Reviews tagging 'Death'

Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy

144 reviews

crazytourists_books's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

4.0

This book follows all the patterns of the first one: emotional narration, a conservation sub-plot (through which the main plot unfolds), with various weak points and an ending that was happier than I expected. 
Like the first time around, did I care about these things? Not really. The nareation cast a spell on me and had me sighing and gasping more than once... 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Sexual violence, Death, Gore, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Animal death, Blood, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Grief, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, and Mental illness

robinswift's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

I was surprised by how much I loved this book. A heartbreaking but beautiful story of human connection with nature, about family and friendship and community. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, and Murder

maddiejc's review against another edition

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, and Domestic abuse

lisahowe27's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This is a multilayered novel that peels back layers of questions around wildlife conservation, human relationships, the beauty of the forest and landscape, and the human condition. Wolves have a mystery to them that draws the reader in. Their strength and beauty can leave a person breathless. But this novel is more than just about them. It is an intertwining story that combines nature and human and how in our world today these two things can no longer be separated.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Blood, Death, Bullying, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Murder, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

navayiota's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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

5.0

I originally saved this cause it was recommended by Leena Norms for spooky October novels, and spooky it was, although not in the way I had expected. I ended up picking it up cause it was narrated by Saskia Maarleveld, and I really enjoyed her previous work narrating Kate Quinn novels. I didn't expect it to stay with me the way it did. I am in shock. Visceral is the perfect way to describe this writing. McConaghy got me to feel every light touch and savage hit taken by the characters. She tied every aspect of the story up in a neat bow that lovingly punched me in the gut at every opportunity. I refuse to believe that a human can write like this, and yet it's so painfully obvious that a human wrote it, because what other species could describe the human experience in such a vivid way? My heart aches for these characters, who are painfully fleshed out with all their jagged edges and ugly sides. I wish more people read this book. I can't wait to read more but must stop myself from binging anything else she has written cause it just wouldn't be enough. May her fingers never tire of typing or holding a pen, may her mind never cease creating and may her soul experience every joy the world has to offer. Simply incredible.

Spoiler

I can't believe that I finally encountered a book where the pregnancy trope is treated with justice and respect. I was in awe at the mastery with which she ended the story, the way she made it all make sense. Every major or subplot is a full circle and that feels incredible to me

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Suicide, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Gun violence, Pregnancy, Rape, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Cursing, Dementia, Confinement, and Child abuse

Minor: Drug abuse

siriface's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Animal death, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, and Pregnancy

saralittlecloud's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Violence, Domestic abuse, Vomit, and Sexual violence

bootsmom3's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Death, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Torture, Abandonment, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Alcohol, Violence, Grief, Gun violence, and Blood

Minor: Abortion

cuddlewithbooks's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

2.25

There is so much to this book. It touches on so many graphic topics, I would highly suggest finding a list of trigger warnings before trying this book out. 

I'm not sure what to say, I picked this up on a whim thinking I would enjoy biologists in Scotland but it was so much darker than that. Obviously I needed to know what was next but it was so graphic and sometimes felt unnecessary. Though I can see the power in looking and feeling uncomfortable. 

I just didn't like it, especially in regards to the treatment of the animals in the book. If you don't like animal deaths, I really would not pick this one up. 

It's for someone but it's not for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Death, Animal death, Blood, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, and Rape

Moderate: Grief, Medical content, Child abuse, and Death of parent

daniellejp16's review

5.0

I was speechless when I finished this book and am having a hard time putting into words all of my feelings. 

At times it’s a difficult story to read. It’s emotional, and heavy and at times uncomfortable, but also hopeful. 

As someone who is passionate about the environment and taking care of our planet I loved the story of returning wolves to Scotland in order to help the ecosystem to the way it once was. 

There are so many trigger warnings so if you are thinking of reading please look them up or feel free to reach out. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, and Animal death

Moderate: Rape, Murder, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Death, and Sexual assault