Wow! This blew me away.
Inti is a biologist introducing wolves back into the Scottish Highlands to restore the ecosystem and balance. She's also taking care of her mute, traumatized twin sister Aggie. The locals aren't happy with this new threat to their livestock and way of life. Inti is determined to make the project a success but when a local goes missing she knows the wolves will be blamed.
This begins this beautifully written novel I couldn't put down (even with the Olympics on!) With themes of conservation, trauma, spousal abuse, hope and forgiveness to name a few this one had me in awe of the author's storytelling. There is so much to absorb from this one that I'm at a loss for the words to do it justice. Read the synopsis and know it only scratches the surface of what this book is about. I loved the author's previous book MIGRATIONS and found this one to be equally, if not more, compelling. This is one of my favorite books of the year and cannot recommend it highly enough..

Once There Were Wolves. The title alone stoked my imagination, shooting my anticipation of this book through the roof. And when I read the opening line in the prologue, I knew this book was going to be special. And special it is.

Once There Were Wolves is a story about a wildlife biologist's quest to reintroduce gray wolves to the natural habitat in the Scotland Highlands where they were eradicated hundreds of years before, essentially dooming the environment. Inti Flynn and her team of wildlife biologists set out to prove that reintroducing wolves to the area will renew the ecosystem and allow the natural habitat to flourish once again. However, Inti's efforts to rebirth the area are met by stiff opposition from local farmers and sheep herders who fear for their safety and livelihood.

When Inti Flynn left Alaska for the Wolf Trust project in Scotland, she brought her traumatized twin sister Aggie with her hoping to help her heal. Living with mirror touch synesthesia, Inti experiences others pain as it happens meaning she suffered the same horrific abuse that left her twin mostly mute and terrified of venturing out of the house. Life is settling in until a wolf is needlessly shot by a farmer, and Inti stumbles across a man's mutilated body. Knowing they will blame the wolves, she makes an ill-advised, spur of the moment decision that will prove disastrous. Did one of her wolves break pattern and kill the man? Or is a killer on the hunt in the Scottish Highlands? Inti works with the local sheriff with whom she's started a relationship to learn the truth.

Once There Were Wolves is a brilliantly rendered, gut-wrenching journey into the lives of these characters including the wolves. The concept of reintroducing the wolves to help balance the inequities in nature is intriguing. McConaghy's extensive research is obvious but presented in a way that enhances the intense, highly atmospheric, multifaceted plot line. While the author's writing is complex, it feels simple - a natural flow of energy driven by the fast pace and the visceral anguish and sense of urgency suffered by Inti as she struggles to make the right decisions for all involved. At times, her psyche is as fragile as the barren environment, at other times as strong and wild as her beloved wolves. Inti's interaction with the wolves is breathtaking to witness, and I feel like I was a participant in the highly visual scenes with these powerful and yet fragile animals.

This story touched my heart as much or maybe more than Migrations. Both books are priceless in terms of what the uniquely talented author delivers in a highly compassionate can't put the book down way. In Once There Were Wolves, McConaghy gifts readers with one of the best mysteries I've read in some time . . . one that stands out in a genre full of great books and writers. And she does so utilizing Inti's idiomatic voice, past/present chapters with flawed characters showcasing how the past affects the future - all the while pulling intertwining plot lines together in a shocking conclusion that left this reader stunned.

Once There Were Wolves is a study of human nature and the many complexities of maneuvering a flawed world. It's a study of toxic relationships that reverberate throughout our lives, of learning to persevere and thrive under dire circumstances, of rebirth of one's self and nature. It's a raw, intense, haunting self portrait of life. It's a warning. Highly recommended to fans of mystery, suspense and heartfelt readers of great stories! Like Migrations, this one will reside in my heart a long time to come.

"By nightfall...we've found no body...I want to ask how long we will keep doing this...But I don't. Somehow I must pretend to myself that I know nothing more than the rest of these locals; I must bury that body much deeper within myself than I buried it in the ground."

