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eliseblount's review
3.0
I enjoyed learning about the wolves and the main character’s synesthesia, and I always love a book set in Scotland
lrevenew's review
4.0
I wouldn't have rated it as high as a 4 until after I finished the book. It was a little too dark for me..but if you're of the same sensitivity, keep reading! It is an intense but worthwhile journey.
hey_megalo's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
loocieray56's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
mike_morse's review
4.0
We started "reading" this book on audio, but our loan ran out about half way through the book. At that point, it seemed like a conservation-oriented book about re-introducing wolves into Scotland, what the process was and how the population of farmers reacted to the introducers, etc., almost like a documentary. To be honest, it was a little tedious. I was wondering where is this book going, and I really wasn't going to continue with the book except that Megan and Mary said it was really good. So I got a print copy and continued reading. By chance, the very first scene when I re-started was the prose version of a great cinematic horror film jump scare. And the story was off to the races. It turned into a page-turning, psychological who-dunnit murder mystery thriller. Of course Megan gave it 5 stars, it met all her thriller criteria. A very complex story with great characters and if you suspend disbelief just a little, a satisfyingly plausible but totally unexpected ending.
lola_s2's review
5.0
I literally could not not put this book down! It is short but packs a punch and touched my heart where I didn’t expect it to. If I were in a book club, this would be getting lots of discussion.
barb4ry1's review
4.0
4.5/5
Once There Were Wolves is a thoughtful, sometimes painful book that's as worth reading as Migrations. Charlotte McConaghy has once again created a world in which her characters must balance trust and fear, humanity and nature.
The author excels at writing about damaged people who cope with trauma and are afraid of trusting others. In this case, it's an eco-thriller about rewilding. It delivers on setting and atmosphere and shows that (unsurprisingly) people are real monsters and predators. Even compared to wolves.
It's not an easy read, but it's also the type of story that stays with the reader for a long time.
Once There Were Wolves is a thoughtful, sometimes painful book that's as worth reading as Migrations. Charlotte McConaghy has once again created a world in which her characters must balance trust and fear, humanity and nature.
The author excels at writing about damaged people who cope with trauma and are afraid of trusting others. In this case, it's an eco-thriller about rewilding. It delivers on setting and atmosphere and shows that (unsurprisingly) people are real monsters and predators. Even compared to wolves.
It's not an easy read, but it's also the type of story that stays with the reader for a long time.
emilyacgm's review
5.0
A new favorite author, both novels have such meaning, such painfully real people, and such beauty, I will hold them close and share them, saying, here, read this, this is what a book should be.