Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar
“Make this debut novel from poet Kaveh Akbar one of the first books you read in 2024. Cyrus Shams is a man obsessed with the concept of martyrdom. It’s this obsession that leads him to explore his family history, from his uncle, who inspired Iranian soldiers by dressing as the angel of death, to his father, who worked at a chicken factory in the midwest, to his mother, who might be the biggest mystery of all. Cyrus’s mother was killed when her plane was shot down in Tehran. But after discovering a painting in a Brooklyn art gallery, Cyrus realizes his mother might not be who she seemed.”—Emily Martin