Constant Reader discussion

Yes, I know I am late in starting this discussion, and I am very sorry about it. Apparently I have angered the IT gods, because I have been working on my kickoff post since 6:15 am ET. I am staying calm only because I recognize that my plight is nothing in comparison to Cyrus Shams’ litany of problems. I hope to be back in the good graces of the gods, or perhaps I’ll try AI. In the meantime, if anyone wants to pinch hit and start us off, be my guest! Mary Anne

Martyr! By Kaveh Akbar
Before we begin, I apologize for typos, errant autofills, or any other quirky things you see. I will be happy to make edits, as needed. About 3 weeks ago, my laptop was hacked with all the bells and whistles that brings into one’s home. I had to hand over the infected laptop to my laptop fixer, but that left me with only my iPhone and a new iPad for cobbling together what you see here. But lest you think I have joined the main character in a self pity party.
If you felt that the book was too sluggish or to depressing in the beginning, imagine how the young Cyrus Shams felt. Some readers have told me they couldn’t get past page 50 but I encourage you not to give up: you might realize that you were just sitting in the last car of the roller coaster, can now see that you are speeding down and twisting around at the same time.
There is plenty of supporting material on the internet. Just Google the title and that exclamation point, and you might be as amazed as I was.
This book was named to the New York Times Book Review’s 10 Best Books of 2024. The winning book was Percival Everett’s James. The New York Times Book Review has a podcast that drops on Tuesdays and Fridays and provides information about books and authors that you don’t always hear elsewhere. Of course they did a podcast announcing the top ten list. The first half of the show are the 5 fiction books, and Martyr! Is the last one covered. This is information given so you can fast forward or listen to it entirely.
Look for the title “Talking about the Best Books of 2024” dropped on Dec. 3, 2024.

I read this book in 2024 so I don’t have a lot to contribute but I thought I’d encourage others to persist by sharing my note from 2 years ago: This is an odd, extremely well written book. It took me a while to connect with the plot and the characters but I persisted and once I started caring about the characters and understood the plot better I was captivated. An apt quotation for this novel — “Oh, what a tangled web we create…when first we practice to deceive.” (from Sir Walter Scott's poem Marmion) Also, a passage I took note of — Seneca said grief should only last seven years — Anything more was indulgent.

I literally just finished the book and wrote a singularly uninformative brief starting review. I did like this quite a lot but agree it began slowly and was more difficult to read. I actually didn’t try to read much in any one sitting in the beginning. But after a while, I found that the book really flowed well. The writing is excellent and, as I think back on it, some of my issues with reading may have been related to following Cyrus’s thoughts and speech which were negatively affected by drugs and anxiety and depression. Once the narrative opens up, the words seemed to flow more easily even from Cyrus.

I’m looking forward to other’s thoughts about many parts of this book.

I seldom re-read books, but this novel is so original and the writing is so good that I wanted to revisit it. I am about one-third done, and I am enjoying my reread.

On my first read I was confused about what was really going on for a long time. This time I am not burdened by trying to figure out the plot ahead of time. I can pay more attention to the language and psychological aspects.

For those who have not finished, the story has some very interesting twists and turns, so don't give up early.

I'll be back later when I have finished.

You make a good point, Ann. Early on in the first reading of a book, any book, one is confused about where we are going. This book, even more so because the narrator is in a drunken and/or stoned stupor and we are there with him. Maybe we’re thinking that what we are reading is pretty disgusting, and it is a struggle for us to read further.

If you have finished reading the entire book, I invite you to go back to the first chapter and reread the first page. Better yet, have the author himself read it to you in this clip from a Politics and Prose book talk, accompanied by author Clint Smith. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phLsO...

The opening pages of the novel start a 2:40 and run to 8:27. Watching the entire interview will give you insight into the men who are these two authors, and who are BFFs. Who knew?

