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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
A great book about a 14 year-old girl whose favorite uncle dies of AIDS. Set in the 1980's, June also deals with her mother's anguish over her brother's death. Her 16 year-old sister is often mean (and wild), and June misses their former closeness. The uncle, a well-known artist, painted a portrait of the sisters; the portrait title is the same as the book's, and the portrait figures prominently in the plot. The girls have a great deal of free time and independence while their parents, both accountants, are busy with tax season. June makes many solo trips into New York City from Westchester; probably not something that many teens would do these days. June uncovers much of her uncle's past through her friendship with her uncle's partner. She grows up quickly in the brief time the book covers, maturing from a self-conscious girl into a strong young woman. This was a very engrossing book.
[Note: I seem to be one of the few people that don't love this book.]
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This is a book about a young adult, but probably not a book for young adults.
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I hated the narrator's personality and sometimes even found it contradictory. She can't stand up for herself or express her opinion, but then halfway through the book, she finds some guts somewhere and decides that yes, she can speak her mind. I did not follow how that even happened; there was supposed to be a correlation, somewhere, maybe, probably but I didn't see it.
Finn and Toby were the most likable characters, but that isn't saying much, because they were supposed to be the ones with likable personalities.
The narrator's sister was really unbelievable; her personality was classic (and by classic, I mean terrible), and her outburst at the end left me disbelieving every single word.
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To be honest, I only rated this book a three because of it's decent ending and it's not-atrocious writing.
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(I'm sure this book is great if you like chapters that end with sentences meant to be symbolic or that imply some hidden meaning.)
(One more bone to pick, but with these kinds of books in general: in reality, dreams do not symbolically match what people are going through {not always and if so, it's not usually obvious} so seeing that kind of thing in the book just made me wonder if it could get any more unoriginal.)
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This is a book about a young adult, but probably not a book for young adults.
--
I hated the narrator's personality and sometimes even found it contradictory. She can't stand up for herself or express her opinion, but then halfway through the book, she finds some guts somewhere and decides that yes, she can speak her mind. I did not follow how that even happened; there was supposed to be a correlation, somewhere, maybe, probably but I didn't see it.
Finn and Toby were the most likable characters, but that isn't saying much, because they were supposed to be the ones with likable personalities.
The narrator's sister was really unbelievable; her personality was classic (and by classic, I mean terrible), and her outburst at the end left me disbelieving every single word.
--
To be honest, I only rated this book a three because of it's decent ending and it's not-atrocious writing.
--
(I'm sure this book is great if you like chapters that end with sentences meant to be symbolic or that imply some hidden meaning.)
(One more bone to pick, but with these kinds of books in general: in reality, dreams do not symbolically match what people are going through {not always and if so, it's not usually obvious} so seeing that kind of thing in the book just made me wonder if it could get any more unoriginal.)
A story told from a 14-year old protagonist whose uncle just died from AIDS in the 1980's when the disease was coming to the forefront of attention.
June (essentially Darlene from "Roseanne") had a favourite uncle who died of AIDS -- and he had been not only her favourite uncle but also the only person around whom she let down her guard, the only person she felt understood by and loved by.
The book explores how people choose someone to be the one who needs them, and in the process neglect and hurt the others in their lives who also need and love them. June is completely infatuated with everything to do with her uncle, even after he is dead, while being hypersensitive to signs of rejection and judgment from everyone else -- who are in turn hurt by her defensiveness.
And so on.
Where the book excels is in its realistic portrayal of high-school students' behaviour, alternate clear-sightedness and cluelessness, attitudes, language, etc. It nails the parts of June and her popular older sister.
The plot moves along well enough, even while the theme is chewed and rechewed like cud. The tension that will be resolved in the end becomes clear with a large number of chapters remaining, and the ending is never really in any doubt. But somehow, it works. Three stars seem too few for this book, but four is too many.
The book explores how people choose someone to be the one who needs them, and in the process neglect and hurt the others in their lives who also need and love them. June is completely infatuated with everything to do with her uncle, even after he is dead, while being hypersensitive to signs of rejection and judgment from everyone else -- who are in turn hurt by her defensiveness.
And so on.
Where the book excels is in its realistic portrayal of high-school students' behaviour, alternate clear-sightedness and cluelessness, attitudes, language, etc. It nails the parts of June and her popular older sister.
The plot moves along well enough, even while the theme is chewed and rechewed like cud. The tension that will be resolved in the end becomes clear with a large number of chapters remaining, and the ending is never really in any doubt. But somehow, it works. Three stars seem too few for this book, but four is too many.
Congratulations, book, you fabulous heartbreaking/warming bastard. You made me tear up. I hope you're satisfied!
Loved it. I love the idea of a misfit who is still a strong character. I had a lot of issues with Greta's character. For a 16 year old to be an alcoholic, I expected more baggage to be revealed about her and there wasn't. I found that unrealistic.
You know you're in for it when a book has you crying by page 22.