Where do I begin to summarize this beautifully crafted novel, Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy, that is at times a murder mystery thriller, a family drama, a realistic commentary on our failing eco-system and an example of a masterful writer.

Inti Flynn is an empathetic biologist who is bringing 14 grey wolves to the Scottish Highlands where wolves have been extinct for centuries. She has her twin sister Aggie with her who is suffering from PTSD from an abusive husband. She also has a farming village of enemies who fear the wolves will kill their livestock. When one of the farmers goes missing everyone is a suspect from Inti to her lover the sheriff to the wolves.

While all this intense drama is happening we learn of the twins and their family drama that has led them to this remote village. Then there are the wolves who are numbered not named because it hurts too much when something goes wrong and Inti has to say their name. The backdrop of the highlands is artistically perfect. Their darkness, their beauty, their silence broken by a howling wolf searching for her mate is an immersive reading experience.

I had the immense pleasure of also listening to the audiobook emotionally performed by #saskiamaarleveld (who magnificently did the Rose Code too). She brought Inti to life for me on another level that increased my attachment to her.

The author's previous novel Migrations has never left my heart and now this new one is forever with me.

I received a free copy of this book and audiobook from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own

Many thanks to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy of one of my most anticipated releases of 2021!

Charlotte McConaghy is a genius story teller. Migrations was one of my favorite books of 2020 and when I heard this was coming out, I requested it immediately and pre-ordered a hard copy. This lived up and and exceeded all of my expectations.

I'd say, the less you know about this book going into it, the better. As the synopsis says, "Inti is leading a team in reintroducing wolves into the Highlands - an effort to rewild Scotland and undo the damage mankind has caused, much to the dismay of the local farmers. When the success of the project is endangered, Inti makes a choice that forces her to confront the trauma of her past, weigh the cost of human intervention in the wild, and decide how far she will go to protect the people and animals she cares about."

This story covers so many topics from domestic abuse, to rape, murder, climate change, violence against animals, sisterhood, etc. without coming across as trying to hard. McConaghy is a master at developing characters that make you fall in love with them and break your heart.

Also, THE ENDING!! I gasped out loud and had to stop reading for a few minutes before finishing the last chapter. Incredible.

I hope to see this among the top books of 2021 and beyond. Brava, Charlotte McConaghy!

My brief thoughts here : https://www.bethfishreads.com/2021/08/what-i-read-in-july-brief-thoughts.html

and on GoodReads & promoted on Twitter and Instagram

'Once There Were Wolves' is a bold and unflinching examination of love's ferocity and the courage it takes to have faith in our fellow man.

Inti Flynn is a wildlife conservationist working to reintroduce wolves to the Scottish Highlands in hopes of restoring balance to a deforested landscape and so bring the local ecosystem into order. Her love for the wolves is abiding and open-eyed, much more gracious than her opinion of the reluctant farmers and townspeople who view her and her wolves with grave suspicion.

Inti remains aloof and distant from the villagers until the local sheriff, Duncan, draws her attention. Neither of them is entirely comfortable with their attraction, but it proves undeniable and irresistible. Their relationship grows even more tense as the recently released wolves start picking off the farmers' livestock, tipping sentiments in the town toward outright hostility. Inti is as determined to protect her heart from Duncan and his dark past as she is resolute in her defense of the wolves. When a vicious attack terrorizes the town, Inti is driven to lengths that leave her deeply disturbed and questioning everything she thought she understood.

Following up her debut novel, 'Migrations,' Charlotte McConaghy once again presents a story set in an environment sacrificed on the altar of human convenience, creating a world so near to our own that it cannot help but feel fully realized. Her characters are darkly fascinating and mysterious, yet they feel lived-in and knowable-- if not comfortable. Inti Flynn is prickly and uncompromising and very aware of all the softness stripped away from her by the hard parts of her life. Her struggle with the rare but real neurological condition mirror-touch synesthesia underlines the sensitivity she keeps well hidden --even from herself-- because it creates a vulnerability in her that feels acute and untenable. The journey she takes throughout this novel has a full emotional magnitude and is beautifully illustrated by her close connection to her wolves and the brutal grace she loves in them.

