Darius the Great Is Not Okay

Darius Kellner is a Persian-American teen in Portland who faces clinical depression, bullying, and a strained relationship with his father. His main sources of comfort are Star Trek reruns, making tea, and spending time with his younger sister Laleh. When Darius's grandfather in Iran becomes ill, the family travels to Yazd for an extended visit. The language barrier and cultural differences create challenges for Darius, who speaks limited Farsi and has never met his Iranian grandparents in person. In Yazd, Darius forms a friendship with Sohrab, a local teen who introduces him to Iranian culture and customs. Their connection helps Darius navigate complex family dynamics and cultural identity questions during his stay. The novel explores themes of belonging, mental health, and the intersection of multiple cultural identities. Through Darius's experiences in Iran, the story examines how family bonds and friendship can bridge cultural divides.

Readers connect with the authentic portrayal of depression, cultural identity, and father-son relationships. Many note the book offers representation of Persian culture and clinical depression rarely found in YA literature. Likes: - Nuanced handling of mental health without making it the sole focus - Details of Iranian culture, food, and family dynamics - Friendship development between Darius and Sohrab - Natural dialogue and humor throughout Dislikes: - Some found the pacing slow, especially in the first half - Several readers wanted more resolution to certain storylines - A few noted the tea references felt repetitive Ratings: Goodreads: 4.14/5 (42,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (1,200+ ratings) Common reader comments: "Finally a book that gets depression right" - Goodreads reviewer "The cultural elements felt lived-in rather than educational" - Amazon review "Wish there had been more development of the secondary characters" - BookPage review

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🌟 The city of Yazd, where much of the novel takes place, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, with a history spanning over 7,000 years. 🌟 Author Adib Khorram worked as a lighting designer for theater productions before becoming a full-time writer, and this was his debut novel. 🌟 The book won both the William C. Morris Award for debut young adult literature and the Asian/Pacific American Award for Young Adult Literature in 2019. 🌟 Like his protagonist, Khorram drew from his own experiences as an Iranian-American and his struggles with clinical depression to create Darius's story. 🌟 The novel includes numerous references to Star Trek, which serves as a connecting point between Darius and his father, reflecting Khorram's own love for the series.