The story follows two teenage boys in their discovery of their authentic self. From the moment they met, Dante and Aristotle share a fraught and beautiful friendship that will change the course of their lives. Dante, the loner and Aristotle the sweet, embarked on a journey to self-acceptance and love.

This book blew me away. Benjamin Alire Saenz mastered the art of writing compelling and realistic protagonists.  I felt for Dante and Aristotle, it was as if I was part of their friendship.  I don’t want to spoil the book for you by getting into details. In a nutshell, the plot deals with Mexican-American identity, gender and sexuality, family relationships, hate crime, male romance, gender roles and expectations. The book taught me that our ego can keep us living disembodied from our true nature. If we let it, what we need to do is to restore awareness of our innate self. I love it when I am learning something valuable with just a book.

If you want authenticity, tears and laughter, Go ahead and read it! It is not a forgettable young adult novel.  It made me want to read the author’s novel “Carry Me Like Water” which I am sure will live up to my expectations.

Let’s shed some light on the author. Benjamin Alire Seanz’s educational background before he became the award- winning poet, novelist and writer is interesting, I must admit. At 23 years old, he received a BA degree in humanities and philosophy. He then studied theology and was a priest for a few years in El Paso, Texas before leaving the order. In 1985, he returned to school, and studied English and creative writing at the University of Texas at El Paso, where he earned an MA degree in creative writing. He also pursued his doctoral studies in American Literature. What a peculiar journey!

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