Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz – Thoughts

Right now, I have this mushy gooey feeling inside me. Actually, I’ve been having this feeling since yesterday, when I finished the last page of the book. This is me right now…

I might be late to the Dante and Ari party, but oh what a ride it was. To go through their journey of discovering love, accepting failures and faults and their transition from boyhood to manhood.

Ari seems to be an almost opposite of Dante in the beginning, but you realise, just as he does half way through in the story, that he isn’t much like his dad really. He is more like Dante. Because he has all these feelings in him and he wants to talk about them. He just doesn’t know how to.

I was so happy when Dante enters Ari’s life. Their friendship is so pure and I kept thinking back to my teenage friendships when my closest friends could make me laugh all the time, when we had time to hang out at the local coffee shop or take long walks and talk about nothing and laugh about nothing. When we were discovering life and a lot of things for the first time. This book was such a nostalgic trip for me😊

I also liked the role of the parents in this book. I’ve realised that all feel good books that made me cry- like Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda or Wonder, had just amazing families and parents. I aspire to be a parent like them to my daughter one day. Where I could be strict and yet loving, have boundaries and yet give my daughter the freedom and support to choose who she is and who she loves.

There was a John Green feeling to the book in terms of the references and conversations that these two teenagers had around books, art and philosophies on life and then there was the fun easy going Becky Albertalli vibe going with the relationship that Ari has with Gina and her friend and his time with Dante.

This is just a great book to pick up if you want to feel happy and gooey and want a fast and easy read. I loved the book! 😊💕

Questions to you guys

• Have you read this book? Who did you relate to more – Dante or Ari or one of the parents?
• Do you think it’s important to have supportive parents? Are there books that you’ve read about coming out where the parents weren’t supportive?