Inti Flyn is a biologist leading a team who are attempting to reintroduce grey wolves into the Scottish Highlands. The loss of a top level carnivore - the species was long ago hunted to extinction in the area - has led to a steep increase in the number of deer and the resultant overgrazing has brought about a reduction in tree cover, thereby hastening climate change and causing a loss of biodiversity. But the project is not universally supported by local farmers who fear for the impact on their sheep and cattle, many of which roam freely. It’s a tricky issue to manage, particularly when diplomacy doesn’t rank highly in Inti’s skill set.

The struggles of Inti and her team are, though, just one element in this novel. We learn that Inti is accompanied by her twin sister on this trip. Aggie had followed Inti from Australia to Alaska and the pair had fled the latter in circumstances we’re only learning about in a series of flashbacks. But it’s clear that there was an abusive relationship in the mix. The sisters are very close – perhaps too close – and their communications are often completed using sign language, some of which they invented themselves as children. Inti suffers from a condition called mirror touch synesthesia which causes her to actually feel sensations felt by others. Not only does this impact her when she’s interacting with humans but also when witnessing the trials of her wolves - it has a profound effect on her.

And then, shortly after the wolves have been released, a farmer meets a violent death – could the wolves possibly be to blame? As the author has already demonstrated in her novel Migrations, she is adept at drawing complex characters and engaging them in intricate plots. She is also able to cleverly balance the mystery narrative that runs through both stories with an ongoing discourse on the relationship (and conflict) between humanity and nature. Both books prompted me to undertake research and learn more about the specific issues highlighted and I look upon this as an added benefit I derived from them.

This story unfolds slowly and I found myself engaged in the plight of the unwelcome wolves as much as that of the sisters. As the background to Inti and Aggies upbringing, with incompatible parents, slowly unfolded it was with a sense of dread that I approached the end of this tale. Would the locals become reconciled to the need for the long term benefits the introduction of the wolves might bring and what about the killing of the farmer, who or what is responsible for this deed? Also, could Inti and Aggie find a way of living without the need for each other’s constant company? In all honesty, I simply couldn’t see a way in which this could end well.

Truth to tell, this is a book I didn’t enjoy quite as much as Migrations. There were slightly too many ingredients here when compared to its less cluttered predecessor and the story of the wolves didn’t quite grab me in the way that of the Arctic Terns had. But there was a good deal about this book that I did like, particularly the way in which the background story slowly unwound as the present day action played out, the result being that a key element of the mystery was lurking out of sight throughout.

This novel centres on a project releasing a small number of wolves into the Highlands of Scotland, in an effort to restore the natural balance of the environment and give various benefits. Inti Flynn is the biologist leading the programme, whilst also caring for her damaged sister. Inti comes over as a very tough person, but the flashbacks to her childhood and earlier adulthood suggest a much softer character. Inti will need to be strong now, as the locals are very unhappy about their new canine compatriots. Then Inti finds a dead man, apparently torn open - could a wolf have done it? What will it mean for her precarious project? And if a wolf didn't do it - who did?

The central premise is interesting - the idea of rewilding wolves in Scotland is not a daft one and similar projects have worked in other places. The likely response of the farmers is also plausible. The tension between conservationists, and those who need to make a living from the land (often also conservationists too, just with different methods) make for a realistic and nuanced source of tension in the novel. Neither side is wholly right or wrong. However the real theme of the story is the cruelty of humans, and in particular in the context of domestic violence.

It is quite a compelling story, although the technique of constantly hinting at some cataclysmic past event but not revealing it until near the end gets quite annoying in the second half. I wanted the wolf project to succeed, and for Inti to find some happiness in her personal life. More could have been made of the mystery around the dead man, although the solution did surprise me. I did feel there were some elements of the plot that didn't quite add up or ring true. although I won't iterate them all here due to spoilers.

On the whole this is an original novel with an interesting setting and central character. It could be even better executed, but overall it is compelling and has a story worth telling. I'll certainly be interested in reading whatever the author writes next.

Inti is a gentle child who grows into an angry woman. This book is an exploration and explanation of how that happened. It is also the story of the re-wilding project Inti leads as an adult, introducing wolves into the wilds of Scotland.

There's a great sense of place here, and respect for wild animals as beings in their own right. How do we have a relationship with the wild? How do we step back from the brink of climate collapse when the things we need to do threaten everyone's current way of life. The wolves act as a great symbol for these dilemmas.

Alongside this there's the very human story of Inti, her sister, and their relationship with their parents and with their lovers.

I found this book gripping, intense and engaging. It's great to read a story that is absolutely informed by the climate crisis and by a great deal of knowledge, but is not didactic or simplistic. The interweaving stories are fascinating, and it's a great read.