There were things in this book I loved and there were things that made me feel like I could walk away, never finish reading it. I kept in though because it always felt real.
There were things in this book I loved and there were things that made me feel like I could walk away, never finish reading it. I kept in though because it always felt real.
Tell the Wolves I'm Home explores relationships. Set in the 1980's the book captures the fear and misunderstood reactions to AIDS which runs in parallel to misunderstood relationships.
Coming of Age is a strange phrase; as if at some point one arrives at a destination. An end point. When exactly is this supposed to happen? 18, 21, 30, 50?
When this happens too slowly; i.e. the 30 year old college graduate living with his parents, jobless. Is this a preservation of childhood? Conversely, when it happens too quickly is this to be celebrated or do we mourn the loss of childhood? This question is cultural and generational. The answer changes over time.
***SPOILERS BELOW****
In the case of the coming of age novel “Tell the Wolves I’m Home” I find tragedy.
I find it tragic, sad and creepy even. Parents that are too busy to parent. An older sister pushed to perfection, celebrated and pressured to the point of day drinking. A 14 year smoking and drinking with an adult male somewhere above 30 years old is inappropriate. I’m fully aware that stating this platonic relationship is inappropriate is likely to be condemned as out of touch with the world today.
June and Toby are both suffering loss so they gravitate towards one another. Both drawn and pushed. Pushed by Finn. Perhaps the inappropriateness of the relationship is the point. The parents thought it was inappropriate. June herself knew it was wrong otherwise she wouldn’t have hidden the relationship.
As an appreciator of art, the ongoing description of the painting's destruction is cringeworthy.
The AIDS source reveal turns the entire book around.
The ending is beautiful. The mom reconciling her past, adding her own piece to the painting. June maturing. Sisters once again becoming sisters.
In the end we learn. Be present. Be truthful. Be perceptive.
Coming of Age is a strange phrase; as if at some point one arrives at a destination. An end point. When exactly is this supposed to happen? 18, 21, 30, 50?
When this happens too slowly; i.e. the 30 year old college graduate living with his parents, jobless. Is this a preservation of childhood? Conversely, when it happens too quickly is this to be celebrated or do we mourn the loss of childhood? This question is cultural and generational. The answer changes over time.
***SPOILERS BELOW****
In the case of the coming of age novel “Tell the Wolves I’m Home” I find tragedy.
I find it tragic, sad and creepy even. Parents that are too busy to parent. An older sister pushed to perfection, celebrated and pressured to the point of day drinking. A 14 year smoking and drinking with an adult male somewhere above 30 years old is inappropriate. I’m fully aware that stating this platonic relationship is inappropriate is likely to be condemned as out of touch with the world today.
June and Toby are both suffering loss so they gravitate towards one another. Both drawn and pushed. Pushed by Finn. Perhaps the inappropriateness of the relationship is the point. The parents thought it was inappropriate. June herself knew it was wrong otherwise she wouldn’t have hidden the relationship.
As an appreciator of art, the ongoing description of the painting's destruction is cringeworthy.
The AIDS source reveal turns the entire book around.
The ending is beautiful. The mom reconciling her past, adding her own piece to the painting. June maturing. Sisters once again becoming sisters.
In the end we learn. Be present. Be truthful. Be perceptive.
This is a great read.
"I really wondered why people were always doing what they didn't like doing. It seemed like life was a sort of narrowing tunnel. Right when you were born, the tunnel was huge. You could be anything. Then, like, the absolute second after you were born, the tunnel narrowed down to about half that size You were a boy, and already it was certain you wouldn't be a mother and it was likely you wouldn't become a manicurist or a kindergarten teacher. Then you started to grow up and everything you did closed the tunnel in some more. You broke your arm climbing a tree and you ruled out being a baseball pitcher. You failed every math test you ever took and you canceled any hope of being a scientist. Like that. On and on through the years until you were stuck. You'd become a baker or a librarian or a bartender. Or an accountant. And there you were. I figured that on the day you died, the tunnel would be so narrow, you'd have squeezed yourself in with so many choices, that you just got squashed." -Tell the Wolves I'm Home
"I really wondered why people were always doing what they didn't like doing. It seemed like life was a sort of narrowing tunnel. Right when you were born, the tunnel was huge. You could be anything. Then, like, the absolute second after you were born, the tunnel narrowed down to about half that size You were a boy, and already it was certain you wouldn't be a mother and it was likely you wouldn't become a manicurist or a kindergarten teacher. Then you started to grow up and everything you did closed the tunnel in some more. You broke your arm climbing a tree and you ruled out being a baseball pitcher. You failed every math test you ever took and you canceled any hope of being a scientist. Like that. On and on through the years until you were stuck. You'd become a baker or a librarian or a bartender. Or an accountant. And there you were. I figured that on the day you died, the tunnel would be so narrow, you'd have squeezed yourself in with so many choices, that you just got squashed." -Tell the Wolves I'm Home