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Darius the Great Deserves Better

(Darius the Great #2)

Adib Khorram (Goodreads Author)

4.41 · Rating details · 3,019 ratings · 812 reviews

In this companion to the award-winning Darius the Great Is Not Okay, Darius suddenly has it all: a boyfriend, an internship, a spot on the soccer team. It’s everything he’s ever wanted–but what if he deserves better?

Darius Kellner is having a bit of a year. Since his trip to Iran this past spring, a lot has changed. He’s getting along with his dad, and his best friend Sohr ...more

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Hardcover, 352 pages

Published August 25th 2020 by Dial Books for Young Readers

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· 3,019 ratings · 812 reviews

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Sep 24, 2019 Kai rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, important, to-buy, queer

I’ve not cried this much since...well, since Darius the Great is not Okay

I just finished one of my most anticipated books of the year, the sequel to one of my all-time favourite books. And now I can breathe again. I was so scared. Writing a sequel to a beloved, special book is a frightening and difficult task but Adib pulled it off.

This book is set a few months after Darius' family's return from Iran, where they visited Darius' grandparents. Now that school has started again, Darius is part of t ...more

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Aug 14, 2020 Chelsea (chelseadolling reads) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

Wow I need a hug I loved this book SO MUCH. I have grown so attached to Darius and his entire family and I would love nothing more than to read book, after book, after book following them moving through life together. I wish I had something more profound to say other than just screaming "I REALLY, REALLY LOVE THIS BOOK AND YOU ALL NEED TO PRE-ORDER IT AND READ IT WHEN IT COMES OUT," but this book turned me into the best kind of happy/sad mush and that is all I can currently muster. I honestly th ...more

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Sep 24, 2019 Tucker (TuckerTheReader) marked it as not-released-tbr · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, lgbtqia

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Jul 18, 2020 may ➹ rated it really liked it

Shelves: 4-star, my-heart, pov-1st, contemporary, rep-depression, rep-bipoc-author, diverse, my-soul-hurts, rep-lgbtqiap-author, rep-lgbtqiap-mlm

[pointing to Darius] that’s my emotional support soccer gay

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Oct 03, 2019 Cece (ProblemsOfaBookNerd) marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: lgbtqia, anticipated-of-2020, male-protag, my-books, owned-to-read

My favorite contemporary of all time is getting a sequel and the announcement made me burst into spontaneous tears. HOW WILL I SURVIVE UNTIL I CAN READ THIS?????

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Sep 02, 2020 Larry H rated it it was amazing

4.5 stars, rounded up.

Adib Khorram's new novel, Darius the Great Deserves Better , is a beautiful, heartwarming, and emotional story about family, friends, love, identity, sexuality, mental health, self-esteem...and tea. Lots of tea.

Darius Kellner, the protagonist of Khorram's terrific Darius the Great is Not Okay , returns, and it is so good to have him back. When the novel opens, things are going well for Darius. He has a boyfriend, Landon, an internship at a fancy tea shop, he plays on ...more

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Sep 02, 2020 Vitor Martins rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, read-in-2020, lgbtq

“I am happy,” I said. “I’m just depressed too.”
My depression was part of me. Just like being gay was.
A part, but not the whole.

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Dec 16, 2019 Lauren Lanz rated it it was amazing

Shelves: author-of-colour, young-adult, 5-stars, almost-favourites, i-own

After learning tons about Perisan culture in Darius the Great is Not Okay, I was overjoyed to read a second novel following Darius and his family!

~★~ What is this book about? ~★~

Upon returning from their visit to Iran, Darius is forced to adjust back to life in America. He misses his best friend Sohrab, as well as his mother’s family that they had to leave behind.
Now Darius is a part of the Varsity soccer team at school, he’s getting along great with his dad, and he has a boyfriend. Just w ...more

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Sep 17, 2020 C.G. Drews added it

Shelves: young-adult, ya-male-narrators, contemporary, read-2020

It's not often Contemporaries get sequels, and I was so so softly glad to be back with Darius. 😭💛 Book one was so gentle and introspective, emotional with really deep character arcs. I got attached to Darius and his struggle with depression and fitting in and connecting with his Iranian roots as he visited for the first time and fixing his relationship with his dad.

