Review Detail

I found Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets to the Universe while browsing Goodreads late at night, trying to find a good book to get at the library. I didn't think much of it as I added it to my gigantic book bag...but boy, was I surprised!

The story is told from Aristotle's (AKA Ari's) point of view. Ari isn't exactly your average teenage boy, and his speaking style reflects as such. It was refreshing to read a story that wasn't told from the perspective of a superficial, sex-obsessed jerk. By no means was Ari a perfect, innocent angel; he was a guy growing up who wasn't exactly sure what he wanted. I liked that. Dante, who we'll call Ari's friend for simplicity's sake, was also a character I enjoyed acquainting with over the course of 350+ pages. He was unusual, quirky, and totally lovable...I'd hang out with him in a heartbeat. Ari and Dante's parents brought an additional intrigue to the book, making the cast of characters even more appealing.

This plot wasn't very original. The book took me a couple days to plow through; I wasn't sneaking peaks at it in French class to find out what happened next. That wasn't the point, though: I knew what was going on and what to expect, so I could then pay more attention to understanding Ari and Dante. Not a big issue.

If you're looking for a touching, thought-provoking story of maturity, I highly recommend Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. If you're one of those people that needs lots of action and drama to get through a book, I'd look elsewhere.