This Printz Honor Book is a “tender, honest exploration of identity” (Publishers Weekly) that distills lyrical truths about family and friendship.
Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.
This book was an astounding observation of friendship, and love, and the wars we fight within ourselves and how those secret wars can destroy us. But more importantly, it's about Aristotle and Dante, two boys who find solace in each other and learn who they are through their friendship. Written from the inside of Ari's mind, he is the ultimate unreliable narrator. Everyone knows who he is and what he wants but him. His voice is refreshing and true, a teenage boy who is frustratedly waiting on the cusp of being a man. And Dante, all at once his opposite and his equivalent, is a breath of fresh air for someone who has never felt understood. For someone who doesn't want to be understood. I fell in love with these characters and I miss them already. A truly beautiful book about familial love, falling in love, and friendship.
Reading updates
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Started reading
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9 December, 2016:
Finished reading
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9 December, 2016:
Reviewed