Island of storm and calm

At the edge of the world, where humanity's last hope lies hidden, a battle for survival is just beginning… In the icy waters near Antarctica lies Petrel Island, home to a global seed vault – an impregnable repository preserving the planet's plant gene pool in case of an apocalypse. However, rising ocean levels have forced a scientific expedition to abandon the remote station, entrusting the evacuation of the remaining samples to its custodian, Dominic Salt, and his three children, whose mother tragically died giving birth to their youngest son. The family, deeply marked by this trauma, is pulled from its self-imposed isolation by an unknown castaway, Rowan, who is searching for her husband, Hank – one of the researchers here, who has suddenly stopped communicating with her. The Salt family offers Rowan shelter, but a series of unsettling events compels her to investigate on her own. As a massive storm approaches their shores, the tension on the island escalates, and the stranger uncovers a horrifying secret that her hosts are anxiously guarding, along with the entrusted seeds of future human civilisation… A bestseller nominated for the prestigious Women's Prize for Fiction and the genre Edgar Award, this is a dramatic story where no one is who they seem. A story of guilt, forgiveness, and the strength of family bonds as the world hurtles towards its end. “A thrilling novel full of romance, mystery, and shocking twists. I absolutely love this book.” – Reese Witherspoon “An author of enormous talent.” – Emily St. John Mandel “Absolutely breathtaking. McConaghy’s writing style gets me every time.” – Fredrik Backman “Captivating. Exceptionally conceived and deeply human.” – Washington Post “The emotionally charged Once There Were Wolves is a real literary treat, a delicacy you won’t devour in one sitting but will savour like an original delicacy thanks to its extraordinary atmosphere and mysterious plot.” – Zápisky jedné knihovnice (Notes of a Librarian) “I got so much more from this book than I expected. (…) At times it felt like a post-apocalyptic psychothriller, at others like a detective story, but it was far more a relationship novel, primarily about what love means for children, for parents, for partners, and for nature. A lot of interesting food for thought.” – from reader reviews on Databazeknih.cz “An exceptional book in which each character is processing great inner pain and loss – and each has their own secret. A deep introspection of feelings, an inner truthfulness.” – from reader reviews on Databazeknih.cz “Once There Were Wolves is a book that will win you over primarily with its atmosphere. Charlotte McConaghy can paint a harsh yet captivating landscape with incredible ease, one that isn't just a backdrop but a fully-fledged part of the story.” – from reader reviews on Databazeknih.cz I brought my children to Petrel Island eight years ago. I didn’t expect it to be so haunted, but the lighthouse we live in has served men for hundreds of years who built their lives on the blood of this world's creatures. The waste left behind by sealers and whalers is still here, scattered across long stretches of black shore and on the silvery, shimmering hills. When Orly first admitted he could hear voices, all the whisperings of animals that had been killed on this land – and not just that, they exterminated an entire species of fur seal here, clubbing them until none were left – that’s when I seriously considered taking my children away. But my spirit told me it could be a gift, those voices. A way to remember what surely someone should remember. I don't know if such a burden is suitable for a child, but here we are, we stayed, and I think my wife was actually right and that the animals bring my son comfort. It's mostly quiet here. Life here is simple, a daily routine of grass, hills, sea, and sky. Wind, rain, fog, and smiles as we huddle around the stove, and the books we read every evening. A mug of hot cocoa in hand or a head bowed against the rain and wind, wet clothes hung by the door, and attempts to distinguish a giant petrel from an albatross in the distance. Food from the freezer and occasional films, schoolwork, courses, and music downloaded from the internet. The croaking roar of an elephant seal or the sea lions lolling about like funny bananas, the strikingly orange eyebrows of the king penguins, who live here in the last colony on earth. Seeds. Parenthood. The constant uncertainty of what to tell them about the world we left behind. – excerpt from the book