Though I read the first impression and found the book amazingly written and heartbreaking at that point in time, I was not prepared for how touching and heartbreaking the rest of the book was. This book goes in depth into what happened in that zoo, and what happened in Mosul in general. But beyond the heartbreak, there is determination in Abu Laith as he refuses to let himself be broken by the war around him, there is humor and there are bright spots in the book that make the reader hope that the future will be better, that things will rebuild and life will return to a semblance of normalcy for the people of Mosul. For anyone who is looking for a story that is true, filled with determination, and a love for animals, Father of Lions should be their next read.