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A review by rplusd
Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram
5.0
This needs to be on your tbr sooner than later. It's all I wanted and more for a slice of life.
It gets in close knit friendship, the workings of depression and angst, and the budding realization of sexuality. Plus, it’s just refreshingly funny and nerdy.
From the first chapter, I knew I had something great. Half way in, I knew this book was going to be my favorite read for 2018.
The writing is quirky. It has that debut author feel at times and you have to forgive a bit of the oddities. But the characters here really do take center stage. And the feelings that this book produces time and time again kept sucker punching me right in the freaking face.
In some instances, I had legit tears welling up in my eyes for this kid. I just fell for him SO hard. This lovable Star Trek dork who makes the perfect references every other page. (And does so in a way that you can be 0% knowledgeable in the show but still get the humor.) Like, SOMEONE PROTECT THIS BOY. LIFE IS UNFAIR AND HE DESERVES NONE OF THIS.
The rep here is remarkable, not only for the dealings with medicated depression but also for the Persian culture. Darius goes to great lengths to narrate in farsi, and further explain to the reader what each word means. I love that.
And to be real here, I read the synopsis and kept looking the other way. A sick family member? Family reuniting? Finding yourself? Hm, yeah I’m a bit done with those ya contemporary cliches.
So imagine my surprise? I’m laughing out loud in the first chapter. And it just keeps getting better and better through all the highs and the lows of Darius’s day to day life and travels.
The relationships that exists in this are tangible and real. And basically, I just need a second book. I need to know if Darius and Sohrab get any closer. AND I need to know what’s happening with Chip. I need more and you will too.
It’s not even worth it to point out the little baby cons I had with this, because in the scope of things, this book was just made to be treasured.
Thank you to the publishers for the arc of this!!
It gets in close knit friendship, the workings of depression and angst, and the budding realization of sexuality. Plus, it’s just refreshingly funny and nerdy.
From the first chapter, I knew I had something great. Half way in, I knew this book was going to be my favorite read for 2018.
The writing is quirky. It has that debut author feel at times and you have to forgive a bit of the oddities. But the characters here really do take center stage. And the feelings that this book produces time and time again kept sucker punching me right in the freaking face.
In some instances, I had legit tears welling up in my eyes for this kid. I just fell for him SO hard. This lovable Star Trek dork who makes the perfect references every other page. (And does so in a way that you can be 0% knowledgeable in the show but still get the humor.) Like, SOMEONE PROTECT THIS BOY. LIFE IS UNFAIR AND HE DESERVES NONE OF THIS.
The rep here is remarkable, not only for the dealings with medicated depression but also for the Persian culture. Darius goes to great lengths to narrate in farsi, and further explain to the reader what each word means. I love that.
And to be real here, I read the synopsis and kept looking the other way. A sick family member? Family reuniting? Finding yourself? Hm, yeah I’m a bit done with those ya contemporary cliches.
So imagine my surprise? I’m laughing out loud in the first chapter. And it just keeps getting better and better through all the highs and the lows of Darius’s day to day life and travels.
The relationships that exists in this are tangible and real. And basically, I just need a second book. I need to know if Darius and Sohrab get any closer. AND I need to know what’s happening with Chip. I need more and you will too.
It’s not even worth it to point out the little baby cons I had with this, because in the scope of things, this book was just made to be treasured.
Thank you to the publishers for the arc of this!!