Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World

by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

First published 2021

Ari spent high school hiding his true self, choosing silence and invisibility as his shields. He planned to coast through senior year the same way. But falling in love with Dante changed everything inside him. Now Ari reaches out to new friends and confronts bullies instead of shrinking away. He speaks up when he used to stay quiet. Dante remains the same dreamy, sharp-witted boy who can irritate and captivate Ari in the same moment. Together they work to carve out space for themselves in a world that questions their right to exist. When devastating loss strikes Ari's life, he must fight harder than ever before. He needs to build a life that belongs completely and happily to him. The story follows these two young men as they learn what staying in love requires and how to construct a relationship that can survive external pressures.

Genres: romance, coming-of-age, contemporary, lgbt

Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking

Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family

Setting: United States

Period: 21st-century

516 pages · Hardcover · Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Content warnings: anxiety, depression

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