'Once There Were Wolves' is a richly imagined examination of sisterhood, belonging, identity, assault, recovery, and the space we make for wildness.

Many thanks to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for this eARC.

“The forest has a beating heart we can’t see,” Dad told us once. They’re like us, a family. Stronger together. Nothing gets through this life alone.”

I had very high hopes for this book after 'Migrations', and the author lived up to all my expectations! This book is magical, gritty, tragic and raw. It's also hard to categorize this story into one genre but if the synopsis grabs you, I highly recommend this one.

Inti is working to reintroduce wolves into a remote area of Scotland and meets with resistance from the locals. The author shines when writing about the natural world, and the environmental themes are beautifully presented. Inti has a special gift and can literally feel the pain of others, making her hypersensitive to her surroundings.

"Mirror-touch synesthesia. My brain re-creates the sensory experiences of living creatures, of all people and even sometimes animals; if I see it I feel it, and for just a moment I am them, we are one and their pain or pleasure is my own. It can seem like magic and for a long time I thought it was, but really it’s not so far removed from how other brains behave: the physiological response to witnessing someone’s pain is a cringe, a recoil, a wince."

Inti lives with her twin sister Aggie who has suffered some trauma that rendered her speechless. Nonetheless they communicate through sign language. They are fiercely protective of each other. Added into the tension of the wolf reintroduction project are the townspeople who are violently opposed to the wolves living in the forests near their livestock and a murder where several people are suspects, including Inti and the tough police chief Duncan who Inti has been seeing. All of this is told against the backdrop of the wilds of Scotland and Alaska, where Inti and Aggie spent their early years with their father who believed in subsistence living.

I could not put this gorgeous and complicated book down once I started. The wolves and their packs got under my skin and I won't soon forget their story. Highly recommend!

"It is easy to tell myself that what passes between them is only biology, nature, but then who said love does not exist in the nature of all things?"

(Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in return for an honest review.)

This book has been all over the must read lists out there. It is a well written story that started off very strong, but seem to have a bit of a drop off for me as the story progressed.

Inti and Aggie move to Scotland to introduce grey wolves into the highlands. This will help with the ecosystem in the area. As you can imagine the people of the town are not happy about this new venture, but Inti insists she can do this safely.

An incident occurs when a farmer goes missing, and he was very vocal about not wanting these wolves here. Of course Inti, is questioned about her whereabouts and of course about her wolves. She goes to great lengths to save prove her wolves were not involved.

Told with lots of care and with segments of her history of her previous post in Alaska, McConaghy lays out a complex story. While it instantly grabbed me, it did lose much of its luster for me. However, I know this will be a book that people will absolutely love.

Thank you NetGalley and Flatiron Books/Macmillan Audio for an Advanced Reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘴, 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧."

𝘔𝘪𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 was my favorite book of 2020 so when Flatiron Books graciously sent me a gifted copy of Charlotte McConaghy's second novel to read, I was excited but also a little nervous - it had a lot to live up to. But like her debut, 𝗢𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗪𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗪𝗢𝗟𝗩𝗘𝗦 is a beautifully written and imaginative examination of both human nature and nature itself, and one of the best books I've read this year.

Inti Flynn arrives in rural Scotland where she is tasked with reintroducing wolves into the Highlands in the hope that rewilding them will heal the dying landscape. Inti also hopes to heal her twin sister, Aggie, who's as damaged as the Scottish farmland after something terrible happened to the sisters in their previous home in Alaska. With the locals resistant to wolves near their land, a death in town puts Inti's project in jeopardy. Did a wolf make the kill? And if not, who did? Inti knows better than anyone that there are often bigger monsters at home than there are in the woods...

