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sarahthegaymer 's review for:
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
This was my first book of 2024 and my book club's first book of the year!
I really enjoyed it in a simple kind of way. I loved it while I was reading it, but to be perfectly honest other than discussing it from book club, I haven't thought about it since.
A couple thoughts:
1. This was set in the late 80s or early 90s and both characters families where just so openly accepting of having gay sons and TBH I just don't think that's realistic. Shit, it's 2024 and families are still fucking kicking kids out for being queer so I just find that highly unrealistic.
2. Ari and his brother. While I understand the importance of Ari being frustrated at his brother's crimes and his families ability to just act as if he didn't exist, I feel like it took up entirely too much of the story. I also kept getting extremely frustrated because I wouldn't remember this book wasn't set in the current day and I'd find myself saying. "Why the hell don't you just google him bro?" ...because he couldn't, Sarah. Get it together.
3. Ari and his anger. This was probably the most relatable part of the book for me. As a teenager, unable to articulate what I was feeling about possibly being queer. Or once I finally KNEW I was queer but then developed anger because I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to live a 'normal' life. I understand that frustration and anger and feeling of just hopelessness. My wife is also like my Dante, she was sweet and kind and from the moment we became friends I knew that I wouldn't ever be able to spend my life without her. So, in that regards, I relate.
4. Overall, I'm really glad that for Ari the main conflicts of the story were resolved. His Father and he started to have a better relationship, and he finally found out what his brother had done. I am apprehensive of the fact that Ari would ever have a relationship with his brother because of the crimes he did commit - TW: Homo/Transphobia - but I'm glad that was resolved.
5. For the book being titled "Ari and Dante" - I don't think we learned enough about Dante other than he was ready to live life to the fullest and then got beat up for kissing a boy (truthfully, probably the only realistic thing in the whole book).
Anyways, those are just a few of my thoughts on the book. I don't think that I'll read the second one & I don't think I'll ever re-read this one, but I'm glad we read this and were able to talk about it as a group!
I really enjoyed it in a simple kind of way. I loved it while I was reading it, but to be perfectly honest other than discussing it from book club, I haven't thought about it since.
A couple thoughts:
1. This was set in the late 80s or early 90s and both characters families where just so openly accepting of having gay sons and TBH I just don't think that's realistic. Shit, it's 2024 and families are still fucking kicking kids out for being queer so I just find that highly unrealistic.
2. Ari and his brother. While I understand the importance of Ari being frustrated at his brother's crimes and his families ability to just act as if he didn't exist, I feel like it took up entirely too much of the story. I also kept getting extremely frustrated because I wouldn't remember this book wasn't set in the current day and I'd find myself saying. "Why the hell don't you just google him bro?" ...because he couldn't, Sarah. Get it together.
3. Ari and his anger. This was probably the most relatable part of the book for me. As a teenager, unable to articulate what I was feeling about possibly being queer. Or once I finally KNEW I was queer but then developed anger because I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to live a 'normal' life. I understand that frustration and anger and feeling of just hopelessness. My wife is also like my Dante, she was sweet and kind and from the moment we became friends I knew that I wouldn't ever be able to spend my life without her. So, in that regards, I relate.
4. Overall, I'm really glad that for Ari the main conflicts of the story were resolved. His Father and he started to have a better relationship, and he finally found out what his brother had done. I am apprehensive of the fact that Ari would ever have a relationship with his brother because of the crimes he did commit - TW: Homo/Transphobia - but I'm glad that was resolved.
5. For the book being titled "Ari and Dante" - I don't think we learned enough about Dante other than he was ready to live life to the fullest and then got beat up for kissing a boy (truthfully, probably the only realistic thing in the whole book).
Anyways, those are just a few of my thoughts on the book. I don't think that I'll read the second one & I don't think I'll ever re-read this one, but I'm glad we read this and were able to talk about it as a group!