Inti, an Australian biologist with full mirror-touch synaesthesia (which means she experiences the sensations she witnesses other people or animals experiencing, as if they were her own), has come to the Scottish Highlands, in the company of her sister who is deeply traumatised from some earlier experience, initially only hinted at, which has left her barely able to talk and unable to leave the house they share. The purpose of Inti’s stay in Scotland is to oversee the reintroduction of wolves to the area.

Rewilding is an interesting premise, full of fictional possibilities, and there is a lot going on in this story to make the reader think. Unfortunately, the plot quickly descends into a series of crime-fiction clichés. First there is Inti’s mother, recalled in flashbacks, a hard-bitten forensic pathologist; then there is the “police chief” with whom Inti almost immediately begins an affair, who behaves much more like a mid-Western American sheriff than any Scottish officer of the law.

That’s the problem: this book is not set in the Scottish Highlands. It purports to be, but the author either hasn’t spent much time in Scotland or wasn’t paying attention when she did. The locals, from the kilt-wearing mayor to the wife-beating neighbour, are all caricatures. Worst of all, the Scottish countryside is not remotely recognisable.

There is some stand-out writing in places, particularly in the descriptions of Inti’s sense-experiences. But, overall this novel feels like a huge lost opportunity

Book review: Once there were wolves.
3/5
Inti is a biologist who is determined to reintroduce wolves back into the forests of Scotland to rewild the landscape. When she stumbles across the body of a farmer she knows that the wolves will be held responsible and she has to protect them. But who did kill the farmer and who can she trust?

I loved the idea of the story and wanted so much to enjoy it but I couldn't. For me it was too descriptive of every detail, from the wolves, surroundings to Inti's thoughts on everything plus her sisters thoughts. I felt like all that took too much away from the story. I just couldn't find any part of it that got me interested in wanting to continue reading which is what I usually like about books. It might appeal to some readers but wasn't for me.
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Following the excellent Migrations, Charlotte McConaghy has written another nature-focused novel about a female protagonist, Inti, who has devoted her life to re-wilding wolves in various parts of the world. We meet her in rural Scotland, where she has recently relocated to carry on her work accompanied by her twin sister, Aggie. Inti's work proves controversial, and we witness her clashes with locals as the project progresses.

Given how much I enjoyed Migrations I was confident I'd enjoy this novel, and I'm pleased to say it lived up to my expectations and I found it to be a propulsive read with lots of narrative threads, characters and intrigue. My only tiny caveat to that (without getting spoiler-y) is that there are a few occasions where I felt I had to suspend my sense of disbelief a tiny bit, but once I settled in to the more.. shall we say sinister elements I thought it was a great read. Recommended!

3.75⭐️ Which I’ve rounded up.
Inti Flynn is one of a team of biologists tasked with releasing 14 grey wolves into the remote Scottish Highlands, only the permission they need hasn’t come through. Worried that with the delays the wild wolves will perish in captivity they take the decision to go ahead and release them.
The aim of reintroducing wolves is to restore the eco balance of the landscape as the deer having no predators have over populated and consequently grazed the new shoots.
Inti and her twin sister Aggi were raised both in the wilderness with a self sufficiency life style taught to them by their father, and in the city with their mom.

Inti is different, sensitive, intuitive with nature. She has a neurological condition called mirror-touch synthesesia where she feels others pain, if she sees it she feels it.
Aggie is mentally broken

It’s a slow very character driven story. I love Inti’s empathy with broken animals and humans.
It’s emotionally charged, there’s anger, fear, sadness,empathy, and love.

The reintroduction programme was poorly planned and implemented. Such a project needs community support and engagement.
I can’t help feel angry with Inti for her irresponsibility, which covers several things, the wolves, herself, her poor decisions.
It’s an emotional moving story which I enjoyed reading.

What a great read!

Inti and her twin sister Aggie are as close as you can get, they have never wanted to be apart, yet life has dealt them different hands and they need each other for support in different ways.

Inti's heart lies in the wild, and her current role sees her as part of a team reintroducing wolf packs to the remote Scottish highlands - something which does not go down well with the local community, all the more so when a body is found.

As Inti tries to integrate the wolves and herself into the community, we learn about the traumatic past of the twins, and how this project could be their recovery.

The characters are fascinating and well-written, but the star of the narrative is the scenery - wild, cold and desolate, it's beautiful.