The sequel is set back in the US, and mostly follows Darius' family as they go through a rough time. Obviously his grandfather is dy ...more

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Sep 25, 2020 Meags rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: lgbt, cover-lust, cute-kids, romance, geektastic, fave-characters, mm-faves, mm, young-adult, disability-illness-mentalhealth

4.5 Stars

Darius the Great Deserves Better continues the coming-of-age story of Darius Kellner, a gay Iranian-American high-schooler, who loves drinking tea, plays on his school’s soccer team, and works tirelessly to manage his anxiety and depression so he can live a happy and healthy life.

In this sequel, Darius, now out to his family and friends, experiences his first-ever relationship with a boy named Landon. Every kiss and touch are both exciting and terrifying for the always shy and body cons 4.5 Stars

Darius the Great Deserves Better continues the coming-of-age story of Darius Kellner, a gay Iranian-American high-schooler, who loves drinking tea, plays on his school’s soccer team, and works tirelessly to manage his anxiety and depression so he can live a happy and healthy life.

In this sequel, Darius, now out to his family and friends, experiences his first-ever relationship with a boy named Landon. Every kiss and touch are both exciting and terrifying for the always shy and body conscious Darius, but he likes Landon a lot, even though he doesn’t quite feel ready for all the physical steps in their relationship that Landon seems so keen to take.

New relationship aside, Darius spends a lot of his time helping out his financially struggling parents, who are working themselves to the bone after depleting a lot of their savings on their families recent—but worthwhile and vital—visit to Iran. Darius, being the ever sweet and helpful son, takes on an extracurricular job at his favourite tea shop (owned by Landon’s father) to help out, even stepping into a parental role to offer advice and support to his younger sister when she begins to experience bullying at school.

In his own school life, Darius is making new friends and thriving on the soccer team, thanks to the confidence boost given to him by his Iranian best-friend Sohrab, who he deeply bonded with on his trip to Iran last spring. Unfortunately, Darius still finds himself the target of Trent, his long-time bully, who throws verbal taunts and insults Darius’s way every time they cross paths, making school not quite the fun or comfortable place he wishes it was.

To make things more complicated, Darius finds himself developing some unexpected and confusing feelings for his teammate and closest new friend, Chip, who just happens to be Trent’s (the bully’s) best-friend. Chip is wonderful and kind, and he seemingly really likes Darius, making Darius always feel safe and cared for whenever they're together. But besides the whole 'already having a boyfriend' thing, Darius just can’t comprehend why Chip is friends with a bully like Trent and doesn't know what to make of their new connection because of it.

This is very much a coming-of-age story, with lots of emotional turmoil to work through and plenty of personal growth to experience. I absolutely adore Darius. He’s this teddy bear of a character who I wanted to fight for and protect. His every hurt made me ache and his every triumph and personal victory made me smile. He’s genuine and an ongoing work in progress, just wanting to fit in and be loved. Although half my age, I could relate to this kid on a deep level, and I think most people would.

As a sequel, I would not recommend this as a standalone—but I would urge fans of the LGBT YA genre to give both books a go, because Darius is a character whose (ongoing) story is well worth the read. When I read book one (Darius the Great Is Not Okay) I never really expected a sequel, to be honest, but now I have it I couldn’t be more pleased. For me, this second book surpassed it's predecessor in terms of emotional engagement and enjoyment. And this time around, I want nothing more than to hear there will be another book, hopefully making this a trilogy (view spoiler)! ...more

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Apr 02, 2020 Lance rated it it was amazing

Shelves: all-time-favorites, family-dynamics, lgbtqia, 2020-faves, koi-no-yokan, young-adult, contemporary, fave-protagonists

"Ghorbanat beram is one of those perfect Farsi phrases you can't quite translate into English.

The closest thing is: I would give my life for yours.

Sometimes it was just hyperbole.

But for Sohrab, it was literal."

"And it didn't feel like Sohrab either, who felt like the kind of person I could count on for anything. Who knew me inside and out. Who accepted all my flaws and still made me wish I could be better."

