Darius Kellner doesn't feel comfortable in his own skin. Half-Iranian and half-American, he's bullied at a school in which he is one of only two Iranians. When he confides to his father about the bullying, his father simply tells him to stand up for himself, and they'll leave him alone which only contributes to the expanding gulf between Darius and his father, both of whom suffer from depression, take medicine for it, and see a psychiatrist. When Darius' grandfather in Iran is diagnosed with brain cancer, the family goes to visit, and Darius feels like more of an outsider than ever as he cannot speak Farsi, but then he meets Sohrab, a boy his age who lets him know that it's okay to feel the way he does and that he's not alone. At the same time, he learns more about where his family is from and bonds with his extended family, realizing that he is part of something much greater than himself. This novel not only provides insight into clinical depression but also imparts a deeper understanding of Iranian culture and history.
Comments