Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy

28 reviews

amandabcook's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Child abuse and Murder

excritos's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Toxic relationship, Rape, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Pregnancy

Minor: Child abuse

midwestchickadee's review against another edition

challenging dark informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Suicide, and Death

Moderate: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, and Physical abuse

Minor: Bullying, Dementia, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

alimoo511's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

5.0

This is such a deep book. None of these characters are likable and the only man I love in this book is a wolf and he is dead so. 

I highly recommend this book though it has an amazing balance of talk between conservationism and women's struggles. 

Inti is such a complex character and her deep love of nature and Wolves is so relatable, but is so beautifully contrasted with the love she has for her sister and her resentment towards society and men. 

Because of her character she is forced to be so empathetic and yet she wants to be anything but. She wishes she could do all these things, but for better or for worse she can't. Her heart belonging to the forest in connection to her neurodivergency is also SO GOOD. 

Honestly Read this now if you haven't it is remarkable. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Violence

beccadamb's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, and Violence

emberbeth's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, and Animal death

Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Gaslighting

hmatt's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

Definitely a book that is suitable to its shorter length. I think some of the storytelling would fall short if the narrative was longer, but it worked in this length for me for the most part. It really suited the fairytale-esque vibes the book has.

I do wish the author had played a bit more into "real or imagined" moments - they're touched on, but I thought these moments were really powerful and I wish there was a bit more focus on them. Also, throughout the story, I didn't feel as if I were getting any closer to the main character. I figure this could be intentional or not and, again, is an aspect that works fine for a book of this length in my opinion.

I listened to the audiobook, and found the narration fantastic. It might have been easier for me to keep track of which wolves were which if I were physically reading the book, though.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Rape, Murder, Grief, Gun violence, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Suicide

keenanmaree's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.75

This book is very beautifully written, and there is really a lot to love in it. It is a a story about humanity and our complicated relationship with nature, each other, and ourselves. McConaghy does a wonderful job of depicting the frustration and rage that comes out of simple misunderstandings, and also out of the sense of helplessness when we are unable to either prevent or correct the evils inflicted on ourselves or our loved ones. 

My lowish rating is due to some purely subjective issues I had with the story. Although I saw the sexual assault coming almost from the beginning of the book, the actual scene was so alarming (I’m sure intentionally so…how could it be anything but horrifying?) that I had to step away from the book for a bit. I also didn’t love that the victim of such a violent assault was transformed into a violent murderer herself. It works narratively, but I think it sends a harmful message about sufferers of ptsd. I am also always a bit turned off by the story device of “hardened woman has a baby and it solves all of her problems and teaches her how to love again.”

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Dementia, Death of parent, Drug use, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, Stalking, and Vomit

Minor: Child death, Infertility, and Suicide