Reviews - Darius the Great Is Not Okay

4.34k reviews for:

Darius the Great Is Not Okay

Adib Khorram

4.28 AVERAGE

fossilreads's review against another edition

4.5

emotional hopeful reflective tense

Plot or Character Driven: Character

"And it had felt like a tourist thing, going to visit the ruins of Persepolis. Even if they were part of our family history. Even if they were our heritage.
How could I be a tourist in my own past?"

I picked this book up by chance at the library and don't regret the choice at all. I was taken on an emotional rollercoaster by deep issues and feeling so understood in my multicultural family experience.

Darius is a nerdy teen, who feels out of place wherever he is. Mos of his Star Trek references went over my head because I've never watched the show but that didn't cause any issues in the full experience. It was like talking with a friend who happens to like a different show than you.

I felt so seen in Darius' experience of meeting your extended family abroad for the first time when you're slightly older and don't even know the language that well. It's difficult feeling out of place in one way and then suddenly feeling out of place the exact opposite way.

I loved the friendship he found in Sohrab and even when there were some tough times, they grew, actually apologised and were better in the future. Darius also needed to navigate very differing views on his depression.

As a whole this book was complex and very emotional, from sadness to laughter and grief to relief, there was so much to feel through every chapter.

maiakobabe's review against another edition

4.5

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

Darius does not fit in at high school in Portland, Oregon, where he is frequently called homophobic slurs. He tries to keep his head down and focus on the things he does enjoy: his job at a tea shop, reading fantasy novels, time with his family, though that too is complicated- his father doesn't seem to approve of anything he does. Darius is half-Persian and when his Iranian grandfather is diagnosed with a brain tumor, Darius, his parents, and his little sister plan a trip back to his mother's hometown for the first time in Darius' life. Darius gets to meet his extended family and wrestles with feeling less Persian than his sister, who is fluent in Farsi, while he is not. He also makes a friend unlike any he's ever had in the US. This is a warmhearted coming of age novel, taking place over a single weeks-long trip in Iran that changes Darius' relationship to his family and his sense of self forever. It's full of nerdy references (Darius often processes his feelings through Star Trek and LOTR metaphors), food descriptions that made me drool, and deeply relatable teenage feelings.

axel_p's review against another edition

3.5

emotional 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

Um.

sagranville's review against another edition

5.0

I love love love this book. The narration was spot on. Darius feels so much but says so little to his family. The concept of "your place was empty" is so touching in the story and such a lovely way of describing how we miss our loved ones when they aren't with us. I don't consistently cry at books, but this one had me tearing up towards the end.

2019 Morris Award
2019 Asian/Pacific American Award for Young Adult Literature
2019 Rainbow List Top Ten
2019 Best Fiction for Young Adults Top Ten
2020 Quick Picks

semitropicalmammoth's review against another edition

5.0

This book had me crying through the last few chapters. It was so powerful, especially in its description of what depression and anxiety are like from the point of view of the person experiencing them. Please give this a try if you have someone with these disorders in your life. It might help you understand a bit better.

ccmarta's review against another edition

5.0

emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Where was this book when I was a teenager?! Oh well, glad I found it now because it's amazing! It has such a powerful balance of nerdy humor and heart wrenching real life challenges. A very real representation on how depression impacts daily life and relationships. I appreciate the hopefulness of finding belonging and support to manage the symptoms. Also the biracial/bicultural experience is depicted well