By Amber McGee
Courier Staff Writer
To answer your first question, no this book is not about the Greek philosopher going on a road trip with the Italian poet to discover more about the universe.They don’t go to space either, sorry to disappoint you if you’re into that kind of thing.
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe has no underlying plot. If action and fantasy are the only things you’ll read then this is not the book for you–but you should still read it anyway. This book can easily be finished in a day but it will leave you feeling satisfied for a long time afterwards.
The book is written from Aristotle “Ari”’s point of view, and from the very first page you learn about what kind of personality he has. On the more stoic and stubborn side, all of Aristotle’s thoughts and sentences are short and to the point. This type of writing style can be a little jarring to read at first as it leaves a lot to be desired in terms of flow and prose, but as the story progresses Ari becomes more open and honest with himself. It’s a slow process, but when you learn more about his family and relationships with others it becomes understandable why he’s that way in the first place.
Ari’s brother is in prison, his father has been distant ever since returning from Vietnam, and to make matters worse it’s summer time and he has no friends; that is, until he meets Dante.
Before the two boys realize it they’ve become best friends and are practically inseparable. Dante is the complete opposite of Ari, he uses large words and asks questions at every turn. This annoys and angers Ari but it also forces him to think about feelings he never before considered.
At it’s core Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is a coming of age story. There’s no life or death journey the characters go on, no aliens that are invading Earth, and there’s definitely no James Bond-esq action scenes. This book is about two boys, their families, their summers together, and their love for each other. It’s about the simple things in life that we take for granted until they’re gone.
Ari’s words at the end of chapter one explain perfectly how readers will be left feeling once they finish the book.
“For the music to be over so soon. For the music to be over when it had just begun. That was really sad.”