Martyr! A Novel
Ratings90
Average rating4.2
One of the books that made me cry in 2024. It's got a lot going for it: a deeply flawed, deeply likeable main character, really really interesting thoughts on martyrdom and *especially* how it relates to culture/heritage/history, is written very beautifully, and has some interesting conversations about being suicidal. I read this during a dark time in life, and while I wouldn't really recommend it, it certainly amplified a lot of emotions I was having/the writing was trying to produce and most definitely skewed my enjoyment of it towards the positive as it was talking about feelings I struggled to write about properly. So big props just for that, gift a copy to your depressed friends if you want to see them go through a lot. Like other reviewers, I found the ending lackluster and brought down the whole book with it, though Orkideh's story was very beautiful. Truthfully, when I finished it I thought it was one of those books that would stick with me for a long time.. but at the end of the month, I was very close to having to consult my notes app to remember I read it. Moreso a fault of my terrible memory. The reason I didn't have to is because of what I believe is the actual highlight of this book.
I read a lot of good books or at least books I liked in 2024. Out of all of them, my favorite (or at least top 3) character would have to be Zee. He is absolutely delightful, a wonderful side character that feels so... human, for lack of a better word. My favorite chapter (p. 217 in my copy, Brooklyn day 3) is my favorite because of him, and every scene he's in was, to me like how it was to Cyrus, a much needed wake-up call. Somewhere along the way I started relating to him more. Bless the Zees of the world.
One of the books that made me cry in 2024. It's got a lot going for it: a deeply flawed, deeply likeable main character, really really interesting thoughts on martyrdom and *especially* how it relates to culture/heritage/history, is written very beautifully, and has some interesting conversations about being suicidal. I read this during a dark time in life, and while I wouldn't really recommend it, it certainly amplified a lot of emotions I was having/the writing was trying to produce and most definitely skewed my enjoyment of it towards the positive as it was talking about feelings I struggled to write about properly. So big props just for that, gift a copy to your depressed friends if you want to see them go through a lot. Like other reviewers, I found the ending lackluster and brought down the whole book with it, though Orkideh's story was very beautiful. Truthfully, when I finished it I thought it was one of those books that would stick with me for a long time.. but at the end of the month, I was very close to having to consult my notes app to remember I read it. Moreso a fault of my terrible memory. The reason I didn't have to is because of what I believe is the actual highlight of this book.
I read a lot of good books or at least books I liked in 2024. Out of all of them, my favorite (or at least top 3) character would have to be Zee. He is absolutely delightful, a wonderful side character that feels so... human, for lack of a better word. My favorite chapter (p. 217 in my copy, Brooklyn day 3) is my favorite because of him, and every scene he's in was, to me like how it was to Cyrus, a much needed wake-up call. Somewhere along the way I started relating to him more. Bless the Zees of the world.
