Before picking it up I heard a lot of praise around this book which made me nervous it was just going to be another overhyped book. But I have to admit, Darius the Great Is Not Okay surprised me in the best possible way. There's realistic LGBTQ characters and while visiting his family in Iran, Darius is immersed into rich Persian culture which he feels disconnected from as a diaspora-Persian. I appreciated how he experienced every emotion from isolation because of the language barrier, to pride of all his heritage.
My favorite part of the book is the accurate representation of mental illness and the complicated relationship between Darius and his dad. As a poc who also struggles with depression, I saw a bit of myself in Darius' anxieties and how his thoughts sometimes spiral out of hand. The way his extended family talked about mental health in a dismissive way also perfectly captured how the conversation about mental health can be for poc. I would highly recommend checking out this book, but be ready to shed a few tears!
My favorite part of the book is the accurate representation of mental illness and the complicated relationship between Darius and his dad. As a poc who also struggles with depression, I saw a bit of myself in Darius' anxieties and how his thoughts sometimes spiral out of hand. The way his extended family talked about mental health in a dismissive way also perfectly captured how the conversation about mental health can be for poc. I would highly recommend checking out this book, but be ready to shed a few tears!