Sometimes you finish a book and, try as you might, you just cannot put into words your opinions and feelings about the book. Thus was the predicament I found myself in after finishing Darius the Great is Not Okay, and after two weeks of finishing this book, I'm still not sure how best to describe this book.
Firstly, I tend not to read books about depression or anxiety. They hit a bit too close to home, and, frankly, have a tendency to make me a bit upset, so I generally avoid them. Additionally, I've slowly begun to stop reading YA books, preferring adult protagonists. Because of this, I was a little wary of this book despite the stellar reviews I had seen so far, as well as the interesting blurb and gorgeous cover. I can definitely say I'm glad to have ignored my initial hesitancy.
Darius the Great is Not Okay was a great read about identity and mental illness, and had one of the most relatable main characters I've read in a YA in a long time. While it took me a few chapters to get into, once I was, I was completely captivated with the story, as well as the setting. Adib Khorram did a wonderful job capturing his reader's attention, and I honestly can't believe this is his debut novel. If Khorram's future books are half as good as his debut, I truly look forward to reading them.
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel, and would definitely recommend it to contemporary fiction and YA fans alike.
Firstly, I tend not to read books about depression or anxiety. They hit a bit too close to home, and, frankly, have a tendency to make me a bit upset, so I generally avoid them. Additionally, I've slowly begun to stop reading YA books, preferring adult protagonists. Because of this, I was a little wary of this book despite the stellar reviews I had seen so far, as well as the interesting blurb and gorgeous cover. I can definitely say I'm glad to have ignored my initial hesitancy.
Darius the Great is Not Okay was a great read about identity and mental illness, and had one of the most relatable main characters I've read in a YA in a long time. While it took me a few chapters to get into, once I was, I was completely captivated with the story, as well as the setting. Adib Khorram did a wonderful job capturing his reader's attention, and I honestly can't believe this is his debut novel. If Khorram's future books are half as good as his debut, I truly look forward to reading them.
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel, and would definitely recommend it to contemporary fiction and YA fans alike.