Audiobook Review: The Inexplicable Logic of My Life by Benjamin Alire Saenz

Title: The Inexplicable Logic of My Life Written by: Benjamin Alire Saenz Published: March 7, 2017 by Clarion Books (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: The first day of senior year: Everything is about to change. Until this moment, Sal has always been certain of his place with his adoptive gay father and their loving Mexican-American family. But now his own history unexpectedly haunts him, and life-altering events force him and his best friend, Samantha, to confront issues of faith, loss, and grief. Suddenly Sal is throwing punches, questioning everything, and discovering that he no longer knows who he really is—but if Sal’s not who he thought he was, who is he?

I read Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe a few years ago and I really loved it. I had wanted to read this book last year when it came out but I hadn't gotten around to it but now that I have a Rhode Island library card I can get books from Overdrive, so when I saw the audio available I snagged it and listened. I'm really glad I did because this was a fantastic book and great audio.

This book continued to demonstrate just how beautiful Saenz's writing is. I remember thinking in Aristotle and Dante how I was not surprised that he is a poet because he captured a poetry in his writing, and that was the case in this book as well. This book has a beautiful and lyrical prose that gives the book more drama and power to it. It pulls you in to the characters lives. And just like the last book, that made for the perfect audiobook. The narrator did a great of establishing the emotion and weight to the book.

He also did a great job of establishing the characters. Saenz has written some really amazing and complex characters. The main character in this book is Salvatore or Sal. He's a senior in high school and the fact that college is approaching and forcing him to decide what he wants with his future is forcing him to decide who he is and who he wants to be. Compared to the other characters in the book, Sal should not feel sympathetic. Despite a rough history he has a pretty great life and any moment where he's acting out should seem a bit silly. But Saenz makes Salvi likable and complex. You feel for him and want him to find his way in the world.

But the best characters in this book were the secondary characters. The real heart of the book is Salvi's relationship with his friends and family. I loved Sal's family. His adoptive father was really fantastic. He is one of the most kind and supportive gathers in all of YA, books even. Sal's grandmother was also really great. She was so sweet and loved Sal and his friends so much. So much of what made this book emotional and impactful was his loving family and Sal having to deal with what is happening to them. So many times in YA the family is one of the challenging parts of a teen's life and it was nice and refreshing to read a book where the family was one of the strengths.

When it comes to his friends that is Sam and Feeto. Sam is his best friend and they have a great relationship. I appreciated Sam because she wasn't perfect when she very easily could have been a cliché. Feeto as well could have been a stereotype. The nice guy from the wrong side of the tracks who wants to better himself. But both of them were complex and engaging. I think the best part was seeing them interact really demonstrated how much they care about each other. They are there for each other no matter what and that was completely necessary in this book. All the characters were fantastic and one of the best parts of this book.

As far as the plot, it's kind of a slow character-driven read. It is a comin-of-age story but I don't know that there's really a strong development of the character. It's more just about their relationships and seeing them interact. It's sort of strange because there were some specific plot points that had a clear resolution but it still just sort of felt unresolved. As a plot-driven reader I do kind of wish that there was more of a specific plot. If I hadn't listened to the audiobook (which I sped up to 1.5x) I'm not sure I would have gotten through this book at the same speed.

I definitely enjoyed this book a lot. It had beautiful writing, engaging characters, and great relationships with friends and family. It solidified how good a writer Saenz is and that his prose is beautiful and poetic.

I give The Inexplicable Logic of My Life by Benjamin Alire Saenz 8.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. If you liked Aristotle and Dante and have not yet read this book, I definitely suggest picking it up on your next library run. I really enjoyed it and I think contemporary fans will like it as well, as long as you don't mind a slow character-driven read.

Have you read The Inexplicable Logic of My Life? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Audiobook Review: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Title: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe Author: Benjamin Alire Saenz Narrator: Lin-Manuel Miranda Published: February 2012 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (Amazon / Goodreads / Audible) Synopsis: A lyrical novel about family and friendship from critically acclaimed author Benjamin Alire Sáenz.   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.

As I was heading home from BEA I realized I needed a new audiobook to keep me company. I looked through my planned reads for the month (themed months remember) and then my hold on this audiobook from the library popped up in my email I knew that it was decided. I had seen that Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe was narrated by Lin-Manuel Miranda and I knew that I had to listen to it. And I'm so glad I did. Not only did he perfectly capture the characters and tone of the story but what a beautiful and moving story.

First and foremost, Benjamin Alire Saenz's writing style is absolutely gorgeous. The synopsis calls it a "lyrical novel" and that is exactly what it is. Saez is a poet. No literally, this man is a poet, he has written and published poetry. It shows in his writing-style. It's got this lyrical and sweeping quality to it that immerses you in the world and the characters that I don't often feel when it comes to contemporary novels. This poetic quality also helped it perfectly translate to the audiobook format. You would think that it might lull you into a stupor that makes it hard to comprehend what is happening but it doesn't. It's soothing and beautiful but in the best possible way. It really evokes a lot of emotion. It's the kind of book that will have you laughing, crying, cheering, and anxious sometimes all at once. It's just so beautiful and poetic.

That beauty of the writing style contrasted with the reality of the plot in this book. It's a somewhat harsh portrayal of growing up. Things aren't easy for these characters and they are placed in some really tough situations that have life-changing consequences. I'm not sure why but I didn't expect to like the plot of this book as much as I did. I know everyone really loves it but my history with contemporary novels made me nervous. But it had everything that I love in my "realistic fiction." At the heart of the story it was a coming-of-age for a boy who is slightly nerdy and unpopular. Throughout the course of the novel he learns so much about himself and the world around him. But it's also a story about friendship and family. About the relationships you have with people and how they can influence you just as much as anything else. It perfectly walked the line between humor, heart, and heaviness. It drew you and slowly built to a conclusion that had me invested so much that I couldn't hold back the feels.

Most of those feels probably comes from the fact that I really loved the characters in this book. Our main characters, Aristotle and Dante were so fantastic and perfect. They are both so different and similar. They are the types of characters that I love. Slightly nerdy and quirky but in a genuine sort of way but with strengths and weaknesses that make them well-rounded and interesting. They were also so great together. They're friendship was sweet and honest. I loved them together, I wanted to be their friend. But I also really liked many of the other secondary characters like Aristotle's other friends and their parents. In a lot of YA the parents are not very involved but here they were a huge part of the story and it worked so well.

But so much worked so well. Usually when I love a book I can go on and on about how wonderful it is but for Aristotle and Dante I feel like I can't even put into words how brilliant it was. There is a lot of talk lately about diverse books in YA and this is without a doubt one of the best I have ever read. It handles ideas of race, sexual identity, and socio-economic status with care making an interesting and provocative story that will stick with you long after you have finished reading. It's a quick read and worth every page.

I give Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe 9.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: BUY! An absolutely beautiful and brilliant story. I know so many people who love this book and I completely understand why. The writing is lyrical and engaging, the plot is interesting and complex, and the characters are likable and well-rounded. It is one of the best contemporary novels I have ever read. I loved it!

Have you read Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!