But back to the opening clip, when I reread it, I wondered why I didn’t see the irony underlining the tone the first time? When you listen to Akbar’s reading, does the passage seem even more ironic? Or did you still feel that you were only reading about his addicted life?

I’m going to have to think on this and also listen to it.

I love that Akbar and Smith are close friends. I want to read more from both.

I have to say, I am profoundly in the minority on this book. I don’t want to kill the buzz, so I doubt I’ll have much to say. But I’ll stick around for the conversation, because I’m curious.

Mary Anne and Sue,

Okay, I finished my reread.

Thanks so much for the link to the Clint Smith interview, Mary Anne. I am not familiar with Clint Smith, but it sounds like I should be.

I really liked the interview. Kaveh Akbar is a very interesting person. He is not what I expected, with his mop of hair and nervous gestures. He has a welcoming personality and a sense of humor. I very much enjoyed his reading of the opening of the book. I did catch the irony right away, perhaps because I am also someone who would like to be a believer, but can’t quite get there.

This book has a lot of very sad parts. The descriptions of Cyrus’s life when he was totally consumed by alcohol (with drugs on the side) were depressing. And his thoughts about suicide were certainly unsettling.

Yet there were definitely humorous parts – especially in the dream sequences. It was fun to see Lisa Simpson in a dream, and I particularly enjoyed that dream with Karleem Abdul-Jabbar and Cyrus’s imaginary little brother Beethoven.

A listener asked Akbar if the book was a kind of auto-fiction. He replied that it was not. He drew on some of his thoughts and experiences for all the main characters – Cyrus, but also Roya, Zee, and Ali.

I was curious and also listened to another YouTube interview, this time with author and friend John Green. It is called “Seeking Meaning in Faith, Art, and Others”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-r-O...

Akbar now has very short hair and seemed more at ease. Both Green and Akbar try to do good in the world. Akbar works a lot with addicts in the beginning of recovery, including people in prisons and half-way houses.

What did you think of the ending of the book?

spoko wrote: "I have to say, I am profoundly in the minority on this book. I don’t want to kill the buzz, so I doubt I’ll have much to say. But I’ll stick around for the conversation, because I’m curious."

I am with spoko. I didn't really like this book.

I didn't find the beginning pages ironic even after reading it a second time. I had very little patience with Cyrus because of his drug use and his obsession with martyrdom. He seems to be avoiding life and just focusing on death. I felt that he was not really living his life and that he was blaming everything on his mother's supposed death in the airplane. Orkideh wasn't a martyr either. She lived her life and used her death as an art installation. Her abandonment of her son and husband had a negative impact on their lives. What if she had revealed to her husband that she was still alive right after the plane was shot down?

Ann, I don't really understand the ending.

I am in my own morass of self pity as I am still hampered by faulty technology. But if you don’t mind, I promise we will get to our thoughts of the ending, but I would like to get some thoughts on the title, Martyr! This is a word that has several different meanings, and that fact alone makes me wary of the author’s intent. As I try to make sense of Akbar’s use of the word Martyr! Complete with that odd exclamation point. Here are some definitions:
Merrriam-Webster dictionary:
1. A person who voluntarily suffers death as the penalty for declaring belief in and refusing to renounce faith.
2. A person who sacrifices something of great value and especially life itself for the sake of principle.
3. A martyr to the cause.
4. A victim, especially a great or constant sufferer (not Constant Reader).
Dictionary.com:
1. a person who willingly suffers death rather than renounce their religion.
2. a person who is put to death or endures great suffering on behalf of any belief, principle, or cause.
3. a person who undergoes severe or constant suffering.
4. a person who seeks sympathy or attention by feigning or exaggerating pain, deprivation, etc.

