Really Love

LGBTQ+  / YA /Coming of Age

Published: 2012

Soundtrack: Right Here Waiting – Richard Marx

I know this book came out in 2012, but I had never heard of it until two weeks ago so I needed to share it here! Two Mexican-American boys. Two kids who don’t know how lonely they are until they find friendship in each other. Two sets of loving, supportive, adoring, and honestly progressive for the late 1980s parents. It was sweet, sad, filled with familial love, a powerful friendship, and still relevant. THANK YOU for this recommendation! 

I mostly did audio, and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s narration is fantastic! Quite honestly, everything he touches is my Roman Empire, and this is no exception. I am generally a fan of his voice, but he was exquisite! 

Aristotle and Dante have the soft, tender innocence that is only found on the cusp of adulthood. Sáenz did an excellent job of capturing the numerous insecurities, frustration, and uncomfortable moments of puberty, attraction, and navigating life with your best friend. Unfortunately, throughout the book they learn about the hardness of life. Yet,  there’s something utterly beautiful about watching these two teenage boys find themselves and deal with life’s darkness together. A word of warning: there is homophobic and transphobic violence that impacts both teens.  Dante’s frankness contrasts with Artistole’s tendency to turn inwards and bottle his feelings. 

As I have never been a teenage boy, I identified a lot with the parents in this book. The desire to protect your children from not only the hatred of the world but also the darkest parts of yourself was touching. The acceptance they show their sons and the insight they have (despite the teenagers not wanting to listen) was heartfelt. I enjoyed reading about the complexities of the parent-child relationship from a teenager’s perspective. 

Tender, heartbreaking and yet reaffirming this novel will resonate with teenagers and adults alike. I absolutely adored it!