martyr!

kaveh akbar · 2024 · book

recommended for: all of cortis

why they might enjoy it:
it’s so much about art, identity, and figuring yourself out through all the things you’ve picked up from the world around you. it deals with grief, mortality, addiction, belonging, and cultural identity, but also has poetry, pop culture, humor, and a lot of weirdness mixed into it, so it never feels too heavy or straightforward. i also really like how much the book is about taking all these different influences and experiences and turning them into something that feels uniquely yours, which feels like something cortis could really connect with creatively.

content note: substance addiction, suicide themes, parental loss