Gina’s Review: Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt

Tell the Wolves I’m Home 
written by Carol Rifka Brunt
published by Random House, 2012

find it here: (affiliate links) Barnes & Noble, Amazon, iBooks, Book Depository, Goodreads

Did I enjoy this book: I ugly cried because of this book, and if you’ve been reading my reviews long enough, you know that’s a good thing. If I have to use a half a box of tissues to mop up the tears a book caused, it was good. I went into this book knowing after I read the back of it that I was going to cry. A book with a character who has AIDS can’t end well, especially if it takes place in the ’80s. However, this book was written so beautifully that every chapter pulled me in deeper, and the more I learned about these characters, the more I felt. I cried with them. I laughed with them. I rooted for them. This book makes you think and question yourself. What would I do in this situation? How would I feel? It’s definitely a book you could read in a matter of days. I stayed up all night trying to finish it. I needed a few cups of coffee the next day to function like a human.

 

GOLDEN LINES

“That’s the secret. If you always make sure you’re exactly the person you hoped to be, if you always make sure you know the very best people, then you won’t care if you die tomorrow.”

 

 

Would I recommend it: Yes, read it!

 

About the book – from Goodreads: In this striking literary debut, Carol Rifka Brunt unfolds a moving story of love, grief, and renewal as two lonely people become the unlikeliest of friends and find that sometimes you don’t know you’ve lost someone until you’ve found them.

1987. There’s only one person who has ever truly understood fourteen-year-old June Elbus, and that’s her uncle, the renowned painter Finn Weiss. Shy at school and distant from her older sister, June can only be herself in Finn’s company; he is her godfather, confidant, and best friend. So when he dies, far too young, of a mysterious illness her mother can barely speak about, June’s world is turned upside down. But Finn’s death brings a surprise acquaintance into June’s life – someone who will help her to heal and to question what she thinks she knows about Finn, her family, and even her own heart.

At Finn’s funeral, June notices a strange man lingering just beyond the crowd. A few days later, she receives a package in the mail. Inside is a beautiful teapot she recognizes from Finn’s apartment and a note from Toby, the stranger, asking for an opportunity to meet. As the two begin to spend time together, June realizes she’s not the only one who misses Finn, and if she can bring herself to trust this unexpected friend, he just might be the one she needs the most.

An emotionally charged coming-of-age novel, Tell the Wolves I’m Home is a tender story of love lost and found, an unforgettable portrait of the way compassion can make us whole again.