Published by FlatIron Books Genres: Contempory, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mystery
Format: ARC, eBook
Blog Tour – August 4, 2021 @flatironbooks @CharMcConaghy
“Never assume anything with a wolf, she will always surprise you.”
If you have read the author’s previous book, Migrations, you know that her books focus on the environment and our impact on the environment. Her writing is eloquent, beautiful and awe inspiring.
Inti Flynn is a wolf biologist who has arrived in Scotland with her team of biologists and fourteen grey wolves they are introducing to the Scottish Highlands. In doing so, she hopes to heal the dying landscape. Along with her team and the wolves, she has also brought her twin sisters, Aggie. They have left Alaska after something terrible happened which resulted in Aggie not speaking or caring for herself properly.
Inti is an interesting character as she has Mirror-touch synesthesia. Her brain re-creates the sensory experiences of living creatures – people and sometimes animals. If she can see it, she can feel it. She can feel their pain, their pleasure and everything in between.
“You don’t hunt wolves. You hunt their prey.”
Inti knows what she will be up against, and she is right. The locals do not take kindly to wolves being introduced. They have made it abundantly clear where they stand. They will shoot to kill any wolves that threaten their livestock. Inti hopes that she and her wolves can change their minds. Wolves have been shown to save environments. She informs them that predators are critical for healthy ecosystems. They keep other species in check thus guaranteeing that a great variety of species survive.
“The world is hard on wolves; if they don’t die by illness or starvation, if they are not killed in fights with other packs or in some disastrous accident, they are shot by humans.”
Inti meets the local sheriff; Duncan MacTavish and they begin to spend time together. Their attraction is palpable. As the wolves begin to flourish, mate and bear young, Inti makes a rash decision after she makes a startling discovery – a dead body. Could the wolves be responsible? She knows the farmers will jump to this conclusion. If the wolves did not kill the man, then who and why? Could the murderer be someone she has growing feelings for?
“You must know monsters well, wolf girl.”
This book has a lot going on and yet, it is never confusing and the subp0lots do not bog down this amazing book. The book takes place in the present time and gives glimpses into the past. In the past, we see Inti and Aggie being raised quite differently by their mother and father. Their mother is a dedicated police officer in Australia and their father lives in the forest in Canada. He engrains in them to take care of the environment, to take only what you need, not to make waste, and to care for the land. Their mother teaches them about hard work, how to survive in the world and tells Inti she needs to be tough. We are witness to the close bond of the sisters, their childhood and what occurred which resulted in them leaving Alaska.
“All creatures know love.”
The descriptions in this book are lush and vivid. There are some difficult scenes including both humans and wolves. There are also some very beautiful scenes. The forest and wolf scenes have an atmospheric feel to them. I loved reading about the beauty of the land and the wolves flourishing, mating, and forming packs. The humans were a little bit of a mess. The humans were flawed, tough, endearing, some likeable, some very unlikeable. But it took all of them to make this truly beautiful book.
I thoroughly enjoyed Migrations, but this book knocked my socks off! I was blown away by the McConaghy’s beautiful writing, vivid descriptions and her chosen setting. As I mentioned at the beginning of my review, her books focus on the environment, but I never feel as if she is beating me over the head with her viewpoints.
This book is so many things – it’s a mystery, it’s a romance, its about survival, it’s about the environment and resiliency. It’s moving, thought provoking and such a rewarding read!
If you have not read Charlotte McConaghy before, I highly recommend her books especially this one!
Beautifully written, atmospheric and thought provoking!
A MUST READ!
Thank you to Flatiron Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.