I adored the poetic prose throughout this book. It made the book easy and quick to read. I liked that both sets of parents were their own kind of supportive and it was bittersweet watching these boys learn how to love and navigate their world--is bittersweet the right word to use if tears were shed? A million words of thanks to the publisher and netgalley for letting me read this beautiful book. Public/social reviews to be posted closer to release date

This book, you all. This book...


I read the first one quite a long time ago, and so re-read it right before starting this one. Though I'd kept a fond memory of it, that re-read allowed me to remember why I liked it so much, but also made me see some things I didn't like quite as much.

And, honestly, it feels as if the author saw the list of things I didn't like and worked on them one by one.

I was awed at every single chapter, every single page, by how much more grown-up the sequel feels.
You know what? I'd actually compare it to Toy Story: though the first one is awesome, the third one really captures the spirit of the story and makes it so much better.

Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World (that title is way too long) is exactly like this, and it was a true pleasure to get back to these characters right where I left them, but to find that they'd grown just like I did.
It's a book that's funny at times, but also really sensitive in talking about topics that are pretty heavy – AIDS and homophobia being two of them.
As in the first one, Benjamin Alire Saenz takes you with him on a wonderful trip, and it's hard to turn the last page – because damn, I don't want to leave these two boys behind.

Truly, thank you for writing such wonderful YA books. This one is a gem.

The original Aristotle and Dante book was a very late discovery for me, and I just read it last month. It was hard for me to believe that the rest of the world has been waiting 9 years for a sequel! It picks up exactly where they left off in the first book, so we get to see what happens as the relationship develops.
This book has many of the same positives as the original book. Aristotle and Dante, as well as all of their family and friends, are all extremely likable characters. You instantly want to root for them. In fact, one flaw I found with this book is the people around Ari and Dante, their family and almost all of their friends are almost TOO good, too kind. Almost everyone accepts them as they are, instantly. I think the reality of 1980's Texas would not have been so kind to these characters. It was also a bit of a slow burn, with Ari and Dante just sort of meandering through their last year of high school, a lot of side plots, all building toward Ari coming into his own. There was one very sudden and unexpected event that came out of nowhere, and I'm not sure served the story that well. I would have liked to see a little more focus just on Ari and Dante.


Overall, a good sequel that gives us more of these two lovely characters.

I enjoyed this more than I did the previous entry in the Aristotle and Dante series. I thought it was a stronger story with stronger characters and relationships. It was very beautiful. I like that the author seems to have become a lot more comfortable writing about Ari's queerness just as Ari himself is becoming more comfortable with his feelings. After reading the first book I knew to brace myself for emotional punches, but it still got me. The whole book was handled very well and was very moving.

This sequel to the touching story Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, Benjamin Alire Saenz delivers another poignant young adult novel.

Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World continues the love story of two teenage boys in the eighties struggling to navigate the tricky and sometimes dangerous waters of being young, in love, and different. Saenz' prose are beautiful and this story of love, family, and growing up is an important one. While Dante and Aristotle are not only trying to figure out how to be together in a society that doesn't accept them, they also worry about their safety while gay men around the world are dying of a disease no one quite understands yet, as the AIDS pandemic is spreading.

While this book packed a lot of the same emotional punches as the first, and I fell even more in love with Aristotle and Dante, this book dragged more than the first one. There were times where I wanted to see how much the two boys loved each other instead of hearing about it.

Overall, if you loved the first one, you should definitely check this out. If you haven't read the first one, GO! Read it now!!

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this Advanced Reader Copy!

#AristotleandDanteDiveintotheWatersoftheWorld #NetGalley

It's Benjamin Alire Saenz. Of course it's gorgeously written and heartbreaking and beautiful.

In the previous book, Ari and Dante fall in love. In this one, they learn how to be in love. And it's hard. Being in love, trying to figure out who you are, and knowing that the world in 1989 is not kind to those who are different...it's hard.

But it's worth it.

“What we had was that moment, and right then, I didn’t want or need anything else.”

The writing and dialog in Aristotle and Dante Dive Into the Universe is as beautiful as the relationships within it. Read it to understand humanity a little better. Let the words and love hold some space in your heart.