Rewilding wolves into the Scottish highlands. A powerful story of naturalist Inti re-introducing these once-prolific predators much against the wishes of most local farmers. It also shows the affection between Inti and her twin sister Aggie and the growing love between Inti and Duncan. The opening line really gets you until 'mirror-touch synaesthesia' is explained. As this condition is often linked with autism, it's surprising this isn't mentioned in connection with Inti. Although it makes for a great opening line, perhaps this thread would have been better left out altogether and Inti portrayed simply as an intuitive person. The descriptions of the natural world are stunning. There's also an intriguing murder mystery element. An unforgettable book.

How to describe this book? It is devastating, beautiful, haunting. Each strand is carefully weaved throughout the story and expertly brought together at the end. The pace makes it a galloping, heart-racing ride, and I was unable to put this book down for long. An emotional, stunning story.

Fascinating to read about a story of wolves set in Scotland!
I had no idea of the history of the area or of the plan to reinstate the wolf back to the rural lands of Scotland.
You can tell the author has done their research and cares about climate and our environment very much.
Well written and very interesting!

I haven't read a book I've rated 5/5 in quite a while but "Once There Were Wolves" absolutely deserves it.

For me, the writing style and tone of this book exquisitely matched the landscape and atmosphere of this story.
Beautifully written, especially in the descriptions of the Scottish highlands and the wolves themselves. Charlotte McConaghy gives them such depth and emotion on the page.

The way Inti's character is written is hard for me to describe. As the reader you constantly feel like there is a barrier between you. Very much in the same way she keeps everyone else at arms length for most of the book, which was interesting. I don't know if that was intentional on the author's part or just how she walked onto the page.

There were some frustrating moments within the book, for me. The stubbornness and refusal to communicate, from Inti especially, did grate on me after a while. Even though I could understood her character's motivations as more and more of her history was revealed.

I'd describe this as a quiet book with many hidden depths. It may not be for readers who prefer fast paced plotlines but I think there's something really special and beautiful about so many scenes of this book.
I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for other work by this author.

Part of me almost thinks that the synopsis gives away a little too much, as some events described don't happen until around the 40% mark, but I think this comes down to personal preference on how much you wish to know about a story before reading.

Once There Were Wolves, Charlotte McConaghy

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: General Fiction (Adult), Literary Fiction

Well, wow. I wasn't sure about this story, but I'm so glad I requested. Its a fantastic read, had me engrossed all through, unable to put aside. That first opening line grabbed me, I love a story that does that – says “Hey! Look!”

Its more an immersive experience than a story for me, when Inti was feeling things, I was feeling them with her. She had such a strong determination to do what she believed in, really did feel it was healing the land, and with her special issues she understood very much how the land and its inhabitants were feeling. Does doping the right thing for the wrong reasons matter? Does doing the wrong thing for the right reasons? And who gets to determine what is wrong and right, there are times when the line gets very blurred.
We see too how much our pasts, our backgrounds shape us, determine how we see things, our actions and beliefs. I really liked that this story went beyond simply what people did but looked at their pasts, often before we saw the actions, so we perhaps understood more. It raised so many questions for me.
Like many I've seen the video of how reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone park changed the landscape, brought in so many formerly lost species, even changed the course of the river. Its that mighty oaks from acorns grow stuff. Small changes really can bring huge improvements. Its so inspiring. Here where I live in rural north Norfolk there have been moves to reintroduce sea eagles, but as in this story they are heavily resisted by local farmers.
Inti's actions, made me think. What would I do? I'd like to think I'd make a different decision about the farmer but who knows? We really can't understand someone's actions unless we've lived their life. There are so many little twists here too, some I suspected, others caught me out completely.
Its a lovely ending, felt like the story had gone full circle.

Stars: Five, a gripping, fascinating read.

ARC supplied by Netgalley and publishers

Once There Were Wolves, Charlotte McConaghy 4/5 🐺

Inti Flynn arrives in Scotland tasked with reintroducing Wolves to the Highlands, she brings along her twin sister Aggie and hopes that the wilderness can heal what has been broken in Aggie for a long time. But violence is all around them and after Inti stumbles upon the body of a farmer she is forced to make a decision and ask some questions, who are the monsters? And who should she protect?

This is a beautiful, urgent novel that covers a scope of issues. The obviousness of climate change is front and centre and man made forest destruction and eco systems but McConaghy also deals with VAWG. Her parallels of humans and wolves are dazzling, who are the monsters of this story? How far do we let the wild in? Or has it been there all along? The more I read the more I wanted to read.

