A Beautiful Book About Identity, Friendship, and Mental Health
Darius the Great Is Not Okay is so sweet and it basically melted my heart. It explores themes of identity and mental health in a raw, moving way, and it managed to make me both sad and happy.
This book is about friendship, among other things, and the relationship between Darius (the main character) and Sohrab (a boy he meets in Iran) is so sweet. It’s not often in YA that we get to read about an adorable, vulnerable boy friendship (in fact, I feel like I don’t read as many boy protagonists in general) and that’s absolutely something we should have more of.
Despite the fact that this book deals with some serious themes, it is surprisingly really hilarious! Darius’s sarcastic, self-deprecating humor was perfect and totally my style. I feel like we would be friends if we knew each other in real life.
Another aspect of Darius the Great Is Not Okay that I enjoyed is the family dynamics. I loved how Adib Khorram explores Darius’s relationship with his dad, who is really tough on Darius, and also his awkward relationship with his grandparents, whom he is meeting for the first time. I especially loved Darius's connection with his dad through Star Trek. I am not familiar with Star Trek, but I really appreciated the Darius's nerdiness and the way in which it shaped his relationship with his dad.
The majority of Darius the Great Is Not Okay is set in Iran, and I was really happy to have the opportunity to read about what it’s like to be Iranian. I feel like I learned a little bit about Iranian culture through reading this book.
One thing I noticed about Adib Khorram's writing that really stood out to me is how he incorporates “um” into the dialogue. This felt so realistic to me, and it was such a great way to show Darius’s awkwardness. Not to mention, I’m sure it’s very easy to try and include words like “um” and have it mess up the writing, but it seems to me like Khorram does it right—the book still flows nicely.
Depression and identity are both major parts of the book, and as far as I can tell, and what I've read from other reviewers, they are both done really well. The author talks a lot about the struggle of feeling “not American enough” and “not Persian enough,” which really stuck with me. Also, one of the main messages in the book is that it’s okay to not be okay, which I think is so important.
This is just a small side note, but it made me so happy how much both tea and soccer are a part of the book!
All in all, Darius the Great Is Not Okay is a beautiful book, and I loved getting the chance to read about Darius and his life. Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
4.5/5 stars
My review for this book is also posted on my blog: https://blossomsandbulletjournals.wordpress.com/2018/10/30/darius-the-great-is-not-okay/
This book is about friendship, among other things, and the relationship between Darius (the main character) and Sohrab (a boy he meets in Iran) is so sweet. It’s not often in YA that we get to read about an adorable, vulnerable boy friendship (in fact, I feel like I don’t read as many boy protagonists in general) and that’s absolutely something we should have more of.
Despite the fact that this book deals with some serious themes, it is surprisingly really hilarious! Darius’s sarcastic, self-deprecating humor was perfect and totally my style. I feel like we would be friends if we knew each other in real life.
Another aspect of Darius the Great Is Not Okay that I enjoyed is the family dynamics. I loved how Adib Khorram explores Darius’s relationship with his dad, who is really tough on Darius, and also his awkward relationship with his grandparents, whom he is meeting for the first time. I especially loved Darius's connection with his dad through Star Trek. I am not familiar with Star Trek, but I really appreciated the Darius's nerdiness and the way in which it shaped his relationship with his dad.
The majority of Darius the Great Is Not Okay is set in Iran, and I was really happy to have the opportunity to read about what it’s like to be Iranian. I feel like I learned a little bit about Iranian culture through reading this book.
One thing I noticed about Adib Khorram's writing that really stood out to me is how he incorporates “um” into the dialogue. This felt so realistic to me, and it was such a great way to show Darius’s awkwardness. Not to mention, I’m sure it’s very easy to try and include words like “um” and have it mess up the writing, but it seems to me like Khorram does it right—the book still flows nicely.
Depression and identity are both major parts of the book, and as far as I can tell, and what I've read from other reviewers, they are both done really well. The author talks a lot about the struggle of feeling “not American enough” and “not Persian enough,” which really stuck with me. Also, one of the main messages in the book is that it’s okay to not be okay, which I think is so important.
This is just a small side note, but it made me so happy how much both tea and soccer are a part of the book!
All in all, Darius the Great Is Not Okay is a beautiful book, and I loved getting the chance to read about Darius and his life. Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
4.5/5 stars
My review for this book is also posted on my blog: https://blossomsandbulletjournals.wordpress.com/2018/10/30/darius-the-great-is-not-okay/