A warmly humane look at universal questions of belonging, infused with humour, from the bestselling author of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe.
Sal used to know his place with his adoptive gay father, their loving Mexican American family, and his best friend, Samantha. But it’s senior year, and suddenly Sal is throwing punches, questioning everything, and realizing he no longer knows himself. If Sal’s not who he thought he was, who is he?
'Friendships, family, grief, joy, rage, faith, doubt, poetry, and love – this complex and sensitive book has room for every aspect of growing up!' Margarita Engle, author of The Surrender Tree
‘… another stellar, gentle look into the emotional lives of teens on the cusp of adulthood’ Kirkus Reviews
Praise for Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe:
‘… a smart, intelligent, engaging coming-of-age story and a deep, thoughtful exploration of identity and sexuality’ The Book Smugglers
‘Meticulous pacing and finely nuanced characters underpin the author's gift for affecting prose that illuminates the struggles within relationships’ Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Lots of pros that made my heart sing but the cons made me feel conflicted.
Pros: + diverse characters (in terms of ethnicity & sexual orientation) + great exploration of race vs. ethnicity + solid platonic friendship without a hint romance + love of family & friends + introspective characters + simple but impactful prose + grappling with grief and death and life
Cons: + underlying misogyny + unfounded violence + lack of accountability for attempted date rape
