Reviews tagging 'Animal death'

Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy

588 reviews

nmongene's review

dark reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death and Domestic abuse

sailorbug's review against another edition

dark slow-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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, and Pregnancy

antidietleah's review against another edition

mysterious 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? It's complicated

2.75

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Content Warnings

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

Minor: Death of parent and Pregnancy

kqwalker's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

3.25

This book requires some suspension of disbelief. At times that was difficult with some of the subplots with a couple of them falling into predictable tropes and cliches:

• Abused/hurt woman learning to trust men/society/form community
• Birth/death occurring at the same time
• Found family
• Twin codependency enmeshment
• Romance with a troubled man

The wolves are more of a metaphor or a plot mechanism than actual characters. The enmeshment and codependency between the main character and her twin sister is very intense and they serve as foils to each other. The ending was unsatisfying with everything tidied into a bow and all conflicts resolved.

Now that I’ve had more time to think about this book I’m disappointed that it didn’t really focus on environmental restoration. Overall it’s a good read.

This book depicts DV/IPV, murder, and animal harm.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Blood

Minor: Pregnancy

helliott888's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring sad 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? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death and Domestic abuse

shaunelly's review

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

I truly did enjoy this book, and I know I will eventually change my rating to be higher. 
It was just so deeply and profoundly sad—I cried, sobbed actually, throughout the entire book. Maybe it’s the fault of my own for believing it would be more of a mystery/thriller than a book about conservation of nature, climate crisis, and the human experience that connects us all. 
It was beautifully written but contains graphic depictions of interpersonal abuse and violence, animal death, amongst other uneasily digested images. 
Would not suggest for sensitive audiences. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Mental illness, Rape, Dementia, Grief, and Murder

agnes_bc's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Domestic abuse, and Sexual assault

mollison's review

dark hopeful mysterious 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Blood

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death

bwoo's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Pregnancy

bamitstamz's review against another edition

challenging dark informative tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail