Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Excellent read! I couldn't put it down. I've really been enjoying all the young adult books this year and this is no exception. This book manages to be deep, probing, and realistic, but not too heavy.

Fifteen year old Aristotle, known as Ari, is a loner, all that changes however one summer he meets Dante at the pool and the two become inseparable. It's a complicated relationship, it starts to dawn on Ari that Dante likes him, like REALLY likes him. Ari tries to pretend that nothing is wrong but things but his inability to talk about problems muddles the situation. Ari is complicated young boy, he takes after his father who was in Vietnam and came back a changed and quiet man. He also can't help but wonder about his brother who has been in prison since he was four. Ari discovers that in order to discover the secrets of the universe he must discover, himself, his complicated family, and his relationship with Dante.

A truly great read, the characters are multi-faceted and real. You care greatly about them and you want them to overcome their obstacles. I definitely plan on reading more from this author.