A review by solaris
Once There Was by Kiyash Monsef

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

There's a lot of focus placed early on on the veterinary work. That fades a bit as the plot takes over around the second act. The veterinary work is described in detail, so keep that in mind if you're squeamish. 

The book says very interesting things about grief. After the death of her mother when she was seven, Marjan's father wished for a djinn to take her grief away. Later, when Marjan's father is killed before the start of the book, she still can't grieve. Instead of leaving her happy, or even normal, Marjan ends up very angry. She can't process the feelings of loss, so they come out as anger towards everyone - especially her deceased father and people connected to him. Only when she can start grieving again properly can she move on from that anger. It was wonderfully done and very poignant.
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