Wikipedia:
Martyrdom in Iran: Aspect of Shia Islamic influence in Iran

“The concept of martyrdom is understood in the Western world as facing persecution and giving of one’s life for a set of beliefs, most often religious beliefs. The definition of martyrdom is expanded in Iran, where martyrs from the distant past as well as martyrs from the modern age. In Iran, Shia Islam is the majority religion, at 89% of the estimated 79 million inhabitants, and is a very important part of public and political life…In Iran today, those who died in the revolution and the soldiers who died in the Iran/Iraq War are also considered martyrs. These modern-day martyrs are also treated with great respect after their deaths. The special treatment of martyrs begins during burial, as martyrs have special burial rites and the graves are well maintained…Graveyards that hold the bodies of martyrs have taken on the characteristics of a public park, with families gathering to have picnics by the graves of their loved ones while listening to hired performers play music, recite poetry, or read verses from the Quran.”

I’ve done some editing to shorten some of the definitions so I wouldn’t be writing for another four hours.

I think the Wikipedia definition is most appropriate, with #4 on Dictionary.com coming in 2nd. But with Wikipedia giving us the special Iranian treatment that Akbar is going for definition that supplies special meaning to a person of Iranian origin.

There’s a New York Times review published Jan. 19, 2024, “A Death-Haunted first Novel Incandescent With Life” written by author Junot Diaz. Of course, Diaz loves the book.

By the way, Cyrus’ family name is Shams, another word with multiple meanings.

UK in

I’m sure it’s due to the tech issues, but you missed a few crucial words from the Wikipedia entry:

The definition of martyrdom is expanded in Iran, where martyrs are greatly revered, including . . .

________________________________

I think the character of Cyrus exposes another aspect of martyrdom: Individuals who can’t seem to make anything meaningful of their life, trying instead to wring some meaning from their death. In the end, of course, he doesn’t follow through on that, but it certainly seems to be the direction he’s heading for much of the novel.
________________________________

Mary Anne wrote: “Cyrus’ family name is Shams, another word with multiple meanings.”

I wondered if it might be a reference to Shams Tabrizi, the Persian poet & friend of Rumi. But given the author’s strong tendency to maximally expose all his reference points, I suppose he wouldn’t have left something like that unsaid (especially when Rumi himself makes an appearance).

https://www.theguardian.com/books/202...

The link to a review in the Guardian.

Thank you, Spoko, for cleaning up my mistakes.

One more interview, then let’s get to the ending.

This one is an interview with Ari Velshi.

https://youtu.be/WZ4SwWWeVsA?is=GZ2Q7...-

Mary Anne, thanks for taking the time to post these definitions and the explanation of the significance of "martyrs" in the Shia sect of Islam.

The theocratic government of Iran cynically abused these ideas in its wartime propaganda. It's chilling to think of officials congratulating parents on the death of their boys during the Iraq War because they died as "martyrs" or sending masses of young soldiers through mine laden fields knowing most would be blown up. They would just add to the grand total of martyrs.

Cyrus rejected these examples of so-called martyrdom. Instead, he wanted to study individuals whose lives, and consequently deaths, had meaning.

The dedication to this novel is "for the martyrs, who live."

I liked the reviews. Most of the critics were very positive, but the Guardian one was scathing:

"For all its well-intentioned sincerity, this novel’s emotive overkill has the effect of numbing the reader’s empathy. It’s not quite “trauma porn”, but it’s not far off."


This was not my experience, but I do understand why others feel differently, Jane and Spoko.

I don’t know whether to be thankful annoyed that my typed entries keep flying off into cyberspace without posting.

I found some book discussion guides that review the possible meanings of the Shams family name.

What is the meaning of the family name shams in martyr
The family name Shams (شمس) translates directly from Arabic and Persian to mean "sun" or "solar radiance."
Linguistic and Cultural Meaning
• Literal Translation: "Sun" or bright, illuminating light.
• Literary & Spiritual Resonance: In Persian culture and Sufi mysticism—which heavily influence Kaveh Akbar’s novel [Martyr!]—the name evokes Shams-e Tabrizi, the 13th-century mystic and spiritual mentor to the renowned poet Rumi. Shams is often a symbol of divine illumination, sudden spiritual awakening, and consuming warmth.
Context in Martyr!
• Cyrus Shams: The protagonist, an Iranian-American poet struggling with addiction and grief, carries a surname that subtly contrasts with his dark, tragic preoccupation with death and meaninglessness.
• Thematic Contrast: While "Shams" means the life-giving, radiant sun, Cyrus spends much of the novel fixated on the shadowed, terminal ends of life—specifically martyrdom—trying to force a brilliant, illuminating purpose out of senseless family tragedies.