"How do you explain the fear that someone you love might stop loving you all of a "Ghorbanat beram is one of those perfect Farsi phrases you can't quite translate into English.

The closest thing is: I would give my life for yours.

Sometimes it was just hyperbole.

But for Sohrab, it was literal."

"And it didn't feel like Sohrab either, who felt like the kind of person I could count on for anything. Who knew me inside and out. Who accepted all my flaws and still made me wish I could be better."

"How do you explain the fear that someone you love might stop loving you all of a sudden?"

“You deserve people in your life who make you happy, Darius. No matter what. Just remember that. Okay?”

5 stars. Darius the Great Deserves Better is the much-needed, absolutely almost-perfect finale to what is now one of my favorite YA duologies of all time. If you notice, the color palatte for this book's cover matches that of Darius the Great is Not Okay but inverted: I think that is incredibly indicative of the contents of this book. While the cover of the novel seems to suggest that the "love triangle" is the focus point of this novel, that is far from the case. Instead just like the previous book in this duology, this is a character study novel that feels far more slice-of-life than driven by any sort of external plot. But unlike the previous book, this novel is about Darius maturing and discovering new facets of himself in a space he knows well.

This novel's progression and general elements are ultimately tied to Darius' character arc. Whether it'd be prose, the pacing, and especially the themes, Darius' personality permeates each and every aspect of this novel. Khorram's prose remains reflective of Darius' character voice: lots of short, staccato phrases and sentences that are indicative of how Darius himself processes the world. It's interesting. The writing itself is very sparse, with lots of line breaks and empty space on the novel's pages; But it is in that emptiness (coupled with the metaphors used) that Darius' character voice becomes richer and more developed. Whether it'd be the way he views events occurring or his thoughts on certain people or subjects, the way the writing is formatted and done allows the reader to immerse themselves in Darius' head. This novel, and its predecessor, is one of the finest examples I can think of in regards to development of character voice.

This book also contains discussion of so many important topics deftly woven into Darius' everyday life. There are conversations ranging from homophobia, bullying, racism, to mental health and more. What I love about this book is that it shows how these various issues impact Darius, as well as his family's, everyday lives without it coming across as shoehorned. This book shows how seemingly vague, intangible concepts such as having a queer friend not being an excuse for blatant homophobia or the way young kids of color are forced to confront racism at such early ages can severely impact someone's everyday life. It is apparent that the discourse had in this book around these subjects come from a genuine place and it was amazing to see that, particularly for a story about a young gay man of color.

Here's the thing: Darius is one of the handful of protagonists that I truly see myself in. He's a gay, chubby boy trying to navigate first love and what he wants for himself in life with a best friend in an entirely different country. It's impossible for me to untangle my personal experience from him as character and thus, the book itself. Watching Darius go through his growing pains as well as voice so many of the thoughts that I have had at one point or another was incredibly comforting. So many of his thoughts about wishing his best friend was closer, about not liking the way his body looked, and especially about his fears about coming out felt like Adib Khorram had reached into my head and put my thoughts on page. It's a wonderful thing to find a character who you identify with so much; so thank you, Adib Khorram for writing Darius.

Some spoilery thoughts: (view spoiler)

Conclusively, one of the best contemporary YA series I've ever had the joy of reading. Sometimes you read books that find their way into your heart without you even expecting them to; Darius the Great Deserves Better and the previous book are two of them. Thank you to Adib Khorram for writing two books that made me feel just a little bit more okay far after I turned the last page. ...more

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Sep 24, 2019 Helia marked it as to-read

DARIUS THE GREAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST BOOKS I'VE GENUINELY SEEN MYSELF IN AND IT'S GETTING A SEQUEL I'M CRYING

To know that an Iranian writer can write a book about an Iranian kid and his experience living between two cultures, and that the book was popular enough to warrant a sequel? It means everything to me.

I'd been invisible prior to reading that book and I didn't even know it. I can't wait to see Darius again.

