I recently read both of the fun, quick paced, and humorous Darius the Great books by Adib Khorram. I couldn’t set either book down, and they are two of the few books that I think would still be amazing upon re-read. Since publishing both Darius the Great books, Adib Khorram has gone on to publish another YA novel: Kiss and Tell.

Darius the Great Is Not Okay

I couldn’t stop reading until I finished the last page; this book is funny, sweet, and educational. Darius is gay, half-Persian, fat, nerdy, and often bullied at school. Throughout the novel, Darius and his father grow to talk about more than just Star-Trek, which they watch together each night. Darius is worried when his family announces they are going to Iran to see his mom’s side of the family, but soon he meets Sohrab. By the time he returns home, nothing is quite the same.

I love the way this book approaches mental health and being queer. Well romance doesn’t make an appearance in Darius’ life until the sequel, being queer is still a present theme in this book. Both Darius and his dad take medicine for their depression, which has been mostly normalized in their immediate family. It’s okay to not be okay.

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Darius the Great Deserves Better

Darius the Great Deserves Better is such a great sequel, I can’t choose which book I love more. Just as sweet and humorous as the first book, Darius navigates his life after Iran. From not-so-great boyfriends, to not-so-great friends, Darius deserves better. At home his family is struggling with money, his dad’s depression is worsening, and his 9 year old sister is experiencing racism from classmates. At school Darius is stepping out of his comfort zone, but is still grappling with how to deal with a bully a school, and the bully’s friend who now wants to be his friend.

As I said, this book is just as good as the first. In both books there are so many awesome themes. The book did wrap up pretty neatly, but there could definitely be another addition to the Darius the Great series. I know that I for one would be thrilled to see more of Darius again.

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Both Books

Both of these books reminded me of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, and Aristotle and Dante Dive Into the Waters of the World. Both of the Ari and Dante books explore similar themes such as parent relationships, deep friendships, mental health, being queer, and love. I would recommend the Ari and Dante books by Benjamin Alire Saenz to anyone who loved the Darius the Great series, or vice versa.

What kind of representation do you like to see in literature?