Other interesting questions are on the guides, such as did Cyrus and Zee live or die at the end of the book? Did we readers notice the difference in the way Cyrus’ name was pronounced in Iran vs. in the US? How did the other characters’ roles impact the story (eg. Roya, Uncle Arash, Sang, Gabe, etc.

I’ve been thinking about the different manifestations of martyrdom in the book. The traditional sense we usually have—the leading definitions in the Merriam-Webster entry quoted above—is of martyrdom as a single, dramatic event with an identifiable impact on the lives of others. But I think the book leans away from that, toward forms of martyrdom that are more drawn out and less monumental. The most obvious example is Orkideh, when she says “I sacrificed my entire life” for her art. That struck me immediately as a statement of martyrdom.

A less obvious example is Cyrus’ father, who is described as “living only to ensure his son’s safe passage into adulthood,” and who then dies once that landmark is achieved, he surrenders to physical death. It’s an interesting case, though, because it isn’t the death that’s the martyrdom; to the contrary, it’s the life leading up to it that was the real sacrifice. But it still seems to me a kind of martyrdom.

I also think it’s interesting that Cyrus says he wants his life and death to matter more than his parents’, when his mother’s (supposed) death mattered immensely to both him and his father. Not in a good way, and it wasn’t “for” something, but it did matter. As did the decades his father spent on the chicken farm.

I haven’t been able to comment for a few days and my book is back at the library now. I still feel that I will be questioning aspects of this novel any time I think of it. My feelings about the beginning of the book…well at times I saw Cyrus as self indulgent, as that age can be, in spite of his (because of his?) history of addiction, alcoholism and depression. Perhaps the idea of martyrdom is his link to his lost culture. But I do think he changes over the course of this story. He begins to see his relationship to another, Zee, in a more mature and healthy way.

As for the ending! Now I have a variety of thoughts on that and a question about Zee which I can’t double check since I don’t have a copy of the book any longer. I may actually read this again some day to see if I pick up more details.

I didn't participate in the discussion because I read the book over two years ago and didn't recall it very well. But I do remember I loved it and thought it was very well written. I wrote a review at the time. A brief excerpt from my review:

The writing is witty, philosophical, profound, moving, introspective, and always compelling. Even though we are provided with only brief glimpses of some of the characters, they are depicted as three-dimensional, complex individuals. Cyrus emerges as a multifaceted, haunted, bisexual male, occupying the liminal space between two cultures, struggling to find a purpose in life and a meaning in death.

Tamara wrote: "I didn't participate in the discussion because I read the book over two years ago and didn't recall it very well. But I do remember I loved it and thought it was very well written. I wrote a review..."

I agree Tamara, about how well written this book is. The multiple characters depicted with such individuality really captured me. And as I got more used to Cyrus, I began to see so much more in him than my initial impression.

Sue, I had purchased a copy of the book, but it is no longer sitting on my shelf. I must have loaned it to someone and never got it back. I was planning to ask what question you had about Zee to see if I could look it up for you. Sorry I can't help.

Buckle up and get yourself another cup of coffee.


I have been ruminating about Martyr! and about historical events that may or may not be directly related to the facts described in the novel. To be sure, this is fiction, but when a book invokes international terrorism and American military power, the author must know readers will start doing their own research alongside the story.
Early in the novel, we learn that Cyrus’s mother, Roya, plans to take a new mother’s getaway when Cyrus is almost four months old. She is scheduled to travel to Dubai on Iran Air Flight 655, which is shot down over Iranian waters by the USS Vincennes. Afterward the United States says the aircraft was mistakenly identified. All 290 passengers and crew onboard were killed, including 65 children. The Vincennes is an American warship returning from a mission protecting an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz during the Iran-Iraq War.