29/12/2019 Edit: We have a cover!! Thank you for all the likes <3 if you want to re ...more

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Aug 24, 2020 Angela Staudt rated it it was amazing

Thank you PenguinTeen for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love Darius. I didn’t think I could love him anymore than I already do, but I proved myself wrong. Heck, I love the whole family and I freaking loved this entire book. I loved seeing Darius’s growth from the first book and throughout this book. His love for teas is like no other and it was all those simple moments of him talking about or making tea, that I realized how much I cherished this book. I enjoyed seeing Darius make ne Thank you PenguinTeen for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love Darius. I didn’t think I could love him anymore than I already do, but I proved myself wrong. Heck, I love the whole family and I freaking loved this entire book. I loved seeing Darius’s growth from the first book and throughout this book. His love for teas is like no other and it was all those simple moments of him talking about or making tea, that I realized how much I cherished this book. I enjoyed seeing Darius make new friends, but also keeping in touch with Sohrab. His relationship with his little sister Laleh, and his relationship with his dad.

I know this is a contemporary book, but it was so much more than that. We start off with Darius getting his dream internship/job, he has a cute boyfriend, he is doing amazing at soccer, and he is making lots of friends. Soon his dad has to leave for work and his grandmother’s come to stay to help out around the house. He starts to doubt if he really wants to be in the tea business, he loves tea, but does he want that to be his job? He doesn’t know how he feels about Landon, his boyfriend, he always seems to want more than what Darius is willing to give. I really cherished how well this was written especially the moments between Landon and Darius. Not to mention the moments with his teammates from soccer and how they all have his back no matter what.

What I truly loved about this book was the discussion of SO many important topics like homophobia, mental health, racism, and body issues. They are woven so intricately throughout this entire book and were written so deeply and well. I had so much anger and sadness reading about the racism in this book and homophobia. My heart ached for Darius and Laleh and I wanted to flip out on all the bullies. I seriously need more books about Darius. I have questions that need answered, so of course this needs to be a trilogy. I want to know more about Sohrab and how he is doing, I NEED to know more about Chip and especially Chip and Darius’s friendship. I want to know how his father is doing and what Laleh is like as a young teenager. So, lets all hope that there is going to be another book. Darius is the greatest.
...more

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May 11, 2020 ;3 rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, contemporary, lgbt

4.5

darius is MY crybaby gay rep

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Oct 03, 2020 solanne rated it really liked it

Darius deserves the world.

Adib Khorram I am begging you for another sequel

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Aug 15, 2020 Peyton Reads rated it really liked it

This novel was even better than the first one and I'm itching for a third installment in this series. After two books, I have deeply connected with Darius and all I want for him is happiness. My favorite part about these books is the depression representation. It is the most accurate portrayal of the mental illness that I have suffered that I have ever come across. It makes me feel for Darius and his father, who also suffers from depression, even more. I also had a lot of fun with the love trian ...more

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Aug 23, 2020 Vicky Again rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

I just finished and this was truly such an amazing way to end my weekend.

I have so many feelings. Words are hard, but I can safely say that I love Darius as a character, and I loved this sequel. I want to take the whole series and start rereading immediately--that is how much I loved this.

It's definitely a different time of Darius' life than what we saw in Darius the Great Is Not Okay. You absolutely could pick this up without reading book 1--but why would you want to? Nonetheless, Darius is no I just finished and this was truly such an amazing way to end my weekend.

I have so many feelings. Words are hard, but I can safely say that I love Darius as a character, and I loved this sequel. I want to take the whole series and start rereading immediately--that is how much I loved this.

It's definitely a different time of Darius' life than what we saw in Darius the Great Is Not Okay. You absolutely could pick this up without reading book 1--but why would you want to? Nonetheless, Darius is now at school, has a kind of boyfriend, is working at his favorite tea shop, is on the soccer team who supports him, has a good relationship with his dad, and is in a very different headspace and environment than in Darius the Great Is Not Okay.

I adored the things we did get to see from book 1--Darius' love of teas & Star Trek, his love for his sister Laleh, his friendship with Sohrab--and I loved seeing what changed. He forges a lot of new relationships, breaks off old ones, and manages to create/find a space more welcoming for himself.

It keeps that kind of slice-of-life approach to Darius as the first book, where the reader gets to see this time frame of Darius' life and what growth he went during this time. There is no concrete end goal, it just is. And this might be disconcerting, but it's wonderful and meaningful and real, and I'd highly recommend. It felt like it had a purpose and wasn't just fluff or unnecessary.

