Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram

What is it about?

Teenage boy spends time in Iran to learn more about his family history and finally feels like he’s fitting in. 

OK, but what is it really about?

Darius has lived in Portland his whole life, but somehow always felt like an outsider. Born to an American father and a Persian mother, he struggles to find his place in the world; his passion for Star Trek and Lord of the Rings, his love for a cup of fine tea, and being a responsible older brother to his sister Laleh are the only things that keep him grounded – and distracted from the fact that he’s suffering from depression. When his grandfather in Iran falls ill, Darius travels to Iran for the first time in his life. In Yazd, he quickly befriends Sohrab, a boy from the neighborhood. Suddenly, everything is turned upside down – in the best possible way.

Is it any good?

This coming-of-age tale is not just good, it’s marvelous. Of course, this is my very own, very biased and very personal view because this story feels familiar in so many ways. Like Darius, I am a half breed. Like Darius, I only discovered my mother’s home country – and partly my own – when I was a teenager, and when I did, I fell irrevocably in love. Like Darius, I have often felt neither here nor there, like I don’t belong and don’t fit in, no matter where I am. Reading Darius’ story, told in his own sarcastic, lovable voice, made me remember the loneliness of being a stranger everywhere in this world, the awkwardness of being an introverted, slightly bullied child and teenager, and the sweet sensation of experiencing true friendship. He made me laugh, he made me cry, he made me want to hug him and tell him “Hey, Darius, you know what? 20, 30 years from now, you may still struggle with the meaning of home, roots and identity, but trust me, you wouldn’t want it any other way!”

Favorite character?

Darius, obviously. He is the one who carries the story, the one whose sharp observations – be it of the dynamics in his family or the culture and traditions in Iran – make the story so fascinating to read. But Adib Khorram has given us more than just Darius’ voice. Most of the major characters have been fully fleshed out, from Darius’ “Übermensch” dad, his well meaning mom, his darling sister Laleh and best friend Sohrab to his ailing grandfather and affectionate grandmother. They all seem like real people – they somehow remind me of my own loving and dysfunctional (extended) family in Indonesia.

Most memorable quote?

“I had never been surrounded by family before. Not really. When Dayi Jamsheed started herding us together into a big group photo, my eyes started burning. I couldn’t help it. I loved them.” (I could easily switch the name of Darius’ uncles with one of my Indonesian relatives, and it would be me in this paragraph, many years ago, having the exact same reaction, coming to the same conclusion, trying really hard to hold back my tears.)

Conclusion?

Seeing how many awards this book has won, I guess I’m not the only one who was absolutely enchanted by Adib Khorram’s eponymous hero. “Darius the Great Is Not Okay” was quite an emotional read for me, but isn’t that what we’re looking for in books? Stories that make you feel something? The pile of my Young Adult books keeps growing, and there are many authors that have created endearing characters conveying powerful messages – but only Darius the Great has managed to become my spirit animal.

PS: The sequel “Darius the Great Deserves Better” will be published in August, and I’m already looking forward to reuniting with all the characters I have grown to love so much.

AT A GLANCE

Title: Darius the Great Is Not Okay

Author: Adib Khorram

Published by: Penguin Books (Reprint Edition 2019)

Pages: 336

Language: English