Thinking about that period immediately brings back other airplane terror tragedies. Netflix is now showing a six-episode series, The Bombing of Pan Am 103, which I had been avoiding for personal reasons. Reading Martyr! pushed me back into that history. On December 21, 1988, only five months after the Iran Air disaster, a bomb exploded on Pan Am 103 as it traveled from London to New York. All 259 passengers and crew were killed, along with 11 people on the ground in Lockerbie, Scotland.
The timing and passenger list are what unsettled me. Two-thirds of those killed on Pan Am 103 were Americans, which raises an obvious, if historically complicated, question: was this bombing connected in any way to retaliation for the American downing of the Iranian plane?

At the time, I experienced these events separately, almost from inside a cocoon. Each was disturbing, but I did not connect them. Now, reading Martyr! while the Pan Am story is being retold on television, I feel overwhelmed by the proximity of the two events. The connection is also personal: I have a friend whose brother was on Pan Am 103. I did not know her then, and only learned recently about her family’s link to the tragedy.

That is why Akbar’s choices feel so striking. Martyr! is fiction, or perhaps autofiction, and Akbar is free to select the historical moments that shape Cyrus’s consciousness. Yet Pan Am 103 remains embedded in American public memory, while Iran Air 655 is far less present in ordinary American conversation. The imbalance matters.

Akbar gives 9/11 the role of the defining American event in Cyrus’s life, which is understandable and probably true for many Americans. Still, the earlier pairing of Iran Air 655 and Pan Am 103 complicates that framework. It suggests that Cyrus’s story is not only about what America remembers, but also about what America forgets.

So where does that leave Cyrus? If he were to write his life story as proof of the ways America ruined him, and then nominate himself for international prizes, he would likely discover that recognition is not the same as repair. Praise from Americans or Iranians would not resolve the contradiction at the center of his identity. That may be what Zee is trying to warn him about: Cyrus wants martyrdom to make his suffering fathomable, but history may only make it more tangled.

Excellent note, Mary Anne! I'm returning home today after a week watching kids and dogs. More later.

Mary Anne wrote: "At the time, I experienced these events separately, almost from inside a cocoon. Each was disturbing, but I did not connect them. ..."

I appreciate your post, Mary Anne.

And to add a little bit to what you said above, I think there are very few man-made tragedies that are not connected to actions of the past. Two tragic events may initially appear to be isolated, but more often than not, one is a reaction to an injustice--or perceived injustice--perpetrated in the past. An event has to be situated in context to understand why it happened. To contextualize does not mean one is justifying the action. But the least we can do is to begin to understand why people perpetrate such acts of violence and, hopefully, explore avenues for addressing previous injustices if they do, indeed, exist.

My question about Zee is separate from the above conversation and has to do with his being, i.e. was he alive in those last moments of the book. I have a vague memory of encountering Zee a bit earlier, but still late in the book, when he seems to be acknowledged as dead and with others that Cyrus knows are dead. Not sure if it was a dream or what. I only know it would have occurred after Zee left Cyrus in the hotel room, upset with him., before Cyrus’s final visit to the museum.

Now maybe I imagined this or misinterpreted something. I can’t imagine that happening. But I did wonder at the end as it colors the finale.

Mary Anne,
Thanks for your post comparing the U. S. bombing of the Iranian passenger plane 655 on July 3, 1988 and the bombing of the Pan Am flight 103 five months later. It really made me think and led me to dive into the morass of internet information about these two tragedies.

U. S. officials excused shooting down the Iranian plane at the time as a regrettable, but excusable case of mistaken identity during a time of military conflict. The statements of American officials that are excerpted in the novel are cold and self-justifying. Eventually, the US agreed to allocate $65.1 million dollars to compensate people who died in the US bombing. It did not acknowledge guilt.

