Darius doesn't think he'll ever be enough, in America or in Iran. Hilarious and heartbreaking, this unforgettable debut introduces a brilliant new voice in contemporary YA.
Winner of the William C. Morris Debut Award
“Heartfelt, tender, and so utterly real. I’d live in this book forever if I could.”
—Becky Albertalli, award-winning author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
Darius Kellner speaks better Klingon than Farsi, and he knows more about Hobbit social cues than Persian ones. He’s a Fractional Persian—half, his mom’s side—and his first-ever trip to Iran is about to change his life.
Darius has never really fit in at home, and he’s sure things are going to be the same in Iran. His clinical depression doesn’t exactly help matters, and trying to explain his medication to his grandparents only makes things harder. Then Darius meets Sohrab, the boy next door, and everything changes. Soon, they’re spending their days together, playing soccer, eating faludeh, and talking for hours on a secret rooftop overlooking the city’s skyline. Sohrab calls him Darioush—the original Persian version of his name—and Darius has never felt more like himself than he does now that he’s Darioush to Sohrab.
Adib Khorram’s brilliant debut is for anyone who’s ever felt not good enough—then met a friend who makes them feel so much better than okay.
YES! +I could totally relate to how Darius doesn't feel Persian enough. I'm not half-Persian, but I am half-German. Our mothers never taught us their languages. We've never been to their home country. We're always kind of on the outside. But now Darius is going to Iran to visit his grandparents. +Crash course in Persian culture! There are a lot of unfamiliar words, foods, customs, etc. I was familiar with some (shout out to my BFFF), but a lot of it was new. I do enjoy learning about other cultures, so it was all interesting to me. +Darius' friendship with Sohrab! It was so nice to see two boys get along like this and share feelings. +Darius' relationship with his dad. We both have strained, complicated relationships with our dads. We both feel like disappointments and don't know how to talk to each other. It's so real. +Great depression representation. Darius and his dad both have clinical depression and take medication for it. They both express it in different ways.
NO! -I wanted Darius and Sohrab to kiss! That's not what this book is about though, and that's perfectly fine.
