A story of liberation from shackles of the society. An account of how it takes people a lot of courage to really understand who they are and what they want to be and a narrative about transformation.
Two teenage boys, Aristotle and Dante trying to figure out what actually they are. The revelation of them being homosexuals is followed by all the events after Aristotle saves Dante from being hit by a car.
Majority of the narration is through the viewpoint of Aristotle. So there is a proper introduction of him, his family, and his likes and dislikes too. There is much less insight about other characters.
Ari (Aristotle likes being called Ari) can be seen hanging on the fine line between bravery and stupidity. Ari is brave but is indulging in certain acts which were not required. He is timid and shy. He is much more mature and inquisite compared to the boys of his age. Dante is typical example of artist. He indulges in nature, like to sketch, reads poetry and stories.
Ari and Dante meets at a swimming pool and they grow closer. They enjoy each other’s company, even the silence. Ari is a boy who is confused about his life and considers it as a universe and eventually understands that Dante is the answer for all the questions of his universe.
Ari had portrayed the typical dilemma of being close to family yet not close to an extent where his privacy is invaded.
I love Ari’s and Dante ‘s parents. They know about their kids and they support them. When Ari denies of having feelings for Dante his father and mother makes him realize that they are proud of him no matter what and he should embrace himself.
Simplify things 