft is actually a kind of strength.
“My father was a man of many silences.”
Parents are just people trying to figure out their own ghosts. Ari watching his father struggle with the past changed how I look at my own dad.
- Published
- 2012
- Publisher
- Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
- ISBN
- 9781442408920
- Language
- EN
