Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy

195 reviews

cjdawn236's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.5

I'm so glad this was a book club selection, because I am going to need to discuss this book with someone. This story was extremely well-written and compelling. It was also a little dark, and mysterious. I was hooked from the start and could not put it down. The language was extremely visceral - main character's condition (which is fascinating, and I was surprised to learn, a real thing) led to many sensory descriptions that made for a very visceral and physical tone.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Sexual violence, and Violence

dragonswoodfairy87's review

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

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

chicagobooknerd's review

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.75

The writing and initial, overarching plot about nature and wolves is a 5 star. The writer deserves praise for her mission to educate others about , animals, and human beings  living harmoniously with them. She’s done an excellent job researching wolves and making them compelling. Where the book loses stars are the various subplots,  one of which I found unnecessary and distracting, the other which I found too dark to an already dark book. These sub-plots actually made the last 1/4 of book harder to read, as it made the main character also slightly irritating. An interesting book though nonetheless. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse

Moderate: Animal death

caylacolclasure's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse and Stalking

bribellej's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective slow-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, and Violence

chelle22's review against another edition

dark hopeful informative mysterious

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

ladynocturnal's review

dark 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

5.0

I love this author. Her stories are so touching and connects to what it means to be human so intimately. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Grief

cooknick's review

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Blood, Murder, and Pregnancy

Minor: Rape and Sexual violence

ejsimpson's review

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 cruelty, Animal death, Murder, and Pregnancy

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

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