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lyla_m's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
saciashy's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
gems_roadhouse's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
achilleanshelves's review against another edition
5.0
This book was just as wonderful as the first. I love the intimate feeling of these books, the way they so gently deal with familial dynamics, mental health and stigmas in both society as a whole and within the Queer community. Darius' grandmothers were a great addition and I loved the dichotomy between Chip and Landon. Y'all definitely need to read this so that we can make this a Darius trilogy.
purple676's review against another edition
5.0
I think I adore this even more than the first one.
To see myself, my culture, my country correctly represented in this beautiful book is the best christmas gift ever❤️❤️
To see myself, my culture, my country correctly represented in this beautiful book is the best christmas gift ever❤️❤️
el_libromark's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Just as good as the first book. Continued character development in the right ways. I'm hoping a third book makes its way to readers eventually, as I would love to see a proper end to Darius' story. Highly recommend both books in the series.
iris_sel's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I’m always suspicious/hesitant when it comes to sequels, particularly of y/a contemporary novels. usually with those books it feels like the author coming back to a perfectly completed story is order to open it back up for the purpose of more content. but I had a feeling that this book was going to be better than that, and I’m so glad to say I was proven right!!
like Adib Khorram said in the authors note “Darius had more to say” and I truly feel that the way that the first book finished was very realistic in that it didn’t have an ending per say. things were resolved (specifically Darius’s issues with his father), but nothing was perfect because life itself is never perfect!
coming back to Darius now felt like being welcomed with a warm hug. Darius was so pleasantly familiar as a character, while also having grown quite a bit since the first book. he now is in the soccer team in school and has quite a few friends that love and support him. of course that doesn’t mean that everything is “solved” or that he’s “cured”, but it was nice to see how a character can grow when surrounded by a healthy and loving support system.
the rest of his family was also really well written. I appreciated getting a window into his dad’s struggle with depression, along with Laleh’s difficulties with her classmates, and his mom’s stress and grief over her father’s death. although we didn’t get much time with all of them, what time we did get did a wonderful job of exploring their struggles in a way that felt true to them and their characterization from the first book. I also appreciated the introduction of Grandma and Oma and I’d love to see more of them and their life, particularly how difficult it must have been for Oma to transition when she was a part of an established family unit. I felt that Khorram tackled that topic really well.
of course, Landon was a very good foil against which Darius could grow and although it was obvious that Darius and him were not meant for each other, I found some of their moments together to be really beautiful!
finally, I appreciated that Chip grew as well in the process of the story and that by the end Darius and him hadn’t gotten together, even though they were both into each other. Darius expressed that he wanted them to be friends first and that was that :) I loved it!
all in all, I wouldn’t be opposed to a third book 👀
(PS. I sobbed my eyes out, again)
like Adib Khorram said in the authors note “Darius had more to say” and I truly feel that the way that the first book finished was very realistic in that it didn’t have an ending per say. things were resolved (specifically Darius’s issues with his father), but nothing was perfect because life itself is never perfect!
coming back to Darius now felt like being welcomed with a warm hug. Darius was so pleasantly familiar as a character, while also having grown quite a bit since the first book. he now is in the soccer team in school and has quite a few friends that love and support him. of course that doesn’t mean that everything is “solved” or that he’s “cured”, but it was nice to see how a character can grow when surrounded by a healthy and loving support system.
the rest of his family was also really well written. I appreciated getting a window into his dad’s struggle with depression, along with Laleh’s difficulties with her classmates, and his mom’s stress and grief over her father’s death. although we didn’t get much time with all of them, what time we did get did a wonderful job of exploring their struggles in a way that felt true to them and their characterization from the first book. I also appreciated the introduction of Grandma and Oma and I’d love to see more of them and their life, particularly how difficult it must have been for Oma to transition when she was a part of an established family unit. I felt that Khorram tackled that topic really well.
of course, Landon was a very good foil against which Darius could grow and although it was obvious that Darius and him were not meant for each other, I found some of their moments together to be really beautiful!
finally, I appreciated that Chip grew as well in the process of the story and that by the end Darius and him hadn’t gotten together, even though they were both into each other. Darius expressed that he wanted them to be friends first and that was that :) I loved it!
all in all, I wouldn’t be opposed to a third book 👀
(PS. I sobbed my eyes out, again)