Review: Aristotle & Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Author: Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Page Count:  359 pages, Hardback
Date Published: February 21st 2012
Find it on Goodreads: Aristotle & Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
Source: Purchased

A lyrical novel about family and friendship from critically acclaimed author Benjamin Alire Sáenz.
Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is a beautiful coming of age story about friendship and love that kept me captivated with it's brilliant prose and steady pace. I'm unable to say much because of how blown away I was with this novel... I truly believe it is one of the literary masterpieces of this age. There is no flourish or embellishment, just a raw portrayal of two boys growing into men both together and separately, while learning new and terrifying things about themselves. It is a story that made me question so many things about life in general all at once and had me thinking about it long past the moment I closed the back cover. This book reminds me of  poetry, although it is not written in verse: it is written with simple sentences all woven together in an order that makes the simplicity of the words say so much more. I would recommend this book to everyone. Give it a chance. Keep reading, even if it seems a bit slow, and remember that this isn't a book that is going to give you a thrill or an adrenaline rush. It's a book that will last with you long after you have finished reading, a book that will open your eyes to questions, and have you wondering all about all of the secrets of the universe alongside these two wonderful boys inside the story. 

Happy reading!

~Kristy