Review for "Once There Were Wolves" by Charlotte McConaghy

 A five-star read!!! On January 6!!! I'm very excited about it.

Read: 01/06/2024

This just perfectly satisfied some reading craving that I didn't know I was having. It was dark, intriguing, heartwarming, and twisty at all the perfect moments. Based on the blurb, which I only skimmed a long time ago, I thought the basic premise was about reintroducing wolves into an area where they had once roamed but became extinct. While this is the beginning plotline, the story unravels into so much more. There's murder (or is there?) and dark pasts and tension and romance.

Inti was a compelling narrator, but the side characters really made the book. Nobody was black and white, everyone had a moral greyness that at times had you rooting for one person's revenge plots and at another time not being super sorry that this other person kicked it. The relationship Inti had with the wolves and her understanding of them was beautiful, and I thought the subtle references to feminism in biological science fields were pointed but not overdone.

Final verdict: The vibes, atmosphere, plot, characters, and relationships in this novel are impeccable. The perfect rainy day read. Chef's kiss.