The Iranian government alleged that the bombing was a deliberate attack on a civilian plane. It figured prominently in its anti-US propaganda. They even commemorated the event on a postage stamp.

Click here to see a picture of the stamp:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_Ai...


As for the Pan Am bombing, as you pointed out, we have read much more about it in the American press than the other attack. It was horrendous. I am so sorry about your friend who lost her brother. The Libyans were accused of bombing the Pan Am plane in retribution for US attacks. The Libyan government denied government responsibility but said some of its officials were involved. One of the alleged Libyan perpetrators was acquitted, and there is some question about the guilt of the one who was convicted. Under pressure, the Libyan government ended up paying a very large compensation to the victims of the bombing.

Were the Iranians involved? Some think so. Abolghassem Mesbahi, a high ranking Iranian intelligence officer, defected to the West and in 2014 accused the Ayatollah of Iran of being behind the bombing of the Pan Am flight.

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-Ne...

I guess who was responsible for what isn’t that important for most of the families of those killed. Their sense of loss for seemingly meaningless deaths must be immense.

In Martyr! Cyrus was told his mother died in the American attack, but not much more. He missed the mother he never knew. He even staged a personal, secret memorial day for her. His father was a good man, but worked 6 days a week in a very disagreeable job and had little energy left over for Cyrus’s questions.

The American attack on the Iranian plane forms the center of the plot. It was indeed a tragedy, but not the one Cyrus imagined.

This book made me think about the Iranian people I used to know. It makes me sad to think how they must have suffered in the Iranian-Iraq War, the US-Iranian War and at the hands of their own government.

Sur, I am so glad you brought this up. In the days I have been researching reviews and commentary for Martyr! I couldn’t help but notice disputes between readers in the “Comment below” sections. They were wondering what the ending meant. Arguing over who was dead or who was alive at the end. In general, a drumbeat of unrest about who “ got it”.
I had finished the book seeing a satisfied ending for Cyrus. But successive days of pondering led me to doubt. This, I hope, can be remedied by another reading. I’m not in a position to read the book right now so I will rely upon your opinions here.
One thing I do believe is that if our friend Ruth had finished the book. She would say it was too pat, too much like a present wrapped in glittery paper with a big red bow tied on top. And she would’ve been right there were a bunch of things, especially in the second part of the book that were just too coincidental to be true: Cyrus’s mother turns up in New York and just happens to go into the right store run by woman who would be her future agent who would make an art world star out of her. Where have I heard that story before? And Sang, that selfless agent who takes Orkideh on then realizes she’s not in love anymore at the moment Orkideh announces that she has cancer. How convenient!

Mary Anne wrote: "Sur, I am so glad you brought this up. In the days I have been researching reviews and commentary for Martyr! I couldn’t help but notice disputes between readers in the “Comment below” sections. Th..."

True there were lots of convenient happenings in the novel, but the ending seemed beyond that to me. Did Cyrus OD? Did he suffer a breakdown and begin hallucinating or what? Did he join Zee in death, did they both die or something truly other? Were they on some bad drugs. Was it a dream?

At some point I will try to read this again too but it won’t be for a while. Most of the coincidences didn’t really bother me when I was reading. Life can be strange. But … there’s always a but in thinking of aspects of this book and Cyrus’s experiences.

Sue, I didn’t like he ending at all. I have now read it 3 times, and it seems to be intentionally confusing. For what it’s worth, this is my take. Cyrus goes back and forth about whether he wants to commit suicide. He is tired of living, but he acknowledges that his death would hurt people. It would also have no meaning unless he has first done something worthwhile for others. In the end, I think suicide is off the table for him.

After the argument with Zee, Cyrus finally comes to his senses. He realizes that he does love Zee, who has always been good to him, even when he was in a deep depression.

Most of the end is a dream sequence. There are many others in the book. I can’t begin to explain what it all means - the ground getting hot with fissures opening up, the drastic changes in the weather, etc.

