A review by annaavian
Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

"Martyr!" is a mixed bag of a novel. While not a terrible read, it lacks cohesion and effectiveness, ultimately falling short of its potential. The story feels more like a collection of disconnected pieces rather than a well-crafted narrative. It's a shame, because I appreciated the novel's attempts at exploring the concept of martyrdom and giving life meaning through death. Unfortunately, it comes up short and left me feeling disappointed. The author uses different perspectives, such as Cyrus's, Zee's, dreams, poems and even historical figures, to tell the story, but the resulting mess is both disjointed and uninteresting. Despite its flaws, "Martyr!" is an admirable experiment in storytelling, but one that ultimately falters in its execution.
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