We got to explore romance and relationships for Darius overtly and not just in subtext like the first book. He's currently dating Landon, but they might not be a perfect fit for each other. Darius is good friends with Chip and isn't sure what he feels towards him. I know some people call this a love triangle, but I wouldn't personally use that term for this. It's so much more complicated than just trying to decide between two guys, and Darius himself isn't really trying to decide, but is more navigating his relationship with Landon and dealing with what isn't clicking, while Chip is in the background.

It's messy and real and it's Darius. I don't know what else I can say.

There is absolutely nothing that I disliked about this book. I loved every moment, and I wish it would never end. I cannot recommend this enough, and although I know Darius isn't for everyone, this series is so dear to me and I'll love it enough for all of us. ...more

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Dec 13, 2020 Brenda Waworga rated it really liked it

It’s really rare a contemporary YA book to get sequel, I love “Darius The Great Is Not Okay’ – visit Iran became one on my wishlist just because of this book –I was super happy to know we get a sequel for that book cause I really want to see “something happen” between these 2 characters I love in “Darius The Great Is Not okay”

*spoiler alert* It didn’t happen here but somehow this book works for me

I love how Adib Khoram always knew how to write depression in his story, it felt so relateable and y ...more

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Aug 16, 2020 Christian rated it it was amazing

Shelves: released-2020

I wonder what my assigned FBI employee must think when they see me come on here every other day in the middle of the night, just crying my eyes out, to throw yet another 5 star rating at a book.

I love these books so much. I love each and every word within them. I love Darius. His story is the sort that just sucks you in so much that you will forget about your own life. I've said in my review for book 1 that my favourite aspect was Darius's voice, how well it fit his character, and how clear of I wonder what my assigned FBI employee must think when they see me come on here every other day in the middle of the night, just crying my eyes out, to throw yet another 5 star rating at a book.

I love these books so much. I love each and every word within them. I love Darius. His story is the sort that just sucks you in so much that you will forget about your own life. I've said in my review for book 1 that my favourite aspect was Darius's voice, how well it fit his character, and how clear of a picture it painted of his mind, and the same thing can be said about this follow-up. I felt so close to him the entire time, kind of like he had put his head on my shoulder and told me all his thoughts and fears and hopes in person. And although this one feels distinctly different from its predecessor and tackled a plethora of different topics, namely the intersection of sexuality and ethnicity, and followed a more typical coming of age storyline as can be found in other YA contemporary novels, it felt fresh and engaging because it was Darius who was telling it.

Even though it had been just a little over a week, I was so anxious and excited to meet all these characters again and observe them in a more casual, everyday sort of setting. But because many trademark aspects from the first book could also be found here, the change happened seamlessly and without any problems. And I liked how although it dealt with Darius coming out to those close to him, it did so in such a gentle and very confident manner, it felt empowering and reassuring to see him receive so much love for who he is, and for how kindly he treats those around him. I especially loved the portrayal of his friends on the soccer team, an environment that is stereotypically toxic and homophobic, yet here almost became a safe haven and continuously depicted his teammates as protectors to verbal abuse. As a whole, the book had just as many tender moments as I was hoping for, and one or the other tear was constantly trickling down my cheek.

What I will say though, is that this book did not! Have! Enough! Sohrab! Hello!!! This was really weird both objectively because he was such a huge part in the other novel, and subjectively because I will die on the hill that him and Darius need to date. But this brings me to my next point, which is that I will literally go and buy 40 copies of this books if that means we get a third installment. Please. Please, I need it. I'm begging. It would be so perfect. And I feel like it would actually make sense, with how this book ends! I feel like there'd definitely be room for further exploration.

Overall, this was such a wonderful treat, and I positively devoured it. I'm beyond ecstatic to have discovered both Darius and Adib Khorram this year. I will sit on this for a moment now and contemplate my rating, but this is my truest initial reaction, and all I can say is that this was a great book.

* * *

I would like to extend a formal letter of appreciation to Myself for waiting this long to pick up Darius #1 because I would have literally thrown myself into the depths of Hell if I'd had to wait any longer for this than I now have to.

