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gbfulford 's review for:
Tell the Wolves I'm Home
by Carol Rifka Brunt
An odd book with some really moving themes that didn’t quite gel for me. The AIDS love-and-loss story is very poignant (AIDS stories always wreck me). I appreciated the slow reveal that many of the details about Finn’s life and apartment, such as cherished objects, favorite music, and personality quirks had a shared origin story with the love of his life, Toby. As someone in a longterm partnership since 2010, it’s relatable/understandable how many of their interests, possessions, and habits have become intertwined. It was incredibly sad to imagine Toby hiding in the basement storage unit while June and her family visited with Finn upstairs.
I had trouble finding believable the other relationships and character motivations. I thought it was kind of creepy and weird (though her shame was described) that June was in love with her uncle. I didn’t fully understand what was going on with Greta and her actions. Some aspects of the plot seemed half-baked, like when June wanted to go to England with Toby but then quickly abandoned the idea. I thought the parents being accountants might have been a convenient way to not have to write much about them since most of June’s secret commuting to New York happens during tax season. Overall, a slightly frustrating reading experience for me, but a unique story nonetheless.
I had trouble finding believable the other relationships and character motivations. I thought it was kind of creepy and weird (though her shame was described) that June was in love with her uncle. I didn’t fully understand what was going on with Greta and her actions. Some aspects of the plot seemed half-baked, like when June wanted to go to England with Toby but then quickly abandoned the idea. I thought the parents being accountants might have been a convenient way to not have to write much about them since most of June’s secret commuting to New York happens during tax season. Overall, a slightly frustrating reading experience for me, but a unique story nonetheless.