Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy

20 reviews

sonlight21's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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

2.5

When I started this book I was not expecting what it would become. This is not a light hearted wilderness book. The emotional journey taken is wild, tense, and dark. There is a lot to learn but also a lot to be aware of before entering. 

At first I found the writing style hard to get into. It felt broken and chopped. I didn't slip into it until the last 60 pages or so. Some of the plot felt broken and missing such as the main relationship. It felt like it was just sprung into existence no feeling or relationship built. 


Please read the content warnings! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Blood, Animal death, Gun violence, Violence, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Cursing, Pregnancy, Murder, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death of parent and Gaslighting

Minor: Hate crime

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

navayiota's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring 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

5.0

I originally saved this cause it was recommended by Leena Norms for spooky October novels, and spooky it was, although not in the way I had expected. I ended up picking it up cause it was narrated by Saskia Maarleveld, and I really enjoyed her previous work narrating Kate Quinn novels. I didn't expect it to stay with me the way it did. I am in shock. Visceral is the perfect way to describe this writing. McConaghy got me to feel every light touch and savage hit taken by the characters. She tied every aspect of the story up in a neat bow that lovingly punched me in the gut at every opportunity. I refuse to believe that a human can write like this, and yet it's so painfully obvious that a human wrote it, because what other species could describe the human experience in such a vivid way? My heart aches for these characters, who are painfully fleshed out with all their jagged edges and ugly sides. I wish more people read this book. I can't wait to read more but must stop myself from binging anything else she has written cause it just wouldn't be enough. May her fingers never tire of typing or holding a pen, may her mind never cease creating and may her soul experience every joy the world has to offer. Simply incredible.

I can't believe that I finally encountered a book where the pregnancy trope is treated with justice and respect. I was in awe at the mastery with which she ended the story, the way she made it all make sense. Every major or subplot is a full circle and that feels incredible to me

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Suicide, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Gun violence, Pregnancy, Rape, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Cursing, Dementia, Confinement, and Child abuse

Minor: Drug abuse

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

kiwico's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Murder, Physical abuse, Grief, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, Torture, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Blood, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Violence, Rape, Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Abortion

alexisgarcia's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

5.0

i absolutely loved this. i had no idea what to expect going in and i think that is the best way to read this. the sisters' relationship was amazing, the plot was well-rounded and fulfilled, and the ending was perfect. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Abortion, Alcohol, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Violence, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

jjreads331's review against another edition

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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Animal death, Blood, Domestic abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Medical trauma, Self harm, Sexual content, Death, Murder, Death of parent, Grief, Dementia, and Gun violence

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Alcohol, Vomit, Classism, and Abandonment

readbycarina's review

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Rape, Violence, Pregnancy, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Body horror, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Gun violence, Stalking, and Abandonment

Minor: Infidelity

alenert's review

challenging dark mysterious

• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Sexual assault, Medical content, Domestic abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Vomit, Gun violence, Pregnancy, and Blood

hefftbundle's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective 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

4.5

I wasn't sure if I liked this book until the end. It's much darker than I typically enjoy, but by the end, I loved it. It is painful, emotional, hard to read and so well written.

It is an intense story about humanness built around the deep importance of conservation. Learning to trust and grow after extreme trauma is also a centerpiece of this book. 

You will probably guess part of the ending, but it still has elements that will surprise you and make you weep. Again, incredibly well written. Will leave you aching and hopeful. What a wild ride.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Dementia, Gore, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Rape, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Blood, Bullying, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Animal death

Moderate: Child abuse, Gun violence, Cursing, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Medical content, Misogyny, and Sexual content

Minor: Abortion, Alcohol, Vomit, and Drug use