just finished reading

There are a lot of story lines that are dealt with head on: a sibling in prison, a love of literature, PTSD from serving in a war, family dynamics, and finding yourself. It's set in 1987, which allows for a bit of innocence because of the lack of technology. And the LGBTQ aspects of the story are beautifully handled.

I loved the characters of Ari and Dante. Actually, all the characters are complex. I loved that the parents weren't idiots, absent, or stereotypes.


From the publisher:

Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.