Darius the Great is Not Okay tells the story of Darius, a teenager born and raised in America, who takes a summer trip with his parents to visit his extended family in Iran. Darius experiences more culture shock than he's prepared to handle, while also dealing with the growing rift between himself and his father. The book has a strong cast of characters, from Darius himself, to his Iranian parents who don't understand the pressure they put on Darius, to Sohrab, the boy Darius befriends in Iran.
I'm not usually a huge fan of first person narration, especially in YA novels, but Darius has such a strong, funny, self-deprecating voice that I found myself really enjoying him.
When I started the book, I had no idea Darius the Great is Not Okay was the beginning of a series. I finished it feeling let down because the relationships didn't feel fully developed. Now I hear the second book has been released, so maybe I'll give it another try.
If you're looking for a bittersweet story about the challenges of learning your own cultural identity, then I recommend Darius the Great is Not Okay.
I'm not usually a huge fan of first person narration, especially in YA novels, but Darius has such a strong, funny, self-deprecating voice that I found myself really enjoying him.
When I started the book, I had no idea Darius the Great is Not Okay was the beginning of a series. I finished it feeling let down because the relationships didn't feel fully developed. Now I hear the second book has been released, so maybe I'll give it another try.
If you're looking for a bittersweet story about the challenges of learning your own cultural identity, then I recommend Darius the Great is Not Okay.