Honestly, I am not much into young adult fiction for a number of reasons. However, there are still some young adult fiction books that deserve highlight and commendation. One such work is Benjamin Alire Sáenz’ Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe which is truly a gem of a read. It has earned quite a number of accolades and indeed, it deserves all of these. For its genre, it is a book that I would recommend.
But more than a great read, it is a well of quotable quotes as well. The book’s profoundness made it a great source of great and meaningful lines. Here are some of these quotes that I was able to amass from these contemporary novel.
If you haven’t read my thoughts on this book yet, click here.
“The summer sun was not meant for boys like me. Boys like me belonged to the rain.” ~ Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
“I hated being volunteered. The problem with my life was that it was someone else’s idea.” ~ Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
“One of the secrets of the universe was that our instincts were sometimes stronger than our minds.” ~ Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
“I thought it might be a great thing to be the air. I could be something and nothing at the same time. I could be necessary and also invisible. Everyone would need me and no one would be able to see me.” ~ Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
“I had a rule that it was better to be bored by yourself than to be bored with someone else. I pretty much lived by that rule. Maybe that’s why I didn’t have any friends.” ~ Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
“Sometimes, all you have to do is tell people the truth. They won’t believe you. After that, they’ll leave you alone.” ~ Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
“It was good to laugh. I wanted to laugh and laugh and laugh until I laughed myself into becoming someone else.” ~ Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
“This is my problem. I want other people to tell me how they feel. But I’m not so sure I want to return the favor.” ~ Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
“I learned to hide what I felt. No, that’s not true. There was no learning involved. I had been born knowing how to hide what I felt.” ~ Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
“I wondered what that was like, to hold someone’s hand. I bet you could sometimes find all the mysteries of the universe in someone’s hand.” ~ Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
“Another secret of the universe: Sometimes pain was like a storm that came out of nowhere. The clearest summer could end in a downpour Could end in lightning and thunder.” ~ Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
“I got to thinking that poems were like people. Some people you got right off the bat. Some people you just didn’t get – and never would get.” ~ Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
“Sometimes, you do things and you do them not because you’re thinking but because you’re feeling too much. And you can’t always control the things you do when you’re feeling too much.” ~ Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
“Why do we smile? Why do we laugh? Why do we feel alone? Why are we sad and confused? Why do we read poetry? Why do we cry when we see a painting? Why is there a riot in the heart when we love? Why do we feel shame? What is that thing in the pit of your stomach called desire?” ~ Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
Readers, I hope you liked my selection of quotes. How about you, what is your favorite quote from this gem of a book? Comment below.
Happy reading!
The Pine-Scented Chronicles 