Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is a coming-of-age novel following the story of two Mexican-American teenagers in 1980s El Paso: Aristotle "Ari" Mendoza and Dante Quintana as they form a life-changing relationship.
The first book was so beautifully written, relatable, and easy to read. I wish I had read it when I was a teenager. It tackles so many themes such as identity, sexuality, and the way we tend not to see our parents as people, just as parents. I’ve never read about the latter, and it’s not only true but overlooked.
When it comes to the sequel, Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World, it takes place right where we left off. I don’t personally think a second book was necessary, but I was still excited to get to it.
Ari got wiser, Dante nowhere to be found
I found Ari’s narration slightly different. Indeed, he was more observant and significantly wiser. I liked his development, but the downside was the constant life lessons. The first book did it better, with more subtlety and metaphors. In this sequel, Ari learns something new every few chapters and proceeds to overexplain why it’s meaningful. It got less impactful and enjoyable. He went from being a teenager who had everything to learn to a know-it-all who knows everything about everything.
To continue with what bothered me, I found Dante very absent. I would have liked to see more of him, for him to be developed further. He is very interesting, as much as Ari, and I wondered several times where he was.
On the other hand, the relationship with his parents is still as realistic and unique as ever. It got me so emotional! I wasn’t ready for any of it.
Underwhelming plot
I felt like this book didn't quite know what it wanted to be. A lot of things are repeated or drawn out, especially with the letters addressed to Dante, which are just a retelling of things already mentioned.
The pace picked up towards the end, which felt too rushed. I think Ari and Dante's relationship deserves better than a third-act breakup that lasts the length of a chapter.
Themes & social commentary
A lot of important themes are brought up but not explored fully. Same thing with the social commentary. It was very limited, basically saying, « People don’t want us to be together because we’re gay ». Which is true, but it was just repeated over and over again without much else added to the table. Overall, it remains very superficial, unlike the first book.
Final thoughts & rating
My rating: 3.39/5 stars
A well-written sequel struggling to live up to an unforgettable first installment.
Have you read the book? If you want to know what I thought about it, my fully annotated copy is available.
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