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

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Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
by Benjamin Alire Saenz
(Audio)

A friend recommended this book to me, but I didn't really fall in love with it the way I'd hoped. I definitely liked the characters and grew to like the book on a whole. I just had some trouble relating to them, because of the way the book was written--namely, for teens/pre-teens. There were lines like "I loved her. And I hated her" with no explanation about the sudden shift. I remember being the age these boys are and knowing EXACTLY how that feels, emotions changing at the drop of a hat. But, though it works for real life, it doesn't work as well in fiction. I needed to understand these boys in order to properly empathize with them, and unfortunately I never got far enough into their heads to do that.

The story revoves around Ari (Aristotle) and Dante, who become friends after they meet at a swimming pool. Neither really has any friends, so the friendship is slow-going at first. They're both a little strange... and I liked that about them. Dante hates wearing shoes. Ari doesn't know how to swim. Both are trying to figure out where they fit into the greater world around them, but glad to have found someone who is searching as well. Then a lot happens. Dante tries to rescue a hurt bird and would have been run over and killed of Aristotle hadn't run into the street to push him out of the way, shattering both his legs in the process. Dante moves to Chicago with his family for the school year. Ari gets a dog. And a truck. And some new friends at high school. The boys have this thing between them... and also the fact that Dante is kind of in love with Ari. So the whole thing is one big, awkward mess. And I love the book for that.

I just had a hard time really getting into it. By the end, I did really, really like it. I just didn't feel it as deeply as I wish I had.