To answer questions about
Darius the Great Is Not Okay,
please sign up.
Liam
As a gay man who came of age in the early 90s, I felt like this book captured something really beautiful about what it is like to awaken to a male friendship that simultaneously might be on the knife's edge of something else--a sort of proto-queer experience. There's a really nicely handled idea in the book about the difference between a country where homosexuality is allowed but hostility toward homosocial behavior is still rampant (America) and a country where homosexuality is not allowed but homosocial behavior is very accepted (Iran). I can attest to the fact that I had a similar experience also on a trip outside of America when I was 14, where a boy was very friendly and physical with me in a way that I had never ever experienced in America. It definitely woke me up to some feelings, but I didn't realize what they meant until about 6 months later.
Susan
Why can’t men and boys just be good friends without it becoming a sexual thing? Why does everyone’s minds instantly go in that direction?
Andrea
In Persian culture (and Middle Eastern culture in general), men are much more physical with one another, i.e., hugs, throwing an arm around another. For those not familiar with Middle Eastern culture, they may have perceived this closeness between the boys as homosexual. But it is definitely not.
Alex Meeks
There's definitely a homosocial aspect to this story. There are nuggets of possibility in a homoerotic or homosocial aspect in this story. But they never reach any sort of fruition beyond a meaningful relationship between the two. At many points it seems like there's a romance building. That could be true, or it could also be the attachment from one making it seem like it's reciprocal.
Not overtly LGBT, but there are moments that it seems the LGBT connection is obviously implicit.
Not overtly LGBT, but there are moments that it seems the LGBT connection is obviously implicit.
Kelly
The author explains in the afterword that he intended for Darius to be questioning his sexuality, and that he ultimately would identify as gay given time. So it seems that the feelings Darius has toward Sohrab are romantic at times.
Elyse
This answer contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)
Chris Harvey
Nope... at one point I thought maybe a friendship was maybe heading that direction but it did not. There is a definite love vibe between Darius and a boy he meets in iran, but it never had a n overt sexual nature to it. A homoerotic undercurrent.... quite possibly.
Jeannie
Interesting on a few levels. Darius' reactions to his friend's physical shows of friendship such as shoulder bumping and hugs could make the reader wonder if Darius would at some point come out as gay. In fact, in the question and answer section in the back the author says that is up to the reader, but quite possibly Darius would in fact come out at a later point. On the flip side the friend is of Bahai faith which believes sexual relationships should be between a married man and woman. And its Iran! So, my own take away is that the friend was from a culture where men hugging and touching is normal and from a faith that really encourages kindness, at least that has been my experience with the people of the Bahai faith that I have met. So, that probably doesn't answer the question at all!
Bathmo
This answer contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)
Gail Shepherd
There's a subtle undercurrent about Darius's "difference" that may indicate he's gay. He's never had another really close male friend until he meets Sohrab. And he seems hyper aware of other boys' bodies. But that's as far as it goes. Which makes sense -- having the two boys get into a romantic relationship in Iran would have really opened up a major can of worms--male homosexuality may be punishable by death. That would have made for a *very* different novel. The relationship here is sweet, heartfelt, and platonic.
Noora
well there's supposed to be! im getting those vibes too, and honestly im very glad about it! i love ari and dante, and if its really that good, we're blessed
Liatris Cottam
I think someone not looking for it would not see it, it's that subtle and well-handled. Darius is so closed down that his brain might melt if things moved fast enough to come to anything in this book. I notice that there may be a sequel coming at some point and I would not be surprised if Darius comes to some personal realizations during the next book.
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more