I loved this book and I really didn’t pay much attention to the twist… My twist was deciding - How did it end?? It could go two ways although after thinking about it and rereading parts I think I might have decided. I did think it meandered a bit. I totally understand why some readers would not like it. It’s not a book for everyone.
Okay I thought that Martyr! was a naive but utterly romantic debut and I completely loved it. And, I really dug the ending! I feel like the fairytale nature of the coincidences and the ending of the novel are part of what martyrs! Cyrus to the reader. Makes his struggle mean something. But I still love your review as always! Keep the good reads coming :) thank you
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! I have just finished this & was left very underwhelmed if I’m completely honest. The jumping between voices really did not work for me, I wish it was solely focused on Cyrus & Zee. The language also didn’t strike me in the way that language in novels written by poets normally does. Thematically I respect it but just didn’t quite hit the mark for me. 📚
Just purchased Martyr this week, so I'm so happy you have reviewed it. ( From my last comment, Stoner, I found Stoner under my piles books, thought I was going to buy a new copy). It just finished, it's my new favourite book. I'm a little worried about starting Martyr it may end up in the Charity shop after reading.
Totally agree! I just finished reading it as part of the Waterstones shortlist and feel pretty meh about it overall. The poems and imagined segments were a bit of a slog and the twist was pretty awful. But I liked the dissection of some of the themes and I actually appreciated the structure going back and exploring the mother's time in Iran etc. Great review!
I just finished it, and I agree with your take on the poems adding nothing to the plot, really. This will be a bit of a *spoiler*, but I also agree with you that the plot twist ruined the book a bit. However, I was left puzzled about why he didn't use the other girl from Iran as a possible explanation for who the artist was. It felt really weird and too convenient the way the twist happened-I mean, what are the odds? Also, the other characters in the novel-Zee, the dad, the uncle-could have been explored in much more depth if the author wanted to. Anyway, I'd give it a 4-star rating, though
Hey Roro, agree the tha dream sequences were a bit jarring and I found myself really skimming over them. I have read before that people who are recovering addicts report of having unusually vivid dreams. While it's not specified in the book, this might be an excuse for the exagerrated dream sequences. This thought made helped me make the sequences a little more palatable!
Excellent review Sir. I'm going to put this on my TBR because as a recovering addict the theme of addiction is right up my dark alley. You were discussing dreams and I'm curious to know whether these dreams occurred while the main character was detoxing. The first few years of recovery my dreams were so vivid I would wake up thinking I relapsed because I was trying to use in my dream. The brain is a sadistic partner. lol. Also, I really enjoyed your Demon Cooperhead review. Cheers.
@@blacknbluecollarreader really! I didn’t know that. I have a friend who is a recovering addict, and we’ve spoke at length about it, which is why many sections reflected both his and Cyrus’s canid nature around the subject. The dreams take place when Cyrus is quite a few years sober.
@@rororeads That's what I thought. I was at least 2 years clean/sober and these 'drug dreams' would still haunted me with complete clarity 2 years after my clean date. While using I didn't remember shit, let alone my dreams. lol. Awesome video brother.
I agree with your review. I think Akbar can write but the story lost its way, it was just a meh book for me. Some people have put this on their Booker predictions but it falls well short of that in my opinion. However, I would read another book by him in the future as I think he has the capacity to improve.
I loved this book until the twist. It was cringeworthy, which is unfortunate because I loved the writing and the dynamic between Zee and Cyrus. I will say that I think potential was there for a good twist. It’s hard to explain without spoiling, but I think the twist character could have still come into play towards the end of the book in a more intentional, less coincidental capacity and it would have worked much better.
The fragments of the family and the past are very interesting but they are buried in the annoying, absurd, corny and childish main plot. Kind of wanted to throw it across the room KDBooks-like.
My 2 cents. This is one of the stupidiest novels I've ever read. A story full of plot holes and far-fetched situations, characters who barely exist or seem like caricatures, besides being very unlikable, and whose dialogues seem many times worthy of a Mexican telenovela. Honestly, this reads like a novel written by a delusional junkie or a teenager with zero experience of life. Some hilarious improbabilities in the story: SPOILER ALERT A woman in 1980s Iran suddenly finds at the age of ~25 that she is a lesbian and decides to abandon her husband and newborn son to run away with her lover. A bit unlikely, but OK. Then she manages somehow to fly to Turkey and then to US with the false identity of her dead lover (!). As if there was no border control then. OK. In the US, without the help of any family or friends and with just a menial, poorly paid job, she manages not only to survive, but to suddenly discover herself as a visual artist (without it being explained to us what artistic training she before, apart from the mention of doodling), and in twenty-five years she builds a career as a world art celebrity!!! A truly self-made artist! Really? In what world is this possible? Only in the world of Anything Goes. Then we have her iranian husband. His wife is killed by the US Navy and the first thing that comes to his mind is to emigrate not to France or Germany, which btw are much closer to Iran, but to the US! Really? I could give many more examples of historical ignorance and psychological implausibility in this novel, but it's not worth it. It's all too stupid.
![[DRAGON BALL LEGENDS REVEALS ＆ STUFF] LEGENDS FESTIVAL 2024 Special Edition Part 1](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/mV5bGIswTtQ/mqdefault.jpg)
I loved this book and I really didn’t pay much attention to the twist… My twist was deciding - How did it end?? It could go two ways although after thinking about it and rereading parts I think I might have decided. I did think it meandered a bit. I totally understand why some readers would not like it. It’s not a book for everyone.
HERE WE GOOOOOO
Okay I thought that Martyr! was a naive but utterly romantic debut and I completely loved it. And, I really dug the ending!
