Darius the Great Deserves Better

Gr 8 Up–In the award-winning Darius the Great Is Not Okay, Iranian American Darius’s sexuality is inferred, but never stated. Now Darius is out, has a boyfriend, and is supported by his family and high school soccer teammates. He video-chats with his best friend and family in Iran for updates about his dying grandfather, but while Iran’s landscapes and Persian culture are spotlighted in the first book, here the focus is on Darius navigating the complexities of being a multiracial gay teenager. He continues to be bullied, but Darius is more concerned with his younger sister Laleh’s first experiences with racism and microaggressions. As his parents struggle financially and, like Darius, with depression, his aloof, queer grandmothers are asked to live with the family for a while to help out. They eventually open up as family dilemmas force them to be more involved, and Darius learns a little about their relationship and LGBTQIA+ history. This is a page-turning YA romance at its core. The repeating line, “That’s normal, right?” reminds readers that Darius is an insecure teenager who is trying to figure out life, just like everybody else. The author skillfully places worries about being uncircumcised and having inopportune erections alongside descriptions of elegant oolong tea tastings. The soccer team’s supportive culture, established by their Black female coach, is set neatly within the frame of Darius’s tense family dynamic.