(But also... I am scared because I have high expectations and the synopsis doesn't exactly sound like what I wanted from this when reading the first book, which was mainly for Sohrab to come visit Darius in America but IT'S FINE.) ...more

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May 26, 2020 Anniek rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2-ya, fat-mc, 3-contemporary, asian-author, author-of-colour, mc-of-colour, 1-2020-releases, asian-mc, depression, lgbtq

I've been wanting a sequel ever since I first read Darius the Great Is Not Okay in 2018, and couldn't be happier that we were actually blessed with one. The first book was so special, and I can confirm this one is as well.

It actually took me a while to get into this book. I reread book 1 first and dove in right after finishing that, and because of that, I had some trouble adjusting to the tone of voice. Because this book is set a few months after the first book ends, and Darius goes through a lo ...more

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Oct 10, 2020 jut rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2020-s-books

darius really deserve the best! please read this duology, you won't regret! ...more

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Oct 23, 2020 Madalyn (Novel Ink) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, 2020-releases, library

I have been anticipating this book since it was first announced, because its predecessor has a small piece of my heart forever, and so it's fitting that this is pretty much the first book I picked up after a months-long reading slump. I don't really have anything articulate to say, except that like the first book, this one squeezed my heart and made me feel both happy and sad and just... human. It was so great to see Darius build upon all the growth and knowledge about himself he gained over the ...more

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Aug 25, 2020 Adri rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, ownvoices, favorites, queer-lit

4.5 Stars

CWs: Incurred bullying, racism, xenophobic comments, homophobic comments, descriptions of anxiety and depressive episodes, some toxic relationships, explores early signs of what could be emotional abuse

When I heard that this book was announced, I was so excited to have even more Darius content in my life, but I was also curious to see if a sequel to a contemporary YA story could hold up to the original. Now that I've read this book, let me just say: I am SO glad this story exists.

Ri 4.5 Stars

CWs: Incurred bullying, racism, xenophobic comments, homophobic comments, descriptions of anxiety and depressive episodes, some toxic relationships, explores early signs of what could be emotional abuse

When I heard that this book was announced, I was so excited to have even more Darius content in my life, but I was also curious to see if a sequel to a contemporary YA story could hold up to the original. Now that I've read this book, let me just say: I am SO glad this story exists.

Right off the bat, Darius' life is so different from how it looked in Darius the Great is Not Okay. Now he's out to his family, he has a boyfriend, he has a loving best friend, he has a promising internship at a local tea shop, and he's playing for his school's varsity soccer team. To see all of those positive things happening in his life is so important, because it shows that the good can coexist with the bad. Having all of these great things in his life doesn't mean Darius' depression is magically cured or that he doesn't struggle with body image or self-doubt. The presence of those struggles does absolutely nothing to negate the happiness he experiences and vice versa. So it's refreshing to see mental health normalized and destigmatized in that way, which I think is going to resonate so strongly for many readers.

Darius' family life is also a key aspect in this story. The dynamic between him and his parents has definitely shifted for the better; their relationship is much stronger after their trip to Iran, and they are much more intentional in expressing their feelings and affection. It's almost cathartic to be able to see Darius' parents tell him that they love him and they appreciate him, and I am such a huge fan of that openness within their family. That said, it doesn't necessarily come naturally. It's hard-win, it's something they have to consciously practice, and being better communicators doesn't mean their family is now perfect. They all still have a tendency to keep the hard stuff to themselves and to doubt themselves, and I think it's so important to see them continuing to work through those issues as a family.

The story also makes a point to explore the importance of having safe spaces in your life—whether they be people, places, or activities. Again, it's just really nice to see Darius finding his place in the soccer team, having a space that challenges toxic masculinity and encourages affirmative friendship, and finding a sense of belonging there. Then he's able to pass those lessons onto his younger sister as well, which is so important.

That idea of safe spaces is also challenged, in a sense, when it comes to how Darius is navigating his budding friendship with Chip, who used to bully Darius by proxy before they became teammates. It raises the question of whether someone who's hurt you in the past can be absolved simply by being a friend in the present tense and how you go about gauging whether this person still has the capacity to cause you hurt. Being able to confront that trauma within a relationship is incredibly difficult but necessary work, so I appreciate the way that was handled.

