Reviews tagging 'Medical trauma'

Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy

28 reviews

je_re_la's review

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy

amaboutbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective relaxing 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Medical trauma, Murder, and Abandonment

sirissacgluten's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Grief, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Suicide, Blood, Vomit, Medical trauma, Stalking, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal cruelty and Alcohol

alimoo511's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

This is such a deep book. None of these characters are likable and the only man I love in this book is a wolf and he is dead so. 

I highly recommend this book though it has an amazing balance of talk between conservationism and women's struggles. 

Inti is such a complex character and her deep love of nature and Wolves is so relatable, but is so beautifully contrasted with the love she has for her sister and her resentment towards society and men. 

Because of her character she is forced to be so empathetic and yet she wants to be anything but. She wishes she could do all these things, but for better or for worse she can't. Her heart belonging to the forest in connection to her neurodivergency is also SO GOOD. 

Honestly Read this now if you haven't it is remarkable. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

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

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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

ronan_lesh's review

challenging emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Grief, Medical trauma, and Murder

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, and Death of parent

happyreadings's review

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This book caught me by surprise. I got this book because I loved the premise of the re-introduction of wolves back into Scotland and reading it I loved the information surrounding the wolves. When people started dying and getting hurt, I was terrified for the wolves I felt for them and honestly, I cared more about the wolves than the people.

This book followed Inti and her twin sister, Aggie, as they moved to Scotland so Inti can re-locate wolves back into Scotland. Of course she is fought with this from the townspeople. When someone in town goes missing, fingers start pointing towards the wolves. However, who really are the real monsters in this story? 

Inti has a neurologic disorder where she feels what others feel, physically. And I think this brought something really unique to this story telling, especially with her in relation to the wolves. There are so many feelings running through this novel both emotionally and physically. It almost feels like the reader has the same condition as Inti and I thought that was really immersive. Also, the bond between the two sisters was so strong, they're loyalty towards each other is remarkable.

This story is dark, emotional, violent, beautiful, and heartwrenching. I loved the aspect of the wolves. Usually, I can't stand reading books (or watching movies) that involve animals because they always die but this novel I was okay with which was surprising. 

The only critique I can think of was the beginning felt a little rushed, I felt like character introductions didn't happen with some characters I was left very confused but I understand this was definitely a show-not-tell kind of novel which I grew more comfortable with. But I just wish the author took more time in the beginning to introduce characters a little bit more. 

Overall, this was such an incredible novel that now I need to read more by this author. I know the author has another book called Migrations and it is in relation to birds so I probably will be checking that book out sometime soon.

There are a lot of content warnings with this novel including domestic violence, death, murder, child abuse, animal death, pregnancy

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Medical trauma, and Death of parent

chloerote's review

dark emotional informative mysterious sad slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy