Reviews tagging 'Medical trauma'

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

48 reviews

bry_on_rye's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Car accident, Homophobia, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical trauma

d00rframe's review against another edition

adventurous emotional lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I love this book, currently reading the second one :3

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Medical content, Racism, Hate crime, Homophobia, Sexual content, Medical trauma, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Bullying

Moderate: Blood, Ableism, Body horror, Gun violence, Hate crime, Outing, Body shaming, Cultural appropriation, and Dysphoria

Minor: Self harm

pontyaque's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Medical trauma and Car accident

Minor: War, Grief, Alcohol, Animal death, Pregnancy, Homophobia, Death, Animal cruelty, and Hate crime

houseofatreides's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A wonderful coming of age story. Written in prose, it follows Aristotle Mendoza as he comes of age and his budding friendship with Dante Quintana. The novel touches on what it means to grow up in the late ‘80s, the questions of sexuality,  love, ethnicity and what it means to come to terms with oneself, the present, past and future. In a since we all live in a ecotone, of these changing waters of life

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Violence, and Hate crime

sashahc's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I just finished reading “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” by Benjamin Alire Saénz.  WHOA.  It was A LOT.  Beautiful, melancholy, intense.  Not a cozy read, but if you want the heartbreak of being a serious teenager on the outskirts, it’s a good one.  There’s a reason it won all the awards.  #book

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Medical trauma and Mental illness

Minor: Racism

kellyisntcool's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Car accident, Medical trauma, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

hobbithopeful's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

You ever read a book and after you finish it you just sit there for awhile? Thinking about the story, the characters, and the world. I finished reading this and I just had to take a moment to say "wow." Thought provoking and emotional, Ari's tendency to get lost in his own head and thoughts flowed from page to page. All of his hurt, anger, and seemingly uncaring attitude were emotions that resonated so deeply within me as I read through the chapters.
I feel like whenever I read coming of age books I am always bracing myself for something traumatic, or deeply depressing to happen. I am happy to inform you that while this book is emotional and does have sad moments, it does not have an all encompassing event that seems to be in way too many coming of age books. The relationship Ari has with his family and even Dante was so realistically depicted, and so telling of what Ari is actually feeling on the inside.
When you spend your whole life not wanting to admit who you are, it's hard to find worth in anything.
I think at its heart this is a story of discovering yourself, friendship, and love. A must read. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Hate crime, Violence, Drug use, Homophobia, and Medical content

meeklovestoread's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Honestly, the one reason why this book wasn't five stars is because I've kind of gotten outgrown the whole "ya-coming-of-age" storylines. I've just seen them done many times so I recognize many of the themes the author was trying to portray, however, that doesn't mean the book's message and storyline didn't land. On the contrary, I teared up multiple times, and the last hundred pages completely destroyed me. I was sobbing beyond belief. Like I could feel the pain inside me (it left both a good and bad feeling in me, to be honest).  I really identify with the main character, Ari (Aristotle). His struggles of finding himself, the pain he faces, the questions he has no answers to, the conflicts he faces with loneliness and anger really resonated with me. And I absolutely adored Dante through and through. And I loved their parents and the friendship that sprouted between them too.  I didn't really expect this book to hit as hard as it did, but it definitely delivered on my expectations and I'm so happy to read the second book.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Car accident, and Hate crime

Minor: Abandonment, Cursing, Murder, and Alcohol

danajoy's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

Aristotle Mendoza is 15 and has no idea who he is. 

This book feels so intimate. You're in Ari's head. He's complicated and sensitive.

I love the adult cast in this too. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Medical content, Violence, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Alcohol, Drug use, and Cursing

Minor: Cancer

goosecaboose's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This book is amazing!! I just wanted to hug the book and the characters the whole time I was reading it. It’s very wholesome and warm. Putting this book down during a reading session was basically impossible. I definitely recommend this book.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Hate crime, Violence, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Death, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and War

Minor: Cursing, Medical content, and Medical trauma

There’s a good chunk of possibly triggering things in this book, however, I get triggered moderately easy and didn’t have any problems. This book is definitely worth it.