jennareadsbooks 's review for:

Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy

3.5

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy was a quick, engaging read. The story follows Inti, a biologist working to reintroduce wolves in Scotland while also getting caught up in the sudden mysterious death of a prominent local resident. I really enjoyed the atmospheric writing and quick pace, even though I did piece together part of the mystery before the reveal. I was inspired to read more about the reintroduction of predators, and I’m firmly team wolf. When I worked in Washington, I remember reading news articles about wolves in the Northeast portion of the state and their conflicts with local ranchers, so it was cool to read a fiction book that connected to that. I didn’t love the ending though - specifically Duncan’s actions felt unrealistic compared to how any actual person would react in that situation. I don’t want to go into too much detail to avoid spoilers.