𝗢𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀 is a bit of a thriller with the murder mystery and the question of what happened in Alaska unfolding but it's also a story about trauma, mental health, conservationism and what it means to be wild. It's a quick read - only 250 pages - but one you'll want to savor. McConaghy's prose is haunting and poetic - as with 𝘔𝘪𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, I found myself pausing to reread sections that took my breath away. You can't help but find yourself fully immersed in this atmospheric novel and despite the heavy subject matter, I didn't want it to end.

I don't know how she comes up with such complex and powerful ideas for her books, but I cannot wait to see what McConaghy has in store for us next.

Thanks to Flatiron books and NetGalley for the copies to review.

Charlotte McConaghy writes such atmospheric books. Her writing is spell-binding and beautiful. I love how much thought and care she puts into her books. This book made love and respect wolves. She created a world I wanted to see, touch, hear, and taste; and in reading her words I did, I traveled to Scotland and was captivated by its beauty.

In my review of Charlotte McConaghy's Migrations, I wrote that the laser-focus on nature, in all senses of the word, gives the book both a timeless and timely theme. I feel the same about Once There Were Wolves. McConaghy once again writes achingly gorgeous prose aimed to make us readers feel what's at stake, what's vulnerable, delicate, worth fighting tooth and claw for. "My boots hit the ground with a crunch. An eerie world, this night place. A carpet of snow reaches up for the moon, glowing for her. Naked trees cast in silver. My breath making clouds." In this book, we are in the wilds of Scotland, with flashback stops in British Columbia and Utah forests. Inti Flynn is a wildlife biologist leading a team tasked with reintroducing wolves into the remote Scottish Highlands. Inti must tread carefully in this land, where sheep farming defines the way of life, and wolves represent a definitive threat. But she must also tread carefully with her broken twin sister, Aggie, whom Inti has brought along to care for. When a local farmer goes missing, Inti's protective instincts -- for the wolves, for Aggie, for her own heart -- further awaken. I'm here for the author's morsels (and often meaty bites) of natural history, her inclusion of an 18th century, pre-photographic guide called Werner's Nomenclature of Colours, and her gifting of Inti with an obscure neurological condition, mirror-touch synesthesia, that recreates in Inti's body the sensory experiences of living creatures. In other words, her empathy meter goes to 11. This book pings high on my read-o-meter. It's not an 11. Migrations is an 11. I had bones to pick with this book's ending. That said, I devoured it in two sittings and highly recommend Once There Were Wolves to readers of all types, particularly fans of environmental fiction, of wolves, and of writing so beautiful it makes you feel it in your body. 

[Thanks to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for an opportunity to read an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my opinion.]

Having read and loved Migrations previously, I had high hopes for this one and it lived up to my expectations. It was amazing. It starts at a softer pace getting you used to time lines and characters. Then it starts to unfold and I did not want to put it down. The author creates characters that are passionate and flawed while writing a story that has a mystery element that is compelling. The characters are fighting to overcome their past traumas and figuring out how to integrate themselves in a life that can move forward. The past/present timelines are woven in at just the right moments giving more depth to the story. This book, as was “Migrations,” is a love story about our beautiful planet and how to save it but also how love saves these characters too. I look forward to seeing what Charlotte McConaghy writes next. Review posted on Instagram @carolinehoppereads and Goodreads.

I loved Charlotte McConaghy's writing in Migrations last year. Once There Were Wolves has cemented her as one of my favorite authors.

Once There Were Wolves deals with some tough subjects, but it is written so beautifully and I couldn't put it down. Ms. McConaghy sprinkles in the past and Inti's backstory throughout the book, but she does it seamlessly. I like how the flashbacks fit in perfectly with the present without losing the flow of the story. The Scottish Highlands comes to life while reading. The characters are flawed, but real and relatable. I like how Ms. McConaghy's books have many layers so it will appeal to a lot of different readers.

