June 2015 Host:  Jennie

Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt

Summary

This is a coming-of-age story of 14-year old June Elbus set in New York in 1987.  June forms a very close attachment to her uncle Finn, who is the only one who truly gets her. June is not your typical 1980s teen, she listens repeatedly to Mozart’s Requiem, wears lace up boots, and wishes she was a falconer from the middle-ages.  As his last act of love of June and her family, Finn paints a portrait of June and her sister Greta.  The portrait affects the family in many ways.  June soon loses her beloved uncle to AIDS during a time when the disease was a mysterious and frightening epidemic. June soon discovers her uncle’s lover Toby and is drawn to him as her last link to Finn.  Soon these two develop a quirky friendship that must remain secret due to June’s mother's complex and envious relationship with her brother Finn.  June must also deal with her insecure 16-year old sister Greta who taunts her about her uncle Finn and plays malicious tricks on her.  The author touches on the themes of sibling relationships and the fear of ostracization and embarrassment that AIDS brought about in the 1980s.  The characters are well described and aptly flawed.   I really enjoyed this book as the aspects of the relationships were described on many levels and the book appeals to adults and teens alike.  This is a sad and meaningful book, but also filled with bits of happiness.  We highly recommend this book.