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lattesandlobsters's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
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
faithtrustpixiedust's review against another edition
5.0
I received this ARC from Dial Books via BookishFirst in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion in any way.
Okay, so this was strangely really relevant to my entire life. And to my family reunion vacation I was on as I read this. Creepy.
Thing number one: Darius is a Fractional Persian who doesn't speak Farsi and goes to Iran for the first time. I'm half Chilean, have never been to Chile, and don't speak Spanish.
Thing number two: Darius struggles with depression and friendships. My entire life I've had friend issues, and recently (last night actually), I was even talking to my sister and her husband about this very topic.
Thing number three: Darius has a grandfather who he cannot really connect to who is terminally ill. While not my grandfather, and not someone I never met in person (I actually grew up going to his house every summer), my mom's brother in law is grandfather aged and a very similar person to Babou, which made my heart just seize every time he was on the page. And I was literally with my Tío last night. Creepy, right?
Now, here's some things that are more book review and less me talking about how Adib Khorram might be my stalker.
The book is written in a pretty unique, voice heavy narrative style that I really liked but sometimes got a tiny bit in my nerves tbh. It's a debut though so I'll let it slide.
The plot was good, I was really invested, and it read quickly. If I hadn't been at a family reunion, I could have read it in one sitting.
Darius is (as previously made clear) pretty darn relatable. He's awkward and self deprecating, but quirky and likes science fiction and fantasy, particularly Star Trek and The Lord of the Rings.
I loved Mamou!!!!! She's an angel and I want her to be my grandma! She's warm! She listens to ABBA! She's perfect!
The one thing I didn't like about this was the instalove friendship (with some borderline homoerotic elements). If you wanted to write a book about homosexuality, you totally could have, Adib. The market is definitely there. Why can't guys just be friends? I love friends. I love healthy platonic relationships in literature, because I struggle with healthy platonic relationships. I want a realistic portrayal of fast friends. I don't want insta-friendship. That's "you just have to wait for Mr. Right" ideology and it never works.
All in all, freaking fantastic, but not something that will necessarily astound you tbh. It's great. It's more than okay.
"It's okay not to be okay."
Okay, so this was strangely really relevant to my entire life. And to my family reunion vacation I was on as I read this. Creepy.
Thing number one: Darius is a Fractional Persian who doesn't speak Farsi and goes to Iran for the first time. I'm half Chilean, have never been to Chile, and don't speak Spanish.
Thing number two: Darius struggles with depression and friendships. My entire life I've had friend issues, and recently (last night actually), I was even talking to my sister and her husband about this very topic.
Thing number three: Darius has a grandfather who he cannot really connect to who is terminally ill. While not my grandfather, and not someone I never met in person (I actually grew up going to his house every summer), my mom's brother in law is grandfather aged and a very similar person to Babou, which made my heart just seize every time he was on the page. And I was literally with my Tío last night. Creepy, right?
Now, here's some things that are more book review and less me talking about how Adib Khorram might be my stalker.
The book is written in a pretty unique, voice heavy narrative style that I really liked but sometimes got a tiny bit in my nerves tbh. It's a debut though so I'll let it slide.
The plot was good, I was really invested, and it read quickly. If I hadn't been at a family reunion, I could have read it in one sitting.
Darius is (as previously made clear) pretty darn relatable. He's awkward and self deprecating, but quirky and likes science fiction and fantasy, particularly Star Trek and The Lord of the Rings.
I loved Mamou!!!!! She's an angel and I want her to be my grandma! She's warm! She listens to ABBA! She's perfect!
The one thing I didn't like about this was the instalove friendship (with some borderline homoerotic elements). If you wanted to write a book about homosexuality, you totally could have, Adib. The market is definitely there. Why can't guys just be friends? I love friends. I love healthy platonic relationships in literature, because I struggle with healthy platonic relationships. I want a realistic portrayal of fast friends. I don't want insta-friendship. That's "you just have to wait for Mr. Right" ideology and it never works.
All in all, freaking fantastic, but not something that will necessarily astound you tbh. It's great. It's more than okay.
chrisalex1210's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
kikiduck's review against another edition
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.0
sophiasshelf's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
authorjbr's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
This is a beautiful little story about a boy with depression, a boy and his father, a boy making friends, a boy reconciling with his culture, a boy learning to exist, a boy growing up, and more. This book touches on so many things, and it doesn’t always pay them off perfectly (or even fully go back to things it touches on to give it a resolution or an exploration), but it is still strong, beautiful, and made me cry as an adult working through my relationship with my father and perhaps becoming a father someday.
Highly recommend to any interested in these ideas or themes.
Highly recommend to any interested in these ideas or themes.
ruhi_reads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
johannaliest's review against another edition
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
mw27's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
aarnireads's review against another edition
4.0
10/10 would ugly cry again
we might live different lives, this boy and I, but some feelings just are universal. it is pretty painful to be human sometimes.
we might live different lives, this boy and I, but some feelings just are universal. it is pretty painful to be human sometimes.