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Thanks to the @flatiron_books team for making my dreams come true and sending me an advance copy of Once There Were Wolves for review after I fangirled about Migrations and begged them to send me a copy! 🤣 OTWW is out 08/03! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 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 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ID: A kindle displaying the ebook cover of Once There Were Wolves sits on a white shelf. Wood floors are visible in the background. I’m touching the kindle with one hand. via Instagram https://instagr.am/p/CR1Tb4Erk9e/