When utopia calls the universe, the universe calls back
Beautiful, Once by Mia Dalia Review: An Apocalypse Story That Bites
Are you ready for the apocalypse? If not, you’d best be getting ready. Mia Dalia knows how the apocalypse will happen. She knows how it’s going to go down. But this is not your typical apocalypse story. There is so much more.
In a story of hopes and dreams… failures and inner turmoil, Dalia has a new version of how the world will end. It is nothing like anything I have read.
Mia Dalia has given us a story of obsession, hopefulness, and life-long insecurities. In Beautiful, Once, Dalia showcases her amazing ability to write a solid story full of emotions on a scale of bitterness to love. Dalia managed to incorporate the psychological behavior of the main characters. Her polished prose definitely brings your reading level up a notch or two. You’ll find many new words to add to your vocabulary. Well… that happened to me!
Our two main characters, Ronan and Martha, are best friends with similar goals. Ronan decides he is done with society. Done with the governments, the people, and the continuous redundancy of life (aren’t we all?). Martha finds the charisma of Ronan luring. She decides to help Ronan come up with a solution for what ails him and the many civilians across the world. But, the wonderful idea of utopia has many strengths… as well as weaknesses. You can count me in to escape to a paradise like the one in this novel!
I’d say that Dalia is probably the queen of similes. Using historical facts, there are numerous metaphors throughout the book. Always expect a well researched and educated horror story.
The character development is amazing. The buildup of the characters grows as we follow along their story. We start to truly care for all the characters and begin hoping for the best for all of them. There isn’t too much or too little, just the right amount of information. Dalia does use back and forth timelines throughout the story.
Oh, expect lots of shocks. Dalia loves the shock factor.
Mia Dalia has a unique style in writing. True passion shines in her stories, which you don’t always get in authors these days – especially in horror. I feel every reader should give Dalia a read. I truly feel you would walk away with a personal story you didn’t know you were missing.
Beautiful, Once by Mia Dalia
A dark dystopian survival thriller set on a secluded island paradise.
From acclaimed author Mia Dalia comes a propulsive, character-driven horror novel that’s a chilling blend of high-tech utopia, isolation, and catastrophic consequences.
When a controversial tech billionaire retreats from society, he constructs a private island designed to be the ultimate controlled experiment: a hand-selected population, sustainable systems, and a flawless model for humanity’s future. A paradise engineered to perfection.
But perfection breeds boredom.
Seeking recognition—and perhaps validation—he sends a message into the cosmos, broadcasting The Island’s triumph to the universe. All hell breaks loose when something replies.
Within hours, the community fractures. Neighbors turn on neighbors. A savage, insatiable hunger spreads. Civilization unravels.
Told through three gripping perspectives—the billionaire’s loyal assistant, an island mechanic, and a visiting investigative reporter—Beautiful, Once explores survival, psychological collapse, unchecked ambition, and the terrifying consequences of playing god.
Set in a near-future island enclave, this intense dystopian horror novel will appeal to fans of isolated community thrillers, outbreak fiction, and cinematically propulsive, speculative survival stories in the vein of The Island and The Crazies.
When paradise falls, who gets to live?
Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing— Where Stories Come Alive!
Mia Dalia
Mia Dalia is an internationally published, CWA-nominated author, a lifelong reader, and a longtime reviewer of all things fantastic, thrilling, scary, and strange. Mia’s work has been selected as Tales to Terrify’s top ten best stories of 2023 and shortlisted for the CWA’s Daggers Award 2024.
Find her at
Twitter: @Dalia_Verse
FB: Mia DaliaVerse
Instagram: @daliaverse
https://linktr.ee/daliaverse
Horror Book Reviews: Ginger Nuts of Horror, Your Premier Horror Website for 17 Years
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Jim "The Don" Mcleod has been reading horror for over 35 years, and reviewing horror for over 16 years. When he is not spending his time promoting the horror genre, he is either annoying his family or mucking about with his two dogs Casper and Molly.
