Book Review - Tell the Wolves I'm Home

Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt is a well written interesting story about a young girl and her uncle. June is shy, distant, and still trying to learn about life at age fourteen. It’s 1987 and the word AIDS is not common. Her uncle, famous painter Finn Weiss, is her favorite person in the world and he dies. But he leaves behind a “friend”, Toby, who’s a big secret. June’s mother is angry at Finn, Toby, etc about his death.  So June keeps her connection with Toby a secret. She learns more about her uncle’s life, about trust, and love.

This story is quite bittersweet. It’s a family drama that’s missing a key player – the late Finn Weiss. It’s only through his death that we learn more. It’s only through June’s love of her uncle and willingness to connect with his love, Toby, that the picture becomes complete.

p. 101  June:  I felt like I had proof that not all days are the same length, not all time has the same weight. Proof that  there are worlds and worlds and worlds on top of worlds, if you want them to be there.

p. 233  June: If I could time travel, could I be selfless enough to stop Finn from getting AIDS? Even if it meant I would never have him as my friend? I didn’t know. I had no idea how greedy my heart really was.

Tell the Wolves I’m Home is poignant and heartrending at times. It was different and I found it quite compelling.