Reviews tagging 'Gore'

Täällä oli susia by Charlotte McConaghy

108 reviews

bamitstamz's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark informative tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

downtown_kb's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

" My father used to say the world turned wrong when we started separating ourselves from the wild, when we stopped being one with the rest of nature, and sat apart. He said we might survive this mistake if we found a way to rewild ourselves. But I don’t know how to do that when our existence frightens the creatures we must reconnect with."

Inti is in Scotland with her team to reintroduce several wolves into the wild, hoping to "rewild" Scotland and save the forests that are dying. The locals are against her and Inti knows that the wolves must not only survive the wild but also the farmers who do not welcome the idea of predators.

This book captivated me. Not only is the writing very atmospheric and poetic but the story had a surprisingly gritty darkness to it. Things unfold slowly but build to a perfect fever pitch towards the end. It makes the reader face the question of how violence changes us and how far we are willing to go for the things we love.

This is a story about Inti, a story about her sister, a story about the wolves, and a story about nature and the planet we are set on destroying and a story that looks at the darkness of humans. And there is also a romance. (Not the focus, but not a side note either).

"This is how the world dies, he said, with laziness."

I just fell in love with how McConaghy slowly showed us who Inti was and didn't hold back from the darker side of this story. I did not see if coming at all. And honestly, these characters are flawed and messy and they make mistakes but they also learn to find a lifeline and pull themselves out of the darkness of their past. I fell in love with Inti. If you like a gritty murder mystery and if you like nature you should really give this a read. TW: domestic violence.

This is, and I imagine it will remain, one of my favorite reads this year.

"We all have that choice, and most of us make it. There is cruelty to survive, to fight against, but there is gentleness more than anything, our roots deep and entangled. That is what we hold inside, what we take with us, the way we look after each other. "
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

salamanda3644's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

bushsbeans's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

3.5

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

library_mouse7's review against another edition

Go to review page

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

5.0

I'm not into mysteries but I really enjoyed this one. although, there's more to this book than just the mysterious death. it deals with environmental recovery,  trauma, and community. interesting characters but I think trigger warnings need to be put out there, because a good chunk of the book is gory and there's are a few scenes of sexual assault and abuse. It was a great book, though. the characters seemed real because they were all flawed. sad book but a good book, too. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

arangele's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

2.5

There are many themes in this book which makes for a very complex story. In the first 2/3 of the book they are integrated almost seamlessly and it feels like a very absorbing, quick read. However, when it came to pulling together everything towards an ending, the story got a bit lost. There are many serious themes that might be triggering to readers, and these might not have been resolved healthily or in a way that adds to the conversation or experience of the reader. At best this leads to a frustrating read and at worst, it promotes dangerous ideas rather than seeking to heal from them.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

malonesilence's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

moonbasket's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional informative 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

3.25

The prose is lyrical and visceral. I enjoyed most of the book, but was turned off completely by the end and specifically the turn at the end.
As a twin, having Aggie be the secret killer instead of wolf number 10 really threw me for a loop. Having her then also commit suicide leaving for the wilderness and having Inti be complety fine with it was entirely out of the realm of believability.


I wish the book had focused more on family and relationships and less on the small town drama and traumatic backstory that felt, at times, over the top, and down-right voyeuristic. I do not want to discount the very real trauma that real life people have been through that may be similar, but the extent of the trauma felt beyond the edge of the bell curve to the point of voyeurism.

All told, I would not recommend the book. The ending spoiled the whole story for me. The only redeeming quality is the prose and inclusion of conservationism and rewilding.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

michelesu's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark 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? It's complicated

4.0

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

sarahhtotiss's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

Expand filter menu Content Warnings