What readers think of Darius the Great Is Not Okay, plus links to write your own review.

This book has a teenage male protagonist but readers of all ages and genders will be able to relate to the difficulties he faces. Darius's Persian ancestry makes him a target of ignorant bullying at home in the USA, but a family trip to spend time with aging grandparents before it's too late to do so, is not entirely a warm and fuzzy reunion with one's maternal-side genetic roots. I found myself laughing out loud (a cliche but when it is true, there is no other way to describe one's reactions). At times, I think I even had a true guffaw. Other times, readers will likely have tears in their eyes. This really is a special book. I would be surprised if the movie rights have not already been purchased. Add it to your must-read list! In the summer of 2018 I read an ARC of this book and loved it from the start.

I would classify this as a must-read for 2018! Darius is a unique teenage boy whose story will appeal to all ages, even though the book is categorized as YA. Darius has to deal with high school life where he isn't one of the supposedly cool, in-crowd boys along with the added difficulty of having a mother whose Middle Eastern heritage is viewed with suspicion. As the story progresses, he learns to appreciate so many things about his mother's side of the family. However, the learning process is realistic: neither side of the family is portrayed with rose colored glasses. This book has laugh-out-loud moments as well as those where the reader cringes in sympathy with Darius.