Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy

18 reviews

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

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

kiwico's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Murder, Physical abuse, Grief, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, Torture, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Blood, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Violence, Rape, Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Abortion

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

5.0

i absolutely loved this. i had no idea what to expect going in and i think that is the best way to read this. the sisters' relationship was amazing, the plot was well-rounded and fulfilled, and the ending was perfect. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Abortion, Alcohol, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Violence, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

jjreads331's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Animal death, Blood, Domestic abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Medical trauma, Self harm, Sexual content, Death, Murder, Death of parent, Grief, Dementia, and Gun violence

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Alcohol, Vomit, Classism, and Abandonment

readbycarina's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Rape, Violence, Pregnancy, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Body horror, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Gun violence, Stalking, and Abandonment

Minor: Infidelity

alenert's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious

• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Sexual assault, Medical content, Domestic abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Vomit, Gun violence, Pregnancy, and Blood

hefftbundle's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense 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

4.5

I wasn't sure if I liked this book until the end. It's much darker than I typically enjoy, but by the end, I loved it. It is painful, emotional, hard to read and so well written.

It is an intense story about humanness built around the deep importance of conservation. Learning to trust and grow after extreme trauma is also a centerpiece of this book. 

You will probably guess part of the ending, but it still has elements that will surprise you and make you weep. Again, incredibly well written. Will leave you aching and hopeful. What a wild ride.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Dementia, Gore, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Rape, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Blood, Bullying, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Animal death

Moderate: Child abuse, Gun violence, Cursing, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Medical content, Misogyny, and Sexual content

Minor: Abortion, Alcohol, Vomit, and Drug use

noveltay's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.75

The literal ONLY reason this isn’t getting 5 stars, is because I think the vocabulary of Scottish people was not used correctly. Lots of research into wolves, climate change, etc just to have slang from locals botched up.

That being said, the rest of this book was phenomenal. I read Migrations by this author first, and both live up to the “hype”. I like how she uses flashbacks in her stories to keep a mystery.

I caught on to the twist early on, but it has nothing to do with the writing. I think the writing actually had me second guessing my thoughts on multiple occasions.

If you are planning on reading this, check content warnings prior!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Violence, Sexual violence, Animal cruelty, Death, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Sexual content, Grief, Gun violence, Suicide, Blood, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Rape, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, and Body horror

aliyachaudhry's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative mysterious sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Grief, Gore, Blood, Child abuse, Rape, Murder, Misogyny, Stalking, Sexism, Infertility, Animal death, Cursing, Death of parent, Violence, Sexual violence, and Sexual content

Moderate: Alcohol and Vomit

Minor: Drug abuse