Book Review

Author: Liam Chen

I didn’t expect to love Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe as much as I did. At first glance, it seems like just another coming-of-age story, but Benjamin Alire Sáenz writes in a way that makes you feel every thought, every heartbeat of the characters.

The story follows Ari and Dante, two Mexican-American teenagers in the 1980s who form a friendship that changes the way they see themselves and the world. Ari is angry, closed-off, and struggling with his family and identity. Dante is thoughtful, open, and endlessly curious. Watching their friendship grow—and eventually turn into something deeper—is like watching someone slowly learn to breathe again.

What really hit me was the honesty of the book. Sáenz doesn’t sugarcoat anything: family problems, identity struggles, and the confusion of teenage emotions are all raw and real. The prose is quiet and reflective, almost like poetry, and some passages made me pause just to reread them.

This book taught me that discovering yourself isn’t about big gestures or dramatic events. It’s about noticing the small moments, the ones that feel ordinary at first, but slowly shape who you are. It’s a story about love, identity, family, and the small, messy ways life teaches us to live.

I’d recommend it to anyone who likes character-driven stories and wants a book that makes you feel seen, even in the quietest moments.