A review by kimnlove56
Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram

dark emotional reflective sad 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

3.5

I appreciate a YA novel that portrays real and nuanced characters, flaws and all, particularly for the adults, who often get the "out-of-touch but well-meaning" blanket characterization by YA authors. In this book, we certainly get almost full-access to Darius, the title character. He doesn't hold much back from us about his feelings his depression, race, friendship, his family and the idea of family in general. I like that there are things left not entirely explained, like why he always refers to his father by his full name. It goes with the clinical detachment of his narration style.

The parts of the story that touch on how his bi-racialness leaves him feeling like an outsider in most settings ring true. And I appreciate the throughline of his clinical depression and how that affects his daily interactions and thoughts. So, 4.5 stars for development of the main character.

It's the characters around Darius who mostly bring this book down. They feel flatly written -- bullies and angels and the out-of-touch but well-meaning adults. Even the best friend he makes, who along with Darius' dad, takes up the most book-space, is just blanketly good and kind for the vast majority of the book, until he's given an emotional outburst in the final pages to constitute some kind of emotional arc.

Overall, I'd give this 3.5 stars.