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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Emotional coming-of-age story about family and sisterhood and the meaning of caretaking and a life well-lived; I was engrossed pretty quickly.
3.5 ⭐️ it’s a powerful book and talks about a tough subject in a interesting way. However, the main character (who I know is 14 and written as such) was such an annoying character throughout. That never changes. Even at the end, she’s still fairly insufferable with little development. This book relies heavily on the miscommunication trope, which is one of my least favorites and frustrated me throughout. I would, and am still, recommending this book to friends, despite all this.
Okay, wow. Wasn't a good idea to finish this while sitting in a cafe. People think I'm barking. I'm not going to go in depth on this one for two reasons: a) If I were to do that I would spoil the hell out of anyone reading this, and b) the emotions are a little too raw for me to even want to. This book affected me.
To sum it up (very) briefly, Tell the Wolves I'm Home is about June Elbus, a fourteen year-old girl who's just lost her Uncle Finn to AIDS. It's 1987, and all that implies. But Finn wasn't just her uncle. He was her godfather, and her best friend in the world.
June is a bit of an oddball. She is tall for her age and constantly feels physically out of place with kids her own age, but more what makes her an outcast are her interests. She'd rather spend time in the woods behind the school, wearing her special medieval boots Finn gave her and pretending to be from another time than do whatever it is other kids do. She spends most of her free time with Finn, eating at fancy restaurants, visiting museums, and going to the Cloisters (their special place). So when Finn dies, it affects her more than it does her family. She lets it affect her more. And then her uncle's partner, Toby, shows up, and June has to deal with keeping that a secret. Her family dislikes Toby vehemently, viewing him among other things as her uncle's murderer. But Toby and June strike up a friendship, and June has to face the possibility of once again losing her only friend to AIDS. There's also a whole plot involving a portrait (also titled "Tell the Wolves I'm Home") Finn was painting of her June and her sister Greta. Finn is a world-famous artist, and his death (and the portrait being the last thing he ever painted) brings a level of scrutiny to the Elbus household that only heightens their grief.
See, I'm doing a piss poor job of explaining this. I'm making it sound dumb. Ugh. Just read the damn book.
Carol Rifka Brunt is good at words. Her characters were so real to me I kept getting angry and upset at things they were doing on their behalf. And it's only marginally about AIDS. The real focus of the book is June and her family, and the fragility of the relationship between siblings. I don't normally read literary fiction much anymore, mostly because I think it takes itself too seriously, and I can't stand things that are pompous like that. But this book is not pompous. It's tiny and perfect and moving and real. I liked it a lot.
To sum it up (very) briefly, Tell the Wolves I'm Home is about June Elbus, a fourteen year-old girl who's just lost her Uncle Finn to AIDS. It's 1987, and all that implies. But Finn wasn't just her uncle. He was her godfather, and her best friend in the world.
June is a bit of an oddball. She is tall for her age and constantly feels physically out of place with kids her own age, but more what makes her an outcast are her interests. She'd rather spend time in the woods behind the school, wearing her special medieval boots Finn gave her and pretending to be from another time than do whatever it is other kids do. She spends most of her free time with Finn, eating at fancy restaurants, visiting museums, and going to the Cloisters (their special place). So when Finn dies, it affects her more than it does her family. She lets it affect her more. And then her uncle's partner, Toby, shows up, and June has to deal with keeping that a secret. Her family dislikes Toby vehemently, viewing him among other things as her uncle's murderer. But Toby and June strike up a friendship, and June has to face the possibility of once again losing her only friend to AIDS. There's also a whole plot involving a portrait (also titled "Tell the Wolves I'm Home") Finn was painting of her June and her sister Greta. Finn is a world-famous artist, and his death (and the portrait being the last thing he ever painted) brings a level of scrutiny to the Elbus household that only heightens their grief.
See, I'm doing a piss poor job of explaining this. I'm making it sound dumb. Ugh. Just read the damn book.
Carol Rifka Brunt is good at words. Her characters were so real to me I kept getting angry and upset at things they were doing on their behalf. And it's only marginally about AIDS. The real focus of the book is June and her family, and the fragility of the relationship between siblings. I don't normally read literary fiction much anymore, mostly because I think it takes itself too seriously, and I can't stand things that are pompous like that. But this book is not pompous. It's tiny and perfect and moving and real. I liked it a lot.
emotional
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
was rocking with the exploration of loving someone so much it makes you a worse person until the incest. still cried reading the last chapters though.
emotional
funny
sad
slow-paced
This book grated on my nerves and I was glad to see it end. I had thought the book would focus on the AIDS outbreak and the thoughts of the average American towards it and to some degree, it did that but not really. It seemed to focus more on an ignorant, self-absorbed little girl and her selfish family. The only member of the family that I may have felt for was Greta and even she still didn't seem worthy of it. I understood where she was coming from, but that does not condone her actions.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes