Tell the Wolves I'm Home

Carol Rifka Brunt's work has appeared in literary journals such as North American Review and The Sun. She was one of three fiction writers to receive the New Writing Ventures award in 2006, and in 2007, she received a generous Arts Council grant to write her first novel, Tell the Wolves I'm Home.

Tell the Wolves I'm Home is a story about family, loss, first loves, and the chaos of the 1980s AIDS epidemic. Readers see a 14-year-old girl thrust into adulthood with knowledge of her beloved uncle's condition through June's eyes. Despite the harsh realities of prejudices, strained relationships, and mourning, June's love for her uncle is what saves her and someone else. Reading this book transports you to another world, and you sink into it - it's not a quick read, but it's well worth it.

The only person who has ever truly understood June Elbus, fourteen, is her uncle, renowned painter Finn Weiss. June, who is shy at school and estranged from her older sister, can only be herself in Finn's company; he is her godfather, confidant, and best friend. June's world is turned upside down when he dies far too young of a mysterious illness her mother can barely speak about.

However, Finn's death brings a new acquaintance into June's life. June notices a strange man lingering just beyond the crowd at the funeral. A few days later, she gets a package in the mail with a beautiful teapot from Finn's apartment and a note from Toby, the stranger, asking for a chance to meet. As the two spend more time together, June realizes she isn't the only one who misses Finn, and that this unexpected friend may be exactly what she needs.

Author: Carol Rifka Brunt

Link to buy: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0812982851

Ratings: 4.4 out of 5 stars (from 3560 reviews)

Best Sellers Rank: #17,419 in Books

#490 in Coming of Age Fiction (Books)

#1,064 in Family Life Fiction (Books)

#1,720 in Literary Fiction (Books)