I acknowledge that others may interpret the final segment in an entirely different way!

Ann D wrote: "Sue, I didn’t like he ending at all. I have now read it 3 times, and it seems to be intentionally confusing. For what it’s worth, this is my take. Cyrus goes back and forth about whether he wants t..."

Perhaps that is part of the story, Ann, that we can each read our own ending. I like your thoughts leading up to the finale. That’s what I was thinking too. Then I sort of threw up my hands (in addition to having my questions about Zee).

I agree that the ending, indeed much of the book is a series of dreams. In fact, in the Politics & Prose interview, just as the two authors are finishing up, Akbar describes how he asks his wife what she dreamt about and writes the stories down. Clint Smith says “there you have it , folks…” There are two ways to interpret that comment, and one is as a key or spoiler to the way Akbar wrote the book. The other is Smith saying the key to a happy marriage is to tell each other your dreams as stories.

By the way, Akbar’s wife is a writer, poet Paige Lewis, who teaches at university of Iowa.

This book has caused me to ruminate more than any book I've read for a while. I almost quit on it about 1/3 of the way through but then it grabbed me. Cyrus is such an unattractive character initially. It was hard for me to sympathize with him. But, as his past unfurled, I understood him more and more.

I've heard Akbar's writing described as being pretentious, all of the literary references that are dropped, etc. But, after I watched that excellent recording of his appearance with Clint Smith, I realized that Cyrus is a reflection of Kaveh Akbar whose mind is simply incredible. I sent my brother a link to the interview. I don't know, and he doesn't either, whether he will read the book but his reaction was, ""Brilliance is always a delight....how wonderful that he's out there."

As for the ending, I assumed that it was another dream, but, by far, the happiest. I think that the contrast between that dream and the others may be at the essence of the book.

I definitely like your thoughts on the ending, Barbara. Cyrus was at his happiest which I liked and was also pleased for him to have been able to realize some happiness for himself after so much trauma.

I haven’t yet seen the interview with Clint Smith though I have seen another. I will have to watch the one with Smith.

Good to read your thoughts on this book. I agree with you.

I find Akbar the author very interesting. We were at the University of Iowa for our last CR convention. Both Akbar and his poet spouse Paige Lewis teach in the undergraduate creative writing program at Iowa. It is interesting to imagine crossing paths with them during our visit, although I am sure that never happened.

Here is a link to a short interview with Akbar and a university journalist: https://now.uiowa.edu/news/2025/02/co...

Regarding the unexpected success of his novel, Akbar says:

The conceit of someone reading my very specific novel that feels very much like I just tipped my head over and poured my brain out into novel form feels bewildering and an occasion for a lot of gratitude.

Ann D wrote: "Good to read your thoughts on this book. I agree with you.

I find Akbar the author very interesting. We were at the University of Iowa for our last CR convention. Both Akbar and his poet spouse Pa..."

Thanks for that interview, Ann

Got a late start but just finished the book and all of your excellent comments. I’ll share a few preliminary thoughts. First, I thought the writing was brilliant in places. I can’t remember when I’ve highlighted so many sentences and passages that, for me, were profound and original. At the same time, I thought the writing was also self-indulgent at times and that Abkar just couldn’t resist showing off with all of his cultural (art, music, literature) references.

Like several of you, I didn’t like Cyrus much at the beginning, but this changed some as I began to understand his struggles with identity - a major theme.

I know I’ll re-read this at some point and I’m eager to look at some of the interviews.

Dear all,
I am late to finish the book but I just did.
I have struggled to connect with the story and writing and finish it in time. I did find the writing intermitently good and some ideas interesting, I had empathy for the identity search.
I just found it too much of a concoct of ideas, stories, many dramatic experiences, etc. So it was hard for me to have a round experience of it.
But, I am not writing iff the author. I actually find his discussion with Dua Lipa in her podcast quite interseting.