Paula's Reviews > Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

WHY DO WE SMILE? WHY DO WE LAUGH? WHY DO we feel alone? Why are we sad and confused? Why do we read poetry? Why do we cry when we see a painting? Why is there a riot in the heart when we love? Why do we feel shame? What is that thing in the pit of your stomach called desire?

Probably 2,5 since it literally was ok and I liked it (but mostly ok). I am conflicted as to how to write a review of this book. Probably the first book I read after I just found out about it. I was, well... I am reading some heavy stuff and I wanted a break, something light and YA, and found this through browsing around. At first I thought it was something scientific haha! because of the names Aristotle and Dante. I read the summary and thought it was what I was looking for. And I actually finished this too quickly.

Well, it was entertaining and just what I thought and needed, at some times. I was surprised that this was set in 1987. Aristotle Mendoza. Not a typical name huh... He's a mexican teenager. He's 15. Oh those not so sweet 15!!!! Especially for a guy like him. He doesn't have it that bad at all... He is the typical sad and lost and angry teenager, plus he is a loner. I am not really that far from 15. I am only 19... It's funny how sometimes there's a "big gap" between for example 15 and 17 and so on. When it's really not that big of a change. But I guess that's how it works, how a number has an impact. It always seems weird when I read now YA books and the characters seem so much older. 15-years-old that yeah, lack of maturity in a lot of aspects but then they talk like 30-years-old. Well, probably it's because I am talking about my experiences and what I see, mostly. I know there must be exceptions but I need to get used to it, or it will lose and lose credibility to me. It kind of reminded me of the movie Little Manhattan, if you've seen it you'll get what I mean.

Moving on... Ari is a loner who sometimes wishes he wasn't alone, but loves solitude even though he felt miserable; he could have friends if he wanted to but he didn't, even though he kinda wished he had... "The problem with my life was that it was someone else’s idea." Probably his motto. Seems complicated? Well not really... I think we've all been there. And even sometimes we still go there, -to the ah! duality of things... to our ecotone- and I am talking about the average person, and not for example someone with depression or social anxiety. That's a whole different story, more serious and complicated. But Ari is not depresset nor has anxiety (it also surprised me that he got into fights and was good at it, and even liked them) he was just a teenager full of shit and doubts, like we all were once. He wanted his situation and didn't do anything to change it, but he wished it was different... that's alright, the first statement I made was alright, too. Understandable and bearable. But then it became tedious and unbearable to me. The author relied too much on that aspect of Ari's life and it became boring and stupid. Logical? maybe... but not at all.

(view spoiler)[Him being gay or bi could have inffluenced on his sad/lonely/angry feelings but hum... I can't put too much credibility on that since he's been like that before he met Dante. Trust me on that... I know we all not feel the same, but there are hints. Okay, Let's assume this is not the story of the guy being unaware that he might fall in love with another guy... because if it was the case, why would his parents assume he was sad and angry because he was in love with another guy: Dante? -they gave him a little push into accepting things but hum... I'll talk about that later- It also would have been understandable if Ari was aware he liked boys and had always been sad and angry because he felt misplaced and thought his parents would not accept him, that'd be different. Here comes the most ironic thing: I relate to Ari, I mean about the realization that you might be attracted to the same sex. You're unaware of that through most of high school... then you met someone, and you stil don't know... you might have platonic feelings but you still don't recognize them for what it is. So his life got a bit better when he met Dante, the only friend he's ever had, but kept feeling the same way. So that's why I thought it was rushed, when he "realized" he was in love with Dante and everything was suddenly alright. It was also peculiar how their relationship evolved, changed? after the car accident... after Ari saved Dante's life, and I found it a bit arrogant that he kepy denying that because well -_- yeah boy, you literally saved his life even if you say it wasn't on purpose. Of course Dante and his parents are grateful and gained lots of love for you. Also when Dante changed to Chicago and came out to Ari in a way... and then Dante literally confessed his feelings for him and they even kiss just so the both of them could be sure. Ari was sure it was not his thing. Now, he could be in denial and stuff but I don't know man, it all felt forced to me. It was impossible that not a single thought crossed his mind. Blah Blah Dante hooked up with a co-worker, idiot boys saw them and attacke them, Daniel ran, Dante didn't because that's the way he was. He ends up pretty bad. Ari kind of avenges him, Dante once again confesses his heelings for Ari, Dante's parents now know about him and know their son is in love with Ari, they are all right with everything (and that rocks), Ari's parents open up to him, talk about his brother and his dad talks about the war. Then they pushed him into realizing he was in love with Dante too. I 50/50 agree that they opened his eyes but maybe they should have approached that differently. It was weird that it was his parents who told him that... it could have been more believable if it was a friend who told him that, but oh wait he didn't have friends... the closer to a friend would be Gina. And still that would've been more believable to me. (hide spoiler)]

Well, to sum up this whole rambling... Ari just didn't clicked with me. Even if he was relatable in a lot of ways... He made a martyr out of himself most of the time and was kind of arrogant. And I started liking this book so much, I really did, and was intrigued, until it all went downhill for me.

Dante. I liked that guy Dante! Sensitive, smart, peculiar, sweet, lovable, innocent. Maybe he was too perfect to me! But there's no doubt (view spoiler)[why Ari fell in love with him. And it was also awesome that Dante gave him a chance at having a friend -was it all because Ari fell instantly in love with him? I don't know, probably he was surprised that a guy was being so nice to him and that's how it started-, and how they clicked instantly. (hide spoiler)] I would have loved to read Dante's POV. Like I said though, maybe he and his family were portrayed just too perfect for my taste. I like me some drama! And this book barely had it... (view spoiler)[the car accident and Dante's being beat up count? (hide spoiler)] I ought to count the internal drama and coming-of-age stuff. But I'd wished some other kinf of drama.

The dialogues upset me at times! Too repetitive for the sake of it, and only effective at times. Apart from that, I think it was alright, good-written considering it was a teenager's POV. Another thing that shocked me was, given the topic of the book, the setting. 1987... I could have found it more believable if it was set in the 20s... like 2004 or something like that. (view spoiler)[I think homophobia back then was considerably high. It is in fact understandable how Ari and Dante's parents accepted them wholeheartedly... Dante's dad was as flawless as him, english professor... must have had an open mind, and his mother was a psychologist... Ari's parents were more surprising, but they had a history, his aunt was gay (his mother's sister) and his parents came to accept her unlike most of the family... but still, homosexuality wasn't as accepted as these days and though their attitude is how it should be, absolutely, they were like... too carefree I think. (hide spoiler)]

Too much analysis. What ever happened to reading a book because you liked it?
Haha! I guess you could say I'm analyzing this but nah, nothing like that. This was mostly my opinion. This was a cute book, nice coming-of-age story, and was an enjoyable summer reading, but it's nothing I hadn't read before. This could have been so much more... for me at least, and it's probably not a popular opinion since I saw like 90% here loved it.