I feel like the fairytale nature of the coincidences and the ending of the novel are part of what martyrs! Cyrus to the reader. Makes his struggle mean something.
But I still love your review as always! Keep the good reads coming :) thank you
The variety of textures in the kislux pack is impressive. From smooth leather to textured suede, there's something for everyone.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! I have just finished this & was left very underwhelmed if I’m completely honest. The jumping between voices really did not work for me, I wish it was solely focused on Cyrus & Zee. The language also didn’t strike me in the way that language in novels written by poets normally does. Thematically I respect it but just didn’t quite hit the mark for me. 📚
Just purchased Martyr this week, so I'm so happy you have reviewed it. ( From my last comment, Stoner, I found Stoner under my piles books, thought I was going to buy a new copy). It just finished, it's my new favourite book. I'm a little worried about starting Martyr it may end up in the Charity shop after reading.
Totally agree! I just finished reading it as part of the Waterstones shortlist and feel pretty meh about it overall. The poems and imagined segments were a bit of a slog and the twist was pretty awful. But I liked the dissection of some of the themes and I actually appreciated the structure going back and exploring the mother's time in Iran etc. Great review!
I just finished it, and I agree with your take on the poems adding nothing to the plot, really. This will be a bit of a *spoiler*, but I also agree with you that the plot twist ruined the book a bit. However, I was left puzzled about why he didn't use the other girl from Iran as a possible explanation for who the artist was. It felt really weird and too convenient the way the twist happened-I mean, what are the odds? Also, the other characters in the novel-Zee, the dad, the uncle-could have been explored in much more depth if the author wanted to. Anyway, I'd give it a 4-star rating, though
Hey Roro, agree the tha dream sequences were a bit jarring and I found myself really skimming over them. I have read before that people who are recovering addicts report of having unusually vivid dreams. While it's not specified in the book, this might be an excuse for the exagerrated dream sequences. This thought made helped me make the sequences a little more palatable!
Oops, I see this is already being discussed. Interesting!
Where do you get all these special edition covers? (If that’s what they are)
@@beverlylina3294 that’s just the UKs hardcover :)
I predict that I will be reading this in August with a growing feeling of resentment and existential ennui that is synonymous with booker season baby
@@bookishmartin 😂
Excellent review Sir. I'm going to put this on my TBR because as a recovering addict the theme of addiction is right up my dark alley. You were discussing dreams and I'm curious to know whether these dreams occurred while the main character was detoxing. The first few years of recovery my dreams were so vivid I would wake up thinking I relapsed because I was trying to use in my dream. The brain is a sadistic partner. lol. Also, I really enjoyed your Demon Cooperhead review. Cheers.
@@blacknbluecollarreader really! I didn’t know that. I have a friend who is a recovering addict, and we’ve spoke at length about it, which is why many sections reflected both his and Cyrus’s canid nature around the subject. The dreams take place when Cyrus is quite a few years sober.
@@rororeads That's what I thought. I was at least 2 years clean/sober and these 'drug dreams' would still haunted me with complete clarity 2 years after my clean date. While using I didn't remember shit, let alone my dreams. lol. Awesome video brother.
I’m usually simpatico with your reading taste.. I “may” try it
I agree with your review. I think Akbar can write but the story lost its way, it was just a meh book for me. Some people have put this on their Booker predictions but it falls well short of that in my opinion. However, I would read another book by him in the future as I think he has the capacity to improve.
I have this on hold at the library and now I'm scared to read it. 😂 Hopefully I'll like it. 😬
Great review.
Thank you!! Hope you’re well.
I loved this book until the twist. It was cringeworthy, which is unfortunate because I loved the writing and the dynamic between Zee and Cyrus. I will say that I think potential was there for a good twist. It’s hard to explain without spoiling, but I think the twist character could have still come into play towards the end of the book in a more intentional, less coincidental capacity and it would have worked much better.
I thought it was good enough, but I dont quite understand the hype (and yes, the twist...).
Between you and Kieran, I won’t be reading this 🤣🤌🏼
😂
I say otherwise!!!
@@KDbooks whaaaaaaat?! You want me to read this?!
@@alanaestelle2076 did I stutter?
@@KDbooks OMG BRUH! 🤣 I need a more convincing answer than that 🤣🤣🤣
The fragments of the family and the past are very interesting but they are buried in the annoying, absurd, corny and childish main plot. Kind of wanted to throw it across the room KDBooks-like.
My 2 cents. This is one of the stupidiest novels I've ever read.
A story full of plot holes and far-fetched situations, characters who barely exist or seem like caricatures, besides being very unlikable, and whose dialogues seem many times worthy of a Mexican telenovela.
Honestly, this reads like a novel written by a delusional junkie or a teenager with zero experience of life.
Some hilarious improbabilities in the story:
SPOILER ALERT
A woman in 1980s Iran suddenly finds at the age of ~25 that she is a lesbian and decides to abandon her husband and newborn son to run away with her lover. A bit unlikely, but OK.
Then she manages somehow to fly to Turkey and then to US with the false identity of her dead lover (!). As if there was no border control then. OK.
In the US, without the help of any family or friends and with just a menial, poorly paid job, she manages not only to survive, but to suddenly discover herself as a visual artist (without it being explained to us what artistic training she before, apart from the mention of doodling), and in twenty-five years she builds a career as a world art celebrity!!! A truly self-made artist!
Really? In what world is this possible? Only in the world of Anything Goes.
Then we have her iranian husband. His wife is killed by the US Navy and the first thing that comes to his mind is to emigrate not to France or Germany, which btw are much closer to Iran, but to the US! Really?
I could give many more examples of historical ignorance and psychological implausibility in this novel, but it's not worth it. It's all too stupid.
I didn’t like this book