I think Once There Were Wolves will be a book that a lot of people will be talking about and will be on many lists this year. I know that the book and characters will be staying with me for a long time and I look forward to reading many, many more books by Charlotte McConaghy.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Great plot and character development makes this another great read from Charlotte McConaghy. The storyline unfolds gracefully and the descriptions are vivid. At the heart of the story is the conflict over whether reintroducing wolves to Scotland will be beneficial to its ecosystem. The local farmers are dead set against it as they believe it will just mean their sheep and children will become wolf prey. The scientists believe it is imperative to restore the ecological balance for the plants, animals and humans. Inti, the scientific project leader, has a unique neurological condition that causes her to feel physically what she sees others experiencing. It is sometimes useful but more often dangerous. While she struggles to help the wolves adapt to their new home, she clashes with the local community. This battle intensifies when a murder is committed. Inti must defend her wolves, but also keep her twin sister safe, despite a mysterious history and complicated relationships with her parents. And in the midst of that? A budding relationship with the local police chief who has his own struggles. The result is a fast-paced story full of conflict in a beautiful and wild setting.

After reading her previous novel, Migrations, and now this spell-binding story Once There Were Wolves, Charlotte McConaghy has become one of my go-to authors. But beware. These books are not light, fluffy, easy reads. They bring up strong emotions, put you on edge, and make you think. It’s well worth it, though. People are in difficult circumstances with tough choices to make; the best choice isn’t always (usually isn’t) the easy choice that would result in that happy storybook ending. But these are strong, layered, dedicated, brave characters that you won’t quickly forget.

Once There Were Wolves is all about wolf biologists and rewilding. Rewilding – what a concept. Who would have thought that all the “progress” we have made in moving predators out of our way so we can expand, can settle where they used to roam free, would actually result in such an upset to the balance of nature for the entire planet? The description of the deer, without any wolves to stop them, eating the buds of plants before they have a chance to grow, wiping out any hope of that clearing returning to forest, is startling and thought-provoking.

The story is set in Scotland. Author McConaghy paints a wonderfully desolate picture of the town. So gray and cold you picture the story in black and white. Until the picture includes the wolves. In what should have been one of their natural habitats, the wolves are vibrant, colorful and fascinating. Inti Flynn and her team of wolf biologists are there to try and successfully reintroduce the wolves back into the Highlands. But it’s not a popular project with the townspeople. Wolves were driven out for a reason: they kill livestock - and sometimes children. They’re dangerous, and they are unwanted. The conflict between the town and the team is sharp.

Your fascination won’t stop with the wolves. Inti has a condition that causes her to feel everything as if it was happening to her. People, animals, everything. Hard to watch, but you can’t turn away. And because of that she’s turned inward, not willing to make connections and relationships.

Once There Were Wolves definitely delivers as promised. It is spellbinding, evoking a full range of emotions. I cheered the wolves on as it looked like they were settling in, feared for them when the townspeople became angry and aggressive and wished for a happy ever after for Inti and her twin sister Aggie.

Charlotte McConaghy expertly weaves together the science behind rewilding with the beauty of the wolves and the human emotions and actions to just live life, and wraps it all in a fuzzy world that at times seems almost unreal. What are Inti’s secrets? Is Aggie even real, or did she in fact die when Inti remembers how Aggie was hurt and withdrew? Is Inti’s sister just a sad, painful memory confined to Inti’s cabin? This is a beautifully crafted story, multi-layered, touching, poignant.

Thanks to Flatiron Books for providing an advance copy of Once There Were Wolves via NetGalley for my reading pleasure and honest review. Charlotte McConaghy is a very talented author writing very compelling books. Keep her on your must-read list. All opinions are my own.

This was a very powerful and timely book. It covered a lot of very relevant topics - the environment, domestic abuse and the bond between twins. It is beautifully written and the descriptions will transport you to Scotland with the wolves. Inti is a strong and well developed character although you will question her choices. Thanks to NetGalley for the digitial ARC.