Charlotte McConaghy is a fierce talent. I was lost in the wilderness of this one. A stark, howling read, difficult to place among genres which is a good thing.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Vintage #RandomHouse

A lovely novel about wolves and re-wilding set in rural, mountainous Scotland. Inti, a headstrong Kiwi biologist with a nightmarish past and a consequently terrified, trauma damaged twin, moves to a remote village to head up a project to reintroduce the predators. This, she and her team hope, will prevent further environmental damage and restore a natural balance. The local farmers, however, most of them dependent on herd for their living, are understandably hostile, and this sets up much of the conflict for the story that develops. The novel deals with themes of violence, survival, the destruction of natural habitats and the plight of the predator in a man-changed environment. But also, being a book about people, it deals with the things that preoccupy us - love, hate, forgiveness and redemption. There was a lot, possibly too much, violence and blood; although given the story and the setting, perhaps this was unavoidable. Regardless, I enjoyed the novel hugely and found, despite the slightly slow start, that it packed a huge punch. A fascinating and emotional read.

Beautifully written, with a raw energy that makes it compelling to read. I loved the story of the wolves and Inti’s passion, but I found the story of the sisters became a little too disturbing and, by the end, too far fetched.

This is a fascinating book that made me keen to know more about rewilding and, of course, wolves. It’s an intensely emotional book, so be prepared for that. I loved the descriptions of the wolves and the relationship between the sisters. I also found Inti’s neurological condition interesting because I’d never heard of it before.

As well as being informative in many ways, this book is also magical in ways that are difficult to describe. It’s incredibly atmospheric and will stay with you for a long time after reading it. An usual and fulfilling read.

I seem to be out of step with other reviewers as this book just did not work for me. I read a lot of environmental non-fiction, and had high hopes for this novel. I did learn a bit about wolves but not nearly enough. I was very interested to read about the animals at the top of the food chain being vital for the rewilding of forests by keeping their prey on the move to prevent over-grazing, and about the behaviour of wolves alone and in packs, but I wanted so much more of that.

The author writes powerfully and compellingly, with the conflict between conservationists and farmers making for some excellent tense scenes but most of the focus was on the human protagonists and their back stories. There was a lot about Inti's demons and those of her sister, but also of every other character in the book. There was just too much human-on.-human violence, whilst the wolves and their threatened habitat were pushed more into the background as the book went on.

Outstanding - as a reader it captured me from beginning to end with the storytelling and the characters. Added to that are the haunting, raw, heartbreaking themes combined with beautiful descriptions of the Scottish Highlands. This book literally had me in tears and my heart ached for Inti and Aggie and all their experiences. As a romance it has all the elements, as a mystery it left me on the edge of their seat more than once. Without any spoilers I can simply say this is not a trite happy ever after book, but neither is it left unfinished. A brilliantly written and crafted book, if I could give more than 5 stars I would.

Inti Flynn is in Scotland as head of a programme to reintroduce the grey wolf to the Cairngorms National Park in the Highlands. Accompanying her is twin sister Aggie who is traumatised and as Inti has a condition called ‘mirror touch synaesthesia’ which means she feels the pain of others there’s hope the new environment will heal them both. When a sequence of unexpected events occur it forces Inti to act.

The start of the book feels disjointed to me, it’s muddling and confusing and initially hard to get into but then ….... I feel myself being pulled into the storytelling principally because there are some profoundly beautiful descriptions especially of Scotland and I can’t resist the lure. Without doubt the book has atmosphere in abundance from beginning to end. The author writes so passionately about environmental issues and that too is hard to resist. The dilemma between the ecological benefits of the reintroduction of the wolf to Scotland and the need for an apex predator is strongly presented but the author achieves balance by examining through several characters the economic concerns of farmers and their fears for their precious livestock making it very thought provoking. The mirror touch synaesthesia is a fascinating plot element and is well described and must be a tough condition to live with. The characterisation is extremely good, Inti is very complex, she’s not easy to like as she’s full of rage, she pokes bears and you find yourself shaking your head with exasperation at some of her actions yet conversely she’s also loyal, brave and full of love for Aggie and overwhelming protectiveness for the wolves. The mystery elements are intriguing and as the ending approaches the pace, tension and suspense magnify with good plot changes of direction too. The most important part of the book concern the wolves and those sections are some of the best in the book though it’s often an emotional rollercoaster.

However, there’s so much going on in the plot from domestic abuse to mental health issues, there’s an on off romance as well as conflict with locals. Too much??? Maybe. Some scenes are unquestionably disturbing with some characters harbouring depths of violence and this is a repetitive theme.

Overall it’s a very intense read, there are stunning descriptions to greatly admire and the plot themes are emotional with survival at its core. It is harrowing in places, it’s raw but the wolves, the beautiful wolves win me over. The author definitely gives the reader much food for thought.

With thanks to Netgalley and especially to Random House U.K., Vintage, Chatto and Windus for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.