A review by marissasa
Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram

emotional lighthearted sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This book is full of so much heart and genuine emotion. Darius has a strong narrative voice and I felt like I had a good image of his character from the start, with all his Star Trek references and self-doubts. I related to the same struggles Darius did of not feeling like he belonged in his family's country because he grew up in America, didn't know how to speak Farsi, and didn't get to grow up with his grandparents in their hometown. The awkwardness and "feelings we know but don't talk about" energy that Darius had with both his dad and his Iranian family are so real to the daddy issues and child of immigrants experience. This book also had one of the most accurate depictions of being depressed as a teen and how hard it is to talk about depression in Asian cultures that I have seen. It made it even more heartwarming and heartbreaking in the moments between Darius and Sohrab where we got to see them become friends who respected and validated each other, physically affectionate without it being thought of as weird, and be able to both talk without walls up and sit in comfortable silence together. I loved learning more about Iranian food and culture alongside Darius. I loved how this book portrayed different forms of non-romantic love and how deeply they can change your life.
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