Once There Were Wolves is a jam-packed novel about, among many other things, passivity in contrast to direct action; it’s about how a single person’s response to massively overwhelming obstacles, obstacles that seem impossible to overcome—whether it be correcting climate change or stopping abusive relationships or altering a familial cycle—can make a lasting difference.

Inti, a biologist who moves to the rural highlands of Scotland for work, is devoted to conservation and wolves and her twin sister, Aggie. Inti doesn’t trust easily, believing the worst in human nature, and the Scottish locals and sheep farmers are equally distrusting of Inti—an outsider who they feel is threatening their livelihood and community as she works to fight climate change by rewilding wolves in their highlands. This conflict between Inti and the locals steadily builds, especially when one of the locals mysteriously disappears after Inti antagonizes this man. Through the mystery of Stuart’s disappearance, the flashback and flash forward of Inti’s life across Australian cityscapes and Canadian forests and Scottish highlands, we learn about how and why Inti has changed from the gentle, “need to toughen up” optimist to the aggressive, closed-off skeptic. And she learns to respond to a community she defensively made an enemy because “‘when you open your heart to rewilding a landscape, the truth is, you’re opening your heart to rewilding yourself’” (189).

From beginning to end, the book seemed to have two speeds—either quick-paced, violent action or long, meandering descriptions—so that by the end of this story, I honestly felt conflicted, unsure of my feelings. So much happens in the last third of the book. It felt like emotional whiplash: I was constantly questioning the narrator’s state of mind (slipping in and out of consciousness, dreamlands, hallucinations, and mirror-synesthesia) and questioning the author’s choices in the resolution. Still, I’m unsure. Or, more accurately, I’d say: it’s complicated. But, still, this is a worthwhile read—one about cruelty and gentleness, empathy and compassion, trust and forgiveness—maybe even because of all the gritty complications.


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Bordering on unreadable. ( )

I was excited about this novel because I loved [b:Migrations|42121525|Migrations|Charlotte McConaghy|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1612818084l/42121525._SY75_.jpg|65230718]. I love McConaghy's writing and the ability to get in the head of her characters, esp. in relation to nature and this book is no exception.

In this novel, we meet Inti Flynn, a biologist working on a project to bring back a population of wolves to the Scottish Highlands. She lives with her reclusive twin sister.
Inti is an interesting character, who suffers from "mirror-touch synesthesia", which means her brain recreates sensory experiences of people and animals she observes. This is an interesting detail because it brings to focus the main themes in the novel, primarily dealing with deeply set fears and anxieties that people tend to project on their surroundings.

I felt this would've been a lot better without the murder mystery subplot (clumsily and predictably done) and, to be honest, lengthy descriptions of wolves getting used to their habitat were not that interesting to read. This would have been a 5 star read without the whole murder reveal at the end.

Still, this was a solid book. ( )

Beautiful - audio is a must! ( )

Exceptionally crafted. The plot is about re-wilding, but the story is about bonds - with siblings, parents, partners and other animate and inanimate objects. The tone is always consistent with the point where the protagonist finds herself along the narrative. Truly enjoyable writing. ( )