A review by nat8655
Wolf Totem by Jiang Rong

adventurous informative reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

A truly controversial book in my opinion. Nature and animal cruelty is a quite delicate matter but it's basically the main plot of this book. Many times I've found myself wondering why i kept reading, since sometimes it was a bit boring but also bcs animal cruelty was at times applauded in order to keep the balance of the pasture - which i guess can be somewhat understandable since it was a battle of survival, at least at first. After finishing this book though i have to say the message is actually quite beautiful and sad bcs it shows the harsh reality and cruelty of the human nature. I'd say this book as boring or intense as it may sometimes be, it delivers a very strong message on how we should respect nature and the majestic creatures that live in it. 

Besides that the book illustrates incredible images that will transfer you to the beautiful greenery of Mongolia and also the ways of life of the people who specialize in livestock farming there. Really really stunning descriptions, although personally i think sometimes they were really dragged out. 

Note : Whoever loves wolves will be frustrated, but also because those events have and will continue to happen. 
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