Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World

Written by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Narrated by Lin-Manuel Miranda

GRAMMY AWARD NOMINEE FOR BEST AUDIOBOOK, NARRATION, AND STORYTELLING RECORDING
2022 BEST MALE NARRATOR AUDIE AWARD WINNER!

A #1 New York Times bestseller
Four starred reviews!
“Messily human and sincerely insightful.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

The highly anticipated sequel to the critically acclaimed, multiple award-winning novel Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is an “emotional roller coaster” (School Library Journal, starred review) sure to captivate fans of Adam Silvera and Mary H.K. Choi.

In Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, two boys in a border town fell in love. Now, they must discover what it means to stay in love and build a relationship in a world that seems to challenge their very existence.

Ari has spent all of high school burying who he really is, staying silent and invisible. He expected his senior year to be the same. But something in him cracked open when he fell in love with Dante, and he can’t go back. Suddenly he finds himself reaching out to new friends, standing up to bullies of all kinds, and making his voice heard. And, always, there is Dante, dreamy, witty Dante, who can get on Ari’s nerves and fill him with desire all at once.

The boys are determined to forge a path for themselves in a world that doesn’t understand them. But when Ari is faced with a shocking loss, he’ll have to fight like never before to create a life that is truthfully, joyfully his own.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: Oct 12, 2021
• ISBN: 9781797128498

Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Benjamin Alire Sáenz is the author of In Perfect Light, Carry Me Like Water, and House of Forgetting, as well as the author of several children’s books. He won the American Book Award for his collection of poems Calendar of Dust. Sáenz is the chair of the creative writing department at the University of Texas-El Paso.

Reviews for Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World

[Estephany Rojas · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was lovely. It got me crying, laughing like crazy, woth hundreds of philosophical thoughts, etc. Highly recommend. Lin-Manuel Miranda is an excellent narrator!

[Jojo Tisnado · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was afraid the second book wouldn't be as good as the first one, but I was no disappointed. I think I even like this one better.
Is so full of love and the grow of the characters is so incredible and true to the person.
I cry and smile at the same time and I just think that is so amazing, beautiful and hard to do, to deliver a story with all those emotions without making it a mess.
I'm in love with the story, with the things that made me feel, I'm in love with the parents and teachers. I'm in love with Aristotle and Dante.

[jeremy · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Beautiful continuation of an already great story! Very much enjoyed this story that hit my heart

[Yessica Leal · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Una gran continuación! Extrañaba leer sobre Ari y Dante y la forma de escribir del autor es hermosa. Me encantó leer sobre esta nueva etapa de su vida, en donde poco a poco su mundo se vuelve más grande para ellos dos. Los personajes secundarios están bien redactados, tienen una personalidad fija que es lgo bueno. Una recomendado para todo el mundo.

[Nohemí González Guzmán · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

After reading this book, I realized that this story is one of the sweetest dream like romance I have ever read.

To me the main character was so relatable. Maybe because I'm mexican or maybe because of the family dynamics that he is developing with the adults on his life.

I like how this young people learn how to opened up to make lifelong friends and how the characters questions their own identity and how It had a really nice exploration of masculinity, racism, the LGBTQIA+ community and other very important issues.

There are also discussions about how the characters that are teenagers, are now realizing how the grown-ups in their lives are just struggling people too just like them.

At the end even though this sequel wasn't exactly necessary, I ended up loving it because I enjoyed how this book made me think about serious issues in a beautiful manner.

Maybe 4 stars because of a sudden ending, but it wasn't a problem at all, really loved this book.

[Jada johnston · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A very thoughtful and wonderful coming of age story. ?

[Nikki · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Beautifully written, thought-provoking, and inspiring. This book created more light in my world.

[keighley · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It was emotional. It was heartbreaking but it was a lot of good things too. It took a lot to read it and complete it. The first one is hopeful learning about how to fall and this one is more about discovering the world around you. I think that in itself is beautiful.

[Deni Valdespino · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great book full of feelings of that first love you can never compare to any other. The narration from Miranda is simply perfect. Enjoy it!

[Keighley Patrick · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It was an emotional journey of life and self discovery. I really liked it. Parts were hard but powered through and it was worth it.

[Karen He · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Book: ★★★★★
Audio: ★★★★★

I'll never get tired of Ari and Dante's stories. The stories are so beautiful and so full of love that are always able to straight into my heart and then steal my tears.

Continuing the timeline of the first book, Ari and Dante opened up a new relationship - as lovers. Maintaining this relationship was really not an easy thing in front of the racist and homophobic society back then. And it was even harder when Ari and Dente have to face heartbreaking losses one after one. But Ari and Dante's stories tell us that no matter how difficult it is, just be faithful to yourself - “Never do anything to prove to anyone else, or even to prove to yourself, that you’re a man. Because you are a man.”- only when you love yourself, you can love others.

I am always fascinated by the way Ari describes his feelings for everything, his obsession and desire for Dante, his love for his family, his gratefulness to his friends, and his fear and hope for the future.

The book continues Ari and Dante's exploration of life and the universe. Just as the titles indicate, Book 1 is like observing the mysterious starry night, being curious and questioning in distance, then Book 2 is like diving into the deep water to feel and to experience,  which is more profound, more joyful, and more hurtful. Someone says Book 2 is unnecessary, but I don't think so. I think it's a completion and conclusion of the coming-of-age journey of Ari and Dante. These two lovely boys eventually grow up to be respectful men. 

[Ekene Ogbue · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Oooooooh my heart. I was almost scared about this but this was so so good