![]() ![]() I’m always a bit skeptical when an unplanned sequel comes out, and a part of me was concerned that this sequel was a cash grab inspired more by the public’s newfound interest than by the story itself. Considering that the first book has found new life on #booktok after its original publication in 2012 there was extra pressure on it. That’s a lot for a sequel to stand up to, and Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World would have had a lot to live up to regardless of circumstances. It’s painful but affirming, and while it doesn’t shy away from the ugliness of the world, it is ultimately a beautiful novel about love and hope. ![]() The characters are often unsure, but Saénz never is, deftly navigating the complexities of adolescence as Ari and Dante experience it. The simple, pared back prose is paired with a deeply emotional story of a conflicted young man whose complicated relationships with himself, his family, and the world around him change forever when a charming stranger offers to teach him how to swim. ![]() It’s always dangerous to reread books you remember as being brilliant, because it’s hard to stand up to ‘brilliant.’ Aristotle and Dante absolutely does, though. ![]() I’d only read it one time previously, but I remembered it as a quietly profound novel that was both beautiful and heartbreaking. In preparation for the sequel’s release, I reread Benjamin Alire Saénz’s novel Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |