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saisailiuliuko's review against another edition
1.0
A book written to be a tropey, 5.5-stars-on-IMDB type of film of extremely traumatized people making extremely stupid choices.
In Once There Were Wolves, Inti, a melodramatic, holier-than-thou narrator with an IQ of about 75 (I ASSUME) and yet two PhDs and a magical, selective skill of super-empathy frolicks her way through the Scottish highlands going on and on about her wolves, whom she romanticizes to no end and yet doesn't seem to know a lot about. They are mysterious and they know love, this scientist-woman keeps repeating and then wreaking absolute HAVOC on both them and the human community around her. Lmao
The wolves are a metaphor for Inti and her twin sister, or abused women in general, or maybe violent men, or humanity as a whole, or maybe a mirror of our animal nature, or something? I wouldn't know. It literally could be ANYTHING.
Or maybe they weren't even a metaphor. Maybe they were just wolves. Which makes me feel even more desperate and feral.
I refuse to address the plot. It's ridic.
As for the writing, McConaghy makes strangely poetic internal musings clash with the blandest depictions of nature I've ever seen ("there are trees", basically). The book is weirdly paced, the narrator making dramatic moments very blasé and the boring moments irrationally dramatic.
Also, for some reason everyone who lives in Alaska is Australian. Which somehow encapsulates this book. Sure
In Once There Were Wolves, Inti, a melodramatic, holier-than-thou narrator with an IQ of about 75 (I ASSUME) and yet two PhDs and a magical, selective skill of super-empathy frolicks her way through the Scottish highlands going on and on about her wolves, whom she romanticizes to no end and yet doesn't seem to know a lot about. They are mysterious and they know love, this scientist-woman keeps repeating and then wreaking absolute HAVOC on both them and the human community around her. Lmao
The wolves are a metaphor for Inti and her twin sister, or abused women in general, or maybe violent men, or humanity as a whole, or maybe a mirror of our animal nature, or something? I wouldn't know. It literally could be ANYTHING.
Or maybe they weren't even a metaphor. Maybe they were just wolves. Which makes me feel even more desperate and feral.
I refuse to address the plot. It's ridic.
As for the writing, McConaghy makes strangely poetic internal musings clash with the blandest depictions of nature I've ever seen ("there are trees", basically). The book is weirdly paced, the narrator making dramatic moments very blasé and the boring moments irrationally dramatic.
Also, for some reason everyone who lives in Alaska is Australian. Which somehow encapsulates this book. Sure
shaunelly's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I truly did enjoy this book, and I know I will eventually change my rating to be higher.
It was just so deeply and profoundly sad—I cried, sobbed actually, throughout the entire book. Maybe it’s the fault of my own for believing it would be more of a mystery/thriller than a book about conservation of nature, climate crisis, and the human experience that connects us all.
It was beautifully written but contains graphic depictions of interpersonal abuse and violence, animal death, amongst other uneasily digested images.
Would not suggest for sensitive audiences.
It was just so deeply and profoundly sad—I cried, sobbed actually, throughout the entire book. Maybe it’s the fault of my own for believing it would be more of a mystery/thriller than a book about conservation of nature, climate crisis, and the human experience that connects us all.
It was beautifully written but contains graphic depictions of interpersonal abuse and violence, animal death, amongst other uneasily digested images.
Would not suggest for sensitive audiences.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Mental illness, Rape, Dementia, Grief, and Murder
sometimesbryce's review against another edition
5.0
And when you open your heart to rewilding a landscape, the truth is, you’re opening your heart to rewilding yourself.
It took me a while to get into this because I kept asking it to be [b:Migrations|42121525|Migrations|Charlotte McConaghy|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1612818084l/42121525._SY75_.jpg|65230718]. When I finally let go of my expectations for this book, it became its own beautiful thing. McConaghy writes such exceptional, traumatized, complex women and landscapes. She is a master of cli-fi and capturing the horrors and subtle beauties of the human experience. As the wolves clash with the farmers, and the wilderness inside clamors against domesticity, no one remains unscathed. Charlotte McConaghy somehow does it again.
It took me a while to get into this because I kept asking it to be [b:Migrations|42121525|Migrations|Charlotte McConaghy|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1612818084l/42121525._SY75_.jpg|65230718]. When I finally let go of my expectations for this book, it became its own beautiful thing. McConaghy writes such exceptional, traumatized, complex women and landscapes. She is a master of cli-fi and capturing the horrors and subtle beauties of the human experience. As the wolves clash with the farmers, and the wilderness inside clamors against domesticity, no one remains unscathed. Charlotte McConaghy somehow does it again.
rogerparks130's review against another edition
4.0
Maybe a bit too many subplots. Plus all of the suplots were either violent or depreesing or both.
wendygothard's review against another edition
5.0
This was so good. Touches on the importance of each animal in our ecosystem, humanity and empathy, how nothing is ever black and white. And the ending was such a twist! It had my emotions all over the place.
agnes_bc's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Domestic abuse, and Sexual assault
leiflec's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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
krohaka's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 rounded up. Super interesting and gripping book that I probably wouldn't have picked up on my own (I did a FB challenge asking for 12 recommendations for the year).