Book Review: Martyr
May 15, 2025
It's not surprising that the prose of Martyr! is exhilarating and moving: the author is an accomplished poet. The novel is a heartbreaking story of an Iranian-American working through depression, addiction, and grief and what becomes of him on the other side.
There is a twist at the end that felt slightly gimmicky to me, but the writing is so good. The poems ostensibly written by Cyrus, the main character, that begin some chapters are some of the best verse I've read in some time.
The language and the emotion of this novel carry the day, even when the plot is a bit lacking for me.