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beccadamb's review
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
thecriticalreader's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I chose Once There Were Wolves as my Book of the Month because it seemed to be highly rated.
Plot:
Part murder mystery, part wildlife conservation story, Once There Were Wolves has an intriguing, well-executed plot. It was interesting to read a murder mystery where one of the potential culprits is an animal. It added a new dimension to the story, as most characters in the story have a vested interested in either proving it was or was not a wolf.
Although the plot was well-executed, it did feel very literary. It had a layer of melodrama that made suspension of disbelief necessary. At no point did I feel I was reading something that had happened or could have happened.
Characters:
Inti, a traumatized wolf expert with an extreme case of mirror touch synthesia is a unique protagonist. We get to understand her and her sister Aggie’s background through multiple flashbacks.
Similar to the plot, the characters are fascinating and complex but slightly unbelievable. They are all a bit too theatrical and extreme.
Setting:
Once There Were Wolves takes place in rural Scotland. The main character, Inti, is a foreigner visiting to help reintroduce wolves to the area. However, their project faces severe backlash from sheep farmers and townspeople in the area. The setting served the book quite well. It added a murky level of conflict to the murder mystery and rewilding effort. The isolated, gloomy atmosphere provided a feeling of dread and suspicion necessary for the mystery to play out.
Themes:
The main theme of this book is trauma—what it is, what it looks like, and how to deal with. The author parallels the trauma of the environment with personal trauma. Inti’s father is a passionate environmentalist who isolates himself and lives off the land. He represents an idealized but extreme reaction to the climate crisis, living a life unattainable and undesirable for many. Inti’s mother is a pessimistic crime investigator who believes in “toughening up.” Ultimately, the story demonstrates that pain cannot be avoided, but that healing is possible if people open themselves up to scary and uncertain new relationships with the environment and each other.
Writing Style:
McConaghy’s writing style was a bit dramatic for my taste, but skillful.
Conclusion:
I thoroughly enjoyed Once There Were Wolves both as a murder mystery and an environmental commentary even if it was a bit dark and overdramatic for my taste.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Infidelity, Blood, Dementia, Death of parent, Murder, and Abandonment
Minor: Alcoholism
kta's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
2.75
"I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
The narration of this audiobook was really well done especially for a single narrator. The "accents/voices" of different characters didn't feel forced or exaggerated.
The story itself had a lot going on and at times felt like this really could have been conceptualized into a couple of books instead of all being in this one story. It ended up coming together for the most part, although I think the ending was a little too clean/happy for the rest of the context of the book.
The narration of this audiobook was really well done especially for a single narrator. The "accents/voices" of different characters didn't feel forced or exaggerated.
The story itself had a lot going on and at times felt like this really could have been conceptualized into a couple of books instead of all being in this one story. It ended up coming together for the most part, although I think the ending was a little too clean/happy for the rest of the context of the book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Murder, and Pregnancy
Minor: Infidelity
keenanmaree's review
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.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Drug use, Infidelity, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Minor: Child death, Infertility, and Suicide
marywahlmeierbracciano's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Australian wolf biologist Inti learned to love the woods during seasons spent with her self-sufficient father in British Columbia. By the time she finds herself in rural Scotland leading a conservationist effort to reintroduce wolves into the Highlands, her beloved twin sister, Aggie, is struggling to function in trauma’s wake, and Inti’s once gentle nature has hardened to an icy shell of distrust. Despite local pushback, Inti is determined to nurture the ecosystem—and Aggie—back to life, and perhaps to reignite her heart’s flame as well. Readers’ breaths of cool forest air will quicken as unspeakable tragedies, past and present, shape this book into a naturalistic thriller so good I could howl.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Mental illness, Rape, Blood, and Pregnancy
Minor: Infertility, Infidelity, and Murder