Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is a coming-of-age young adult novel by American author Benjamin Alire Sáenz which was first published February 21, 2012.
Set in El Paso, Texas in 1987, the novel follows two Mexican-American teenagers, Aristotle "Ari" Mendoza and Dante Quintana, their friendship, and their struggles with racial and ethnic identity, sexuality, and family relationships.
A film adaptation, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, written and directed by Aitch Alberto, premiered on September 9, 2022.
Ari learns to drive, falls in love with a girl from school, and searches for answers to his questions about his brother Bernardo, who is in prison for reasons no one in his family will discuss.
Ari tracks down Julian, one of the boys who attacked Dante, at the body shop where he works and starts a fight with him.
[2] Kirkus Reviews wrote that "Meticulous pacing and finely nuanced characters underpin the author's gift for affecting prose that illuminates the struggles within relationships".
[1] A Publishers Weekly review calling it "a tender, honest exploration of identity and sexuality, and a passionate reminder that love—whether romantic or familial—should be open, free, and without shame.
"[3] The book has been positively received by readers as well; in May 2016, more than four years after its publication, it ranked first on a list of popular LGBT fiction on Goodreads.
Ward conceded that "Occasional lengthy pauses at chapter ends may be distracting, but this production flaw does not detract from the artistry of the sparse prose and measured pace".
[29][30] In February 2021, it was announced that the sequel would be published by Simon and Schuster with the title Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World.
[32] Plans for the book to be adapted for the screen began in 2016, and were in motion by 2018 with filmmaker Aitch Alberto penning the script.
[33] In October 2021, it was announced that the film adaptation of the novel would be directed by Alberto in her directorial debut, and would star Max Pelayo and Reese Gonzales as the titular characters, along with Eugenio Derbez, Eva Longoria, Verónica Falcón, Isabella Gomez, Luna Blaise, and Kevin Alejandro.