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A review by jayati
Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram
5.0
5 reasons you need to read this book:
1. It features a Persian- American boy who's been suffering from depression since Eight grade and is questioning his sexuality.
So, if you want anything with diverse rep, this is your book and well, it doesn't really get better than this. And if you're not willing to read diverse books or diversity isn't a big factor depending on which you choose what to read or not, then all I can say is I'm sorry because diversity matters and this book taught me new things and opened my eyes and allowed to me learn about a group of people I knew little about, and let me learn a little about their cultures and lifestyle and helped me grow and in the future, be more sensitive.
Plus, the way this diversity is portrayed is also an essential factor and trust me, you will not be disappointed.
2. This Persian-American boy is going to Iran for the first time to see his family from his mother's side.
So, yeah, we get to experience a person go to a country that everyone says they belong to for the first time and try to fit in and learn how to behave and react. We get to see how he adapts to the new environment in a place where he doesn't know the language and with people who are his family but he's never met in real life.
He may be Persian by birth but he does not know how to be one or act like one and as he attempts to do so in this book, we can see him struggle and it just warms my heart to see how he keeps trying and in the end succeeds.
3. This book emphasises on friendship and non-romantic love.
Yep, this book has questioning rep and often, it feels like Darius is falling in love but doesn't really know what to say or do, or that he himself does not understand but through the hole book, he still gains a new friend.
With his friend, he learns to be more open and vulnerable and that it's okay to be weak and to cry and to let someone be there for your. He makes his very first friend and through this experience, he grows and learns to embrace who he is.
This book truly demonstrates how a friend can change your life and I love that.
4. This book portrays hard and complex parent-child relationships which are not always okay but they learn to communicate and be okay.
The generation gap can often be hard for a lot of parent-child relations especially when the child is a teen and his book shows that and how it affects Darius. It shows how he feels left out and discarded by his father. It shows how he feels alone and like the unwanted child at many times. It shows that he doubts himself and so, he doubts if his parents move him or even want him.
But, it also shows how talking can help and relations can be mended. Darius and his father have had a difficult relationship for many years but as Darius grows in Iran and he decides to finally talk to his dad, they try to fix there relationship. There are also miscommunications and actions whose meanings we misinterpret and talking is the only thing that can fix that and this book accurately depicts that.
5. It shows a wholesome and loving sibling relationship.
Honestly, sibling relationships are also hard. They fight a lot and don't really get along most times but this book showed a different side of sibling relationships that's also very true and usually occurs once when you have a big age gap and feel protective over your sibling or you're in a dangerous situation or you've grown up and it was just so wholesome to see.
Darius loves his little sister and even though he feels replaced by her, he loves her because he understands that it is not her fault. It's his parents who are making him feel that way and yes, sometimes he resents his sister but he always loves her and cares for her and I love that.
1. It features a Persian- American boy who's been suffering from depression since Eight grade and is questioning his sexuality.
So, if you want anything with diverse rep, this is your book and well, it doesn't really get better than this. And if you're not willing to read diverse books or diversity isn't a big factor depending on which you choose what to read or not, then all I can say is I'm sorry because diversity matters and this book taught me new things and opened my eyes and allowed to me learn about a group of people I knew little about, and let me learn a little about their cultures and lifestyle and helped me grow and in the future, be more sensitive.
Plus, the way this diversity is portrayed is also an essential factor and trust me, you will not be disappointed.
2. This Persian-American boy is going to Iran for the first time to see his family from his mother's side.
So, yeah, we get to experience a person go to a country that everyone says they belong to for the first time and try to fit in and learn how to behave and react. We get to see how he adapts to the new environment in a place where he doesn't know the language and with people who are his family but he's never met in real life.
He may be Persian by birth but he does not know how to be one or act like one and as he attempts to do so in this book, we can see him struggle and it just warms my heart to see how he keeps trying and in the end succeeds.
3. This book emphasises on friendship and non-romantic love.
Yep, this book has questioning rep and often, it feels like Darius is falling in love but doesn't really know what to say or do, or that he himself does not understand but through the hole book, he still gains a new friend.
With his friend, he learns to be more open and vulnerable and that it's okay to be weak and to cry and to let someone be there for your. He makes his very first friend and through this experience, he grows and learns to embrace who he is.
This book truly demonstrates how a friend can change your life and I love that.
4. This book portrays hard and complex parent-child relationships which are not always okay but they learn to communicate and be okay.
The generation gap can often be hard for a lot of parent-child relations especially when the child is a teen and his book shows that and how it affects Darius. It shows how he feels left out and discarded by his father. It shows how he feels alone and like the unwanted child at many times. It shows that he doubts himself and so, he doubts if his parents move him or even want him.
But, it also shows how talking can help and relations can be mended. Darius and his father have had a difficult relationship for many years but as Darius grows in Iran and he decides to finally talk to his dad, they try to fix there relationship. There are also miscommunications and actions whose meanings we misinterpret and talking is the only thing that can fix that and this book accurately depicts that.
5. It shows a wholesome and loving sibling relationship.
Honestly, sibling relationships are also hard. They fight a lot and don't really get along most times but this book showed a different side of sibling relationships that's also very true and usually occurs once when you have a big age gap and feel protective over your sibling or you're in a dangerous situation or you've grown up and it was just so wholesome to see.
Darius loves his little sister and even though he feels replaced by her, he loves her because he understands that it is not her fault. It's his parents who are making him feel that way and yes, sometimes he resents his sister but he always loves her and cares for her and I love that.