It makes me sad to think that in 2021 our society still isn’t able to just let people love who they were born to love. The characters in this book have so many sad and beautiful insights. I wish that both of Benjamin Alire Sáenz’s books were taught far and wide to high school students everywhere.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

The moment I found out there would be a sequel to Aristotle and Dante Discover the Mysteries of the Universe, I couldn’t wait to read it.

I love that the story picked up right where we left them at the end of the first book. The beautiful and complex relationships between all the characters that we came to love grow and change in ways I couldn’t have imagined. Ari is still figuring out who he is in the universe and begins to open up to the people who love him. One of the new characters talks about how people are books that we can learn from, and it was a joy to be on that journey of learning with Ari.

I didn't think anything would top Aristotle and Dante Discover the Universe, but this beautiful and moving sequel is a classic. The nuance and layers present in their relationship, as well as the deeper characterization is among the many things that make this such a touching tale. I am so glad to have been invited into Ari's and Dante's universe again.

This is a lovely, moving sequel that really showcases the author's beautiful, lyrical style. If you enjoyed the first book, this second one builds on it in every way. Ari is growing up, and as we follow him through his school year, we encounter many testing issues and situations through his eyes. The pace overall is slow and reflective, though especially in the middle, where Dante is not as present and things get tangled up in the various side characters of Ari's expanding circle of friends.

There's a lot of crying in this book. It felt like every other chapter was filled with tears. Some scenes and side plots come to a more concrete conclusion than others. Also, at times I found it difficult to follow who was speaking during lengthy conversations where dialogue tags weren't used, as many of the side characters had similar voices. However, this didn't detract from my enjoyment of the gorgeous prose and short, melodic chapters. All in all, I thought it was an excellent sequel, both contemplative and hopeful.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this book.

I am writing this review thanks to receiving an Advanced Reader’s Copy from NetGalley - thank you to both NetGalley and Benjamin Alire Saenz!

“Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World” is a sequel to “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” and tells the story of Ari and Dante navigating the very choppy waters of being young, gay, and in love while living in America in the 1980s. The novel covers the AIDS epidemic, homophobia, becoming an adult, young love, reconnecting with friends, grief, loss, and much more.

I was someone who fell in love with Benjamin Alire Saenz’s “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” - to the point that after I finished reading it the first time, I immediately reread it, but THIS time with a highlighter so I could highlight all my favorite parts.

So, it was safe to say I was both thrilled and nervous when I saw that the sequel was coming out soon. It’s so hard to write a sequel to such a great book without having readers and fans feel as though it falls flat. It’s happened to some of my favorite novels. However, I was relieved with how well “Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World” treated me. I got so much enjoyment from seeing Ari grow into himself and become a better, more loving person. Saenz did a wonderful job of writing two young boys in love, and all the jittery, scary, exciting feelings that come with that. The very real threat of being a gay man in America during the height of the AIDS epidemic was explored so well. The fear of “I’m gay, but I want to be straight, but I don’t want to be straight, and I’m not sure how to come to terms with any of this” was so relatable that I cried on a few occasions.

My only gripe was the ending. I won’t spoil anything for anyone, of course, but Dante can be a very frustrating character at times. But he’s human, and humans are very good at being frustrating.

The writing was beautiful, and I can’t wait to get to enjoy it again once it is published.

This book is composed of short, poetical, chapters. By employing this technique, the author is able to tell numerous small, meaningful stories along the timeline of Ari's and Dante's senior year. This book is especially about Ari, and it contains many emotional passages as he discovers himself, Dante, and his parents at much deeper levels, as well as opening himself up to loving, supportive, friendships.

Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World is as beautiful as it is moving. It captures a story of growing up and coming to terms with who you are and what you want. The writing style captures love, grief, and happiness that will move you to tears and smiles. Ari and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is so easy to fall in love with, and this book didn't even make me think about it. It flew past anything I expected from a sequel. Falling more in love with Ari and Dante's story is something this book accomplishes within the first few pages. This book gripped my attention and my heart and did not let go until the final page.

