Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. (Book Review #21)

Introduction:

          I had heard about this book from a long time. And given my love to Young Adult fiction, I knew I had to read it. I wasn't aware what it was about. I had no clue about the story line even. I think I had hoped too much from it without knowing what it had in it. And when I started reading, it was fun. I even finished it in a few days. And when it ended, I had one question, "What was that?"

          That's correct. It was the plainest story I had read. I know the point of it was to create such events that will make the boys realise who they are and what was the meaning of their existence. But, it all seemed vague to an indefinite extent. It is a coming of age novel where the two main characters develop into being men while understanding their roots and themselves in this vast universe.

Characters:

          Aristotle is a complicated boy who has never known what his life was about. He was a square peg in a round hole. He always kept to himself and feigned social interaction. He was brave who wouldn't believe in anything good about him. He had accepted that he was the most boring person who had no life apart from his family. And then came Dante. He had a weird sense of humour. He had this charm about him which intrigued everyone. He wanted to know about everyone's lives. He loved freely and talked his mind. Both of them, quite unlike each other, became friends in summer.

Story Line:

          The book is divided into six parts. For me, it was more like three parts. First; the summer they met. Second; the entire year Dante was not in El Paso. Third, the summer they were together again. I was surprised how I could finish an uneventful novel like this so fast. It might be because the language was simple. And the reader wants to unveil the real meaning of the title of the book.

          Throughout the story, there are some unexpected things at perfect intervals which will make you want to read till the end. The story starts with Aristotle and Dante's sweet friendship. They're just a couple of young guys who don't have their lives figured out. In one summer, their bond becomes strong than any other friendship they would have had. They only had each other. By the end of it, some secrets started to materialize. Aristotle discovers secrets about his father's war wounds, his mother's grief, his brother's acts and his own self.

Overall Thoughts:

          For a coming of age novel, this could have been much better. The author has kept it very simple and also conveyed the message of accepting who you are. It strongly sends a message to think about who you are, where do you come from and no matter what you have gone through, you can still achieve your dreams. After you've read it, you'll find a sense of happiness about how loving, caring and supportive some families can be, no matter who you are. It's not the kind of book which will make you obsessed. But, it is certainly something which will give you hope. I've rated this book at 2 stars on Goodreads. 

Have you read this book? What are your thoughts?

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