Okay, calm down. We all need to calm down for a bit. Over the weekend, the ever so lovely Mr. Saenz tweeted a photo of him with Henry Alberto – the guy who apparently got the nod from our beloved author into writing the screenplay of the award-winning Young Adult book, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. I mean, screenplay. Like screenplay! Are we just months or years away from the very own movie of our dear Ari & Dante? Gosh! I was hoping for this for the longest time since I’ve read the book and I do know that eventually it’ll be translated into the big screen but having an acknowledgement that it would indeed be on the silver screen in the future is such a euphoric feeling!!!
Now, let’s just zoom past into the future as to who should be playing the main lead! If I were the casting director, it’d be awfully difficult for me to cast this once in a lifetime roles!!! Who are your Ari & Dante?
The first time I saw and held this book, I thought it had one of the best covers I’ve seen in a while, and the title itself is screaming “Good Book!” “Read Me!” “Now!” but I didn’t exactly read it right away. It took me over three months before I finally decided to give it a go. I finished it in a day, and I was just so in love with it and was amazed at how affecting and rich the story was. I thought to myself, why didn’t I read this sooner? At least now, I know what the raves are all about!
This coming-of-age book is about young Mexican-American teenagers Aristotle Mendoza and Dante Quintana trying to discover the “secrets of the universe.” It’s a story of self-discovery, acceptance, and living in the now without forgetting the past. It tackles so many things that even adults alike don’t seem to understand. Those secrets of the universe became Ari and Dante’s emotional, psychological, and sometimes physical battlefields that they had to go through to realize something out of them.
I loved how this story reminded me of that feeling when I’ve read one of my favorite books, “Lonesome Dove” by Larry McMurtry, due to its stirring and lyrical rendition of the story. Benjamin Alire Saenz’s writing here is flawless. It speaks. It will affect you. Remember when Call had to bury Gus? I cried for days. And I cried reading this as well.
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is simply forgettable.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars Published February 21st 2012 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
About the Author Benjamin Alire Sáenz is an author of poetry and prose for adults and teens. He was the first Hispanic winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award and a recipient of the American Book Award for his books for adults. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe was a Printz Honor Book, the Stonewall Award winner, the Pura Belpré Award winner, the Lambda Literary Award winner, and a finalist for the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award. His first novel for teens, Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood, was an ALA Top Ten Book for Young Adults and a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. His second book for teens, He Forgot to Say Goodbye, won the Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award, the Southwest Book Award, and was named a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age. He lives in El Paso, Texas.
Paddylast Inc. claims no credit for images featured on this site unless otherwise noted. All pictures and media belong to their rightful owners. There is no copyright infringement intended. If you are a copyright holder and wish for credits on your images, please let me know, and I will be glad to add them. If you feel that I have materials on this site infringing your copyright material, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me, and I will remove it immediately.
Please note that this blog is reader-supported. When you buy through links on my site, I may earn an affiliate commission via Amazon Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
I also earn a commission, at no additional cost to you if you purchase a product through one of the affiliate links or ads displayed on the website
I contribute content to BeautyPOVPHand help write some of its features. Your support means a lot—please consider liking, commenting, or subscribing to our YouTube channel. It helps us continue bringing you the latest updates in the world of pageantry and beyond.
PADDYLAST INC. 