Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy

51 reviews

amandabcook's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse and Murder

excritos's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Pregnancy

Minor: Child abuse

lacunaboo's review against another edition

mysterious tense 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

4.75

"I think he must be a good man. But nobody is only one thing."

Inti and her team have released wolves back into Scotland in an attempt to rewild it and mitigate some of the damages that go hand in hand with climate change. The locals are not pleased. 

Eventually we are treated to a murder mystery in an isolated rural area, where everyone knows each other's secrets and outsiders may not be much more welcome than the new predators threatening the livestock. In the midst of all this are Inti and her twin sister, their own history and the damages it wrought, and the wild that can still be found inside some people as well as in the forest. 

Very emotional at times, with a romance that was pretty flat, but an engaging story and some intriguing characters. And wolves, which is always a bonus. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual violence

Minor: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

kennedyno's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Rape, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Child abuse and Physical abuse

Minor: Suicide

brittany_alleman_ayers's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This book explores some very difficult topics. There are parts that are very hard to read, but the overall message of love and healing is beautiful.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

hawktilly's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Sexual assault

catherineofalx's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

Just like Migrations, this book devastated me and I loved every minute of being in its world.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Abortion

alimoo511's review against another edition

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

emberbeth's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Rape, and Sexual violence

Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Gaslighting

happyreadings's review against another edition

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