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sydresnik's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Death of parent
sincerelygracec's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Mental illness, Grief, and Pregnancy
Minor: Drug use and Alcohol
atalea's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Infidelity, Mental illness, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
Minor: Drug use, Infertility, Suicide, Dementia, Grief, and Alcohol
crazytourists_books's review against another edition
4.0
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...
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
katiemccreary's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, and Murder
lisahowe27's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Blood
Minor: Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy
navayiota's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, and Dementia
Minor: Drug abuse
elkcariboubiologist's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Oy. This beautifully written, incredibly dark book pulled me in and wouldn't let me go despite how anxious reading it made me feel. Those books that can weave nature/science into a story are definitely some of my favorite. But not many writers can do it well, particularly if they aren't biologists or naturalists themselves (and even if they are!). Given that, I was amazed to find that McConaghy is neither. Is all the science correct? No. But from the very first pages, it was easy to see that McConaghy had done her research. Not only on the ecology of wolves, but on how they make people feel. In my experience, wolves are one of the most polarizing critters that exists (probably THE most polarizing). You either love wolves or hate them, nothing in between... She captured this well for the most part (except it is not likely that some of the characters could be convinced to change their mind).
The moment was unbearable, sitting there with her fur between my fingers. I had been watching her for months, learning her, caring for her. I began to wonder if what we were doing was right. If our involvement in their lives was too much. We were trying to save them but we killed them sometimes, too. We stomped through the world and crumpled things where we walked, too human, not creature enough.
As a wildlife research biologist, at times I didn't know if I was ready to feel some of the emotions this story brought up in me. I can't tell you how many times over the past 25 years that some version of the highlighted quote above has gone through my head. I know of very few biologists who question their role in that way (though they should!)...
No such thing as trust in the wilderness. … It’s only people need that word.
My main criticism: the ending was over the top. How McConaghy chose to tie everything up, honestly didn't really feel true to the rest of the story. Without spoilers, I can't say more than that.
Edited to add: I've read some of the other reviews and need to add that I have never experienced trauma like the characters of this story so I couldn't judge how well the author treated this incredibly sensitive topic. Listening to those voices, this book could be harmful or triggering to abuse victims or to their friends and family. As others have noted, the book should definitely come with trigger warnings.
Graphic: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Blood
mirandaselover's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, and Murder
bootsmom3's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Abortion