Once There Was

Marjan is a teen who finds herself completely out of her depth when her dad's sudden death leads to her being dragged into the world of the mythical and magical.

Young readers will be enthralled with the rich creatures Marjan encounters throughout the story and the morally grey characters littered through the pages whose secrets stall Marjan's progress. The entire book is shadowed by the mystery of what happened to Marjan's father and readers will enjoy unravelling the puzzle Monsef has laid out. While some questions remain unanswered, the book allows readers to wonder what our world could be like if we shared it with creatures such as Griffons, Unicorns and Dragons.

Hidden beneath the fast-paced storyline and Marjan's naive take on situations, young readers will consider the greed simmering in humans and the power money has to control. This book will be enjoyed, especially by readers who enjoy the fantasy genre, but also by ones who crave elements of adventure and mystery in their books.