Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy

28 reviews

csoyars's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

I was really compelled by the themes in this book - the impacts of trauma, the damage humans have made to our environment, the need for community engagement in conservation efforts, the danger of misplaced fear, and the comparison and contrast between humans and wolves as predators. This book tackled important societal questions in a unique story.

However I also struggled with the flashbacks during the beginning of the book, predicted the ending, and wish that the characters took more accountability for their actions. Ultimately I think the story was a vessel for important messages, but the plot itself left a bit to be desired.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Animal cruelty, and Animal death

Moderate: Medical content

jaedee09's review

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

ankellogg's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Trigger warnings galore!! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Infertility, Animal cruelty, Blood, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, and Violence

fkshg8465's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

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

2.0

I expected more, and I find myself thinking about this book even after finishing it, in the wrongest ways...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Abandonment, Death of parent, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, and Murder

corncake's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Death, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Grief, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Drug use, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Blood, and Violence

Minor: Child abuse, Abandonment, Medical content, Confinement, and Gun violence

bootsmom3's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad tense 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Death, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Torture, Abandonment, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Alcohol, Violence, Grief, Gun violence, and Blood

Minor: Abortion

cuddlewithbooks's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

2.25

There is so much to this book. It touches on so many graphic topics, I would highly suggest finding a list of trigger warnings before trying this book out. 

I'm not sure what to say, I picked this up on a whim thinking I would enjoy biologists in Scotland but it was so much darker than that. Obviously I needed to know what was next but it was so graphic and sometimes felt unnecessary. Though I can see the power in looking and feeling uncomfortable. 

I just didn't like it, especially in regards to the treatment of the animals in the book. If you don't like animal deaths, I really would not pick this one up. 

It's for someone but it's not for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Death, Animal death, Blood, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, and Rape

Moderate: Grief, Medical content, Child abuse, and Death of parent

_annika__'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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

1.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Murder, Animal death, Death, Sexual violence, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Violence, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Abortion, Blood, Medical content, Infidelity, Violence, Mental illness, Child abuse, and Gaslighting

bebidocrimes's review against another edition

emotional mysterious tense 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

3.0

Pushed through to finish this after they dropped the unexpected pregnancy, and I can kinda see where it fits in the story but overall felt like an afterthought. The plotline of the wolves scaring the farmers was a fine plot on its own, and even the murder mystery. I just don't think the romance (?) really added anything because I don't think Inti can ever fully trust Duncan after everything that happened in her life.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Cursing, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Physical abuse, Rape, Blood, Domestic abuse, Gore, Grief, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Violence

carolinefran's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Pregnancy, Medical trauma, Medical content, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Grief, Gore, Rape, Murder, Sexual assault, Violence, Sexual violence, Infidelity, Infertility, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, and Animal death

Moderate: Abortion, Dementia, Drug use, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Suicide, Alcohol, Blood, Cursing, Misogyny, Police brutality, Stalking, and Vomit