Martyr!” introduces Cyrus Shams, a young Iranian-American poet living in the American Midwest. He’s recently sober. However, Cyrus feels lost. The death of his mother years ago still weighs heavily on him. It might have been on Iran Air flight 655, the one shot down by the US Navy.  This feeling leads him to intensely obsessed with martyrdom. He thinks about historical martyrs and poetic martyrs. He even considers what makes a death meaningful.

Cyrus’s life feels aimless. Then, he learns about Orkideh. She’s a terminally ill Iranian artist living nearby. Orkideh has cancer. She’s working with a local museum on her final, thought-provoking artwork. It’s a performance piece about death and dying. Cyrus believes meeting Orkideh could help him understand his own obsession. Maybe it could even show him a way forward. So, he decides to connect with her before she passes away.

The novel follows Cyrus’s intellectual and emotional journey. His current search is interwoven with memories of his past. We also see his poetic reflections and explorations of Iranian history and culture. The story delves into ideas about addiction, identity, art, mortality, and the difficult search for meaning in a world that often feels chaotic. The writing is lyrical. It also includes dark humor and a deep sense of vulnerability.

Kaveh Akbar is an Iranian-American poet and writer. He was born in Tehran, Iran and moved to the United States with his family when he was young. His writing often deals with a sense of deep longing, and searching for something spiritual. These themes come from his Iranian background and his experiences as an immigrant.

Akbar first became known in the literary world through his poetry books, such as Calling a Wolf a Wolf (2017) and Pilgrim Bell (2021). Both books were widely praised around the world. The primary reason his poetry receives praise is its transparent honesty. He openly discusses addiction and redemption while exploring how people continuously evolve.