I was a little wary about the "love triangle" aspect of the story, and while I won't spoil anything, I will say that I was proud of Darius for where he landed in the end. His relationship with his boyfriend, Landon, and his friendship with Chip were both extremely fraught, and I think Adib Khorram played it perfectly in the end.

All in all, I think both Darius books are revolutionary in their softness and their quiet affirmation. If you want to feel comforted, valued, and seen, then these are definitely the books for you. I absolutely love what this sequel accomplished and I'm so excited to see what Adib Khorram does next! ...more

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Aug 30, 2020 Diana rated it really liked it

Darius the Great still had more to say and I'm so glad I was able to read them. This sequel is even more wholesome than the first one and Darius's relationship with his family and friends is still the purest thing on Earth. I enjoy reading him grow accustomed to his Teen Television Drama of a life, deal with Level Nine Awkward Silences, and figure things regarding passion and love out in his own.

I honestly just wish there are still more books to come instead of having only a duology because I'm ...more

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Nov 25, 2020 Jessica rated it it was amazing

Shelves: youngadult, library, contemporary

Darius the Great DOES deserve better! Bless his sweet heart!

I love how this book doesn't pull any punches about mental illness and how it can affect whole families. The frank discussion Darius has at one point, that he can be happy and still be depressed, was wonderful to see on the page! I loved how Khorram talks about micro aggressions, and how words can hurt, and how apologizing without changing anything, without even trying to not do it again, makes the "I'm sorry" so meaningless.

Like the ...more

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Sep 24, 2019 Laura marked it as to-read

Shelves: lgbtqiap-ya, ya, to-read-ya, contemporary

I know nothing about this book and I'm so freaking excited for it !! ...more

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Sep 23, 2020 Laura rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorite-reads-of-2020, cover-me

I was thrilled to hear we were getting more of Darius and his family. I knew (hoped!!!) Darius had more to say and share with us. And I was right. This boy…well you just have to meet him.

So much has changed since we last saw Darius in Iran visiting his family. Due to financial worries, his parents are working constantly. His Dad is even out of town for work, which in turn, brings his grandmothers to stay to help out. But his Dad’s parents are hard to talk to and connect with, which only seems to
I was thrilled to hear we were getting more of Darius and his family. I knew (hoped!!!) Darius had more to say and share with us. And I was right. This boy…well you just have to meet him.

So much has changed since we last saw Darius in Iran visiting his family. Due to financial worries, his parents are working constantly. His Dad is even out of town for work, which in turn, brings his grandmothers to stay to help out. But his Dad’s parents are hard to talk to and connect with, which only seems to ratchet up the tension in the house. Plus Darius is juggling working at his beloved tea shop and playing soccer at school AND spending time with his boyfriend. His first boyfriend! Darius has grown up so much! But he has a lot to balance at home and school right now. Mr. Khorram shares it all with warmth, humor, and love though. And tea! :) Lots of lovely tea.

I love this family. There are so many to love—grandparents near and far, Mom and Dad, and Darius’ little sister. Each one plays a significant role in Darius’s life and journey. Along with friends! We see Sohrab in emails and Skype, but not enough for me. I longed for more BFF time. Closer to home, Darius has soccer to help him form new friendships. The guys on the team show again and again what it means to be a team. Darius has a team of support at home too. Even though his Dad is away on business for most of the book, their connection feels stronger than ever. They help and talk to each other about their depression in this story, which was beautiful to see. This fact isn’t said enough in our society because the parent is supposed to be the rock, but children can provide just as much strength and encouragement to their parents. Darius’s relationship with his Dad shows that beautifully. Together is the best way to travel through this world and that message was tattooed on every page of this book in so many different characters and ways.