The journey continues for Aristotle and Dante in ways that are authentic, well-written, and only serve to expand these characters. I enjoyed the beauty of the prose in the first book and was not disappointed with what I found in this eagerly-anticipated sequel.

So many possibilities for young readers to see themselves and explore this literary world.

A beautiful continuation of Aristotle & Dante’s
story, as well as an expanding of their social world. The characters continue to develop and grow, which is sometimes painful but that’s part of what I love about A&D. Their growth feels real, and sometimes raw…it is imperfect and honest. I did feel like this book was much more Ari than Ari & Dante; I wanted more of them together. I also felt a little inundated by social justice themes and situations that seemed to speak more to today’ than to the late 80’s but that might simply reflect my privilege and age. I would have been in 8th grade, so probably not aware of many racial problems at that time? Obviously they’re longstanding problems. Also was a white girl in New England, a nearly all white town so, definitely not comparable to living in a city close to the border. Having read this makes me want to look back at that time to see what I missed due to my age and where I lived. I’m also interested in what others thought about this part of the story and looking forward to reading other reviews. I definitely appreciated the way AIDS was treated throughout. I certainly remember that time and the fear, confusion, bias, and lack of empathy and research that was happening then. It took way too long for anything to happen to help. Overall, I did enjoy this book; I love the writing style itself, and I am rooting for the universe to grant a beautiful life for Ari & Dante.

I was ably to read this through Netgalley, and I love it! When I first read Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe I couldn’t really get into it but then I saw that Benjamin Alire Saenz was coming out with a second one and I figured I’d give it another try and I’m so glad I did! There is something about Ari as a narrator that I just connect with. We haven’t shared the same experience’s but I think Benjamin knows how to capture that feeling of being lost and unsure so perfectly! It felt like the first was was an exploration of Ari discovering who he was and the second book goes deeper in to discovering what it means to be who you are and how to be that in the world. Especially during the time that the characters live! I can’t imagine what it would have been like to be Gay during that time, that feeling that you might never get to be happy or express it if you do. And then having to hear about the deaths from AIDS and how people were responding to that. Benjamin gives a really amazing perspective! Of course I love Dante as well and his optimism! The supporting characters are all fantastic! Ari and his dad in the first book didn’t understand each other or open up to each other and it was so nice to be able to see them breaking those barriers and building a different relationship in the second book! I loved both of these books and I’m so glad I didn’t just give up on them! Can’t wait to get this book when it comes out!

One of the most anticipated book of the 2010's, I can confidently say that waiting for this book was worth it. Written in its familiar style, the book that has been so long in the making takes its memorable protagonists, Aristotle and Dante, on a whole new journey as they navigate the blooming relationships between them, deal with the implications of the AIDS crisis, suffer grave losses, form new friendships and, most importantly, they have to answer the question: What kind of future do I want to make for myself?

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World by Benjamin Alire Saenz.

Before we begin, can I just say how much I would love to live in the head of Saenz. My goodness, what a soft and beautiful place that must be.

I wasn't expecting to have a follow up to these two lovely men all these years later, but it was still very welcome. It pretty much picks up where it left off. Since it's written in Ari's voice, we get a lot more of his perspective. He still struggles with coming to terms with his sexuality. He is still up for a fight, and he's still confused about how he can have a brother in prison for such a heinous crime. Add to that a blissful, yet overwhelming love for his new boyfriend Dante, and navigating all that a new relationship entails.

Saenz writes with just waves of love. Even through the difficulty, you feel so taken care of. The characters are so beautifully emotive, you can't help but wonder if he was trying to model to the world what we needed more of, from our friends, parents, partners...

Great story, it does not move quickly, and it's intense, and heavy. But it's also so gentle. Quite the juxtaposition, an impressive feat by the author.

A beautiful and heartbreaking follow up to the A&DDTSOTU. Equal parts poetic and real, this book will stay with readers their whole lives. I cried as consumed this, and I will cry when I reread it.

If the first book was about Aristotle discovering who he really is, this next book is about his discovering how to be who he really is. He's not just floating through life hoping that everyone will ignore him anymore, which means he's much less of an asshole to everyone around him, so that was nice. And he even makes friends! Plural! Amazing.