Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy

407 reviews

ejsimpson's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

have had this book for three years but never read it because I was convinced it wouldn’t be as perfectly spectacular as Migrations. Reading the majority of this book had me second guessing that, but then that twist came and ruined absolutely everything for me. 
The world building, the characters, the setting, <i> the wolves </i> and the slow build up of tension in the town, between Inti and the farmers or some other characters, the emotional reveal I knew was waiting for me later in the book about Inti and her sister. We were gearing up for a promising five star if not solid four star title. But the reveal, after so much was lost, it wasn’t the type of emotional devastation I was expecting. I wasn’t devastated, I was furious. This completely ruined the story for me, everything just suddenly fell apart and felt like it didn’t matter at all. I was mad at everyone, mad that I was enjoying this story as equally as Franny’s, and that it all came crashing down in a sort of unforgivable way. 

⚠️ Spoilers:
The dog dies. No, you know what, he was murdered. 
There is a pretty graphic scene with one of the wolves, think GoT-like. And others of them who are killed, or die. 
Aside from it being released a few years before OTWW, this had to have been inspiration for My Sister, the Serial Killer.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Pregnancy, and Murder

Moderate: Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Rape, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

Minor: Child abuse

amandabennett's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense

3.75

This was very well written but some of the dark themes in it made it hard for me to enjoy at times. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Domestic abuse, and Rape

botanicpanic's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, and Rape

Moderate: Murder

Minor: Abortion and Death of parent

saedith's review against another edition

5.0

Charlotte McConaghy has done it again. Such an amazing book with strong ecological themes. Also a book about family and love and trust. Deals with some heavy themes, so not an easy read.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, and Rape

itsmore's review against another edition

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, and Child abuse

northernfleabag's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Violence, Murder, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Grief, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, and Animal death

hanz's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, and Sexual assault

jaedee09's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

What a beautiful, tense, emotional story. This book made me feel so many things - anger, love, sadness...strength. At first I wasn't sure about the flashbacks, but quickly came to appreciate how poetic the story was written.

That birth scene was incredibly powerful!

Such a poingant way to blend a story of conservation, family ties, murder, and love.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Animal death, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Blood, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Murder

Moderate: Infertility, Infidelity, Medical content, and Death of parent

Minor: Alcohol

lifa's review against another edition

dark inspiring tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.75

 Definitely a gripping read- I found the narration worked perfectly with the main character's condition. I've never heard of mirror-touch synesthesia, and had no idea that it's a real thing people experience. This book has so many layers. 

 

There is the tackling of climate change through rewilding, the connection between humans and nature, how that plays into community relations and the relationships and conflicts it creates. And then there is the really rough part of turbulent childhood and domestic abuse.

 

A warning about the violence and domestic abuse- it's quite strong even if not super graphic. The author does a great job of making you feel what the characters are feeling, because it's such an immediate and introspective narration. There was a part that made me feel sick and I did not sleep well after reading it. Still an amazing book. 

 

I give it 4.75 stars because one of the scenes felt a bit unbelievable by the end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gore, Rape, and Violence

charliewhitear's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Suicide, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Mental illness, Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Murder, Pregnancy, and Rape