We see the bond between parent and child, best friends, teammates, co-workers, couples and more all at work here. Some connections are harder to make or change or hold on to, but they are always present. Like the power of attraction. Dating and everything that comes with it is so new to Darius. The possibility and pressures of sex are so confusing and overwhelming to him at this point. And I love that this book is so open about Darius and his body. The honesty is needed in YA! Is Darius ready for sex? Then why does he feel so uncomfortable talking about it? And why does he feel attracted to Chip? Yes, Chip! Cyprian Cusumano (Chip) may be a friend and teammate now, but once upon a time he was a part of the bullying duo that tormented Darius for years. Can Darius really forget the things Chip said or didn’t say over the years? Maybe. Because now Chip is kind and fun and beautiful and Darius’s skin can’t seem to stop humming whenever he’s near. But Landon is his boyfriend. A boy he loves spending time with, but...is he ready for more than kissing? Can Darius untangle this emotional knot? Let’s hope so! Because this boy deserves all the best.

I love Darius. He’s as sweet as they come. The way he misses his Dad, tries to be there for his Mom, stand up for his sister, and connect with his grandparents all adds up to a heartfelt read full of love. So much love and support! That’s what I took to heart here—the support and connections between people. Some were strong. Some needed to change. And maybe a few others had the potential for more. But people were there for each other! We all need to know someone has our back in this world. And my heart is so full knowing Darius has that comfort and love. He deserves it. We all do!

Now…I’m not leaving without throwing in a plea for more. Please! Darius has more to say. I know it! Can we get a senior year???!!! I want to see more of Darius and his family and Sohrab and Chip. I’ll be sitting here waiting and hoping.

Highly recommended.

Favorite Quotes:

“He wasn’t grinning at me—not really—but there was something going on his brown eyes. The ghost of a grin, maybe. Or a temporal echo of a grin he hadn’t actually grinned yet.”

“Ghorbanat beram is one of those perfect Farsi phrases you can’t quite translate into English.
The closest thing is: I would give my life for yours.
Sometimes it was just hyperbole.
But for Sohrab, it was literal.
And it was literal for me too.
That is what it means to have a best friend.”
...more

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Sep 23, 2020 vanessa (effiereads) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: made-me-laugh

A beautiful sequel to a beautiful book. Darius is the most neurotic, thoughtful, nerdy protagonist and I just want to give him a HUG.

While the first book focused on his feelings of inadequacies in being Persian American, the second discusses his feelings regarding boys, his physical appearance (there’s some great parts about male body image — even mentioning stretch marks — that are powerful!), parental relationships, and boundaries.

These books are so introspective and beautiful and I wholeheart ...more

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Jul 19, 2020 rhi ✰ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 5-star, rep-lgbtqiap-trans, all-time-favourites, format-own-paperback, buddy-read, diverse, rep-depression, favourite-2020, rep-poc, trope-sibling-relationship

i don't know where to begin with this book. i didn't expect this, that's for sure.

i definitely didn't expect to cry, much less sob like i did. rtc, but a final favourite of the year for sure.

(probably all time too.)

i truly didn't think this book could mean as much to me as the first one does, but it just cemented the fact that i am so much like darius and it hurts. ...more

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Sep 08, 2020 Sophie rated it really liked it

Shelves: almost-favourites, yarc-2020, 2020-reads

"That's the thing about silences. Sometimes they keep coming back."

CW/s: depression, death in family, financial struggles, homophobia (challenged), microaggressions/racism (challenged), mention of immigration.

I'm was so excited for this book and it definitely delivered for me. Honestly looking back at Darius The Great Is Not Okay, it was definitely a 5 star read. I really loved it so getting to step back into these characters and their story, it was ah-mazing.

This was takes qui ...more

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About Adib Khorram

Adib Khorram

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Adib Khorram is an author, a graphic designer, and a tea enthusiast. If he's not writing (or at his day job), you can probably find him trying to get his 100 yard Freestyle under a minute, or learning to do a Lutz Jump. He lives in Kansas City, Missouri, where people don't usually talk about themselves in the third person. You can find him on Twitter (@adibkhorram), Instagram (@adibkhorram), or on ...more

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“Being depressed doesn’t mean I’m not happy. It’s like, happy is one color. And depressed is another color. And you can paint happy, and then paint a little depression around the edges.” — 14 likes

“You deserve people in your life who make you happy, Darius. No matter what. Just remember that. Okay?” — 4 likes

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