shrubberling 's review for:

Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar
5.0
challenging dark emotional funny sad medium-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: Complicated
Really beautiful though often grim family saga mostly centered on the main character Cyrus, but creates very rich other characters. The chapters are interspersed with original poetry that I was surprised to find really enjoyable and accessible. It’s a heavy story, so it was a slow start for reading in early 2025. But Akbar’s prose is so gorgeous, it kept me wanting more even when everything felt so bleak. The pace and humor pick up later on. The ending was quite emotional, beautiful, uncertain. Absolutely loved this book. I think it’s one I’ll return to.
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