When I reviewed Migrations, I said that Charlotte McConaghy skillfully navigated both emotional and ethical distress, and I feel the same about Once There Were Wolves. She has this way of writing books about nature and humanity that mirror their subjects: as beautiful as they are terrible.

Inti is leading a team in reintroducing wolves into the Highlands - an effort to rewild Scotland and undo the damage mankind has caused, much to the dismay of the local farmers. When the success of the project is endangered, Inti makes a choice that forces her to confront the trauma of her past, weigh the cost of human intervention in the wild, and decide how far she will go to protect the people and animals she cares about.

Inti is a remarkable character and a testament to McConaghy's skill as a writer. She struggles with a deep well of empathy, constantly told that her mirror-touch synesthesia is a weakness to be exploited. She endures incredible trauma, and while flawed, is a force of resilience and hope. Her bond with Aggie is beautiful, as is her connection to nature.

Once There Were Wolves is compelling and plot driven, but it's also quietly powerful in the messages that it sends about grief, loss, trauma, forgiveness, and the power within us to realize change. While it is by no means an easy read (please be sure to check TWs/CWs before picking this up) it was an incredibly rewarding one.

TW: domestic violence, rape, trauma, mental illness, murder, death of animals

The moment I heard that Charlotte McConaghy had a new book coming out I knew I had to read it! I read her other book, Migrations, last year and I fell in love with her beautiful descriptive writing and her ability to bring nature to life in her story. Also, like Migrations, this book has a unique and sensitive main character who is working to help animals suffering the effects of the negative impact humans have had on their world. There's also a murder mystery/thriller aspect that makes it even more interesting.

Inti Flynn and her team are reintroducing wolves to the Scottish Highlands to save the forest there. The locals are not on board, because they believe the wolves are a threat to their livestock and lifestyles. The story alternates between this conflict in the present and Inti and her twin sister Aggie's unusual childhood and traumatic events in their lives before Scotland.

Inti has a condition called mirror touch synesthesia, that causes her to physically feel any touch or injury she sees happen to someone else, including animals! This adds another layer to all the violence in this book - and there is a lot. Where Migrations was deeply sad and depressing, Once There Were Wolves is shocking and violent. Sensitive readers should know there is spousal abuse, rape, violence against animals, and animal deaths. It's a story for animal lovers, but not for the faint of heart.

Twin sisters, a murder, lots of scientific facts about wolves and the Scottish Highlands. Booksellers unite and make this the next big bestseller like Crawdads. Just wow! Absolutely loved it.

In order to help bring the forest back to life a group of scientists seek to reintroduce wolves back into the wild in Scotland. The wolves are intended to cull the deer population and keep it moving to allow for a whole multitude of other things to occur in order to create a healthy natural ecosystem. However, the local people are highly resistant to this idea because no one discussed it with them first, it takes away land to graze sheep on and threatens the entire communities livelihood from their perspective. When livestock and people end up killed after the wolves arrival the townsfolk are all too eager to put them down....but was it the wolves or someone else who did the killing?

The story follows twin sisters Inti Flynn (the lead scientist) and Aggie. They have fled Alaska and are now in Scotland together. There is a bit of mystery as to what caused them to flee Alaska and why Aggie is now a shell of her former self. Aggie was always the strong one. Inti is the one who feels everything, quite literally since she has mirror touch synesthesia wherein her brain causes her body to feel the sensations that she sees. Inti's condition makes the physical violence in this book all the more real.

If you read McConaghy's first book <b>Migrations</b> and appreciated the prose and style therein, then I am happy to report that this one follows suit with another strong female MC who is passionate about ecological issues while struggling with her own personal trauma. This is a beautiful novel with vivid, atmospheric descriptions that really brought Scotland and its inhabitants to life. I was captivated by the wolves. As the story plays out we see how humans are not so unalike from the wild animals we share the planet with.

Thank you to Netgalley and Flatiron Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own.