Alexei Book Review – Wonthaggi Work Experience

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz –

 

‘Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe’ is a coming of age novel about the complexities and beauties of growing up. It takes place in El Paso, Texas in the 1980s and revolves around two teens named Aristotle Mendoza and Dante Quintana who seem completely different on the surface but form a special bond from the moment they meet. Aristotle is a dark, moody teen who constantly wonders about what happened to his father at war and why his older brother is in prison. Dante on the other hand is an optimistic, self-assured individual who has a unique perspective on life but struggles with his identity. Together, they grapple with the harsh truths of life and help define who each other wants to be.

 

I enjoyed reading this novel because of its poetic feel and how delicately it deals with ideas such as identity and relationships. The author, Benjamin Alire Sáenz, is a Latino poet and author and it has definitely influenced how this book has been written. Although it’s written from Aristotle’s moody perspective, it’s still so poetic and there are hidden meanings in almost every line which is really interesting to analyse. Despite this poetic language used, it still felt real and authentic, as if it were recounting a story that had already happened. It felt as if I were reading the diary of a teen exploring the struggles of identity, how he fit into the world around him and how his perspective of the world had changed once he met Dante.

 

We want to thank Alexei for her in depth review and thank her for her time at the Wonthaggi Library!