New York, 1986: June Elbus, a lone, young fourteen year old girl struggles with the death of her uncle, painter Finn Weiss. Shy and distant from the rest of her family and peers, Finn was her best friend, the only person who ever understood her. However, at his funeral, June notices a young man watching over the umbrellas of the mourners, and a few days later she receives her uncle's precious teapot in the mail and a note from Toby, Finn's mysterious friend. As they become friends, June finally begins to understand her uncle's mysterious death and finds that Finn didn't have to be her only friend.
In her novel Tell the Wolves I'm Home, Brunt takes an unbaised look into the impact of relationships, love, and trust. Told from the point of view of a young girl, the novel seems to be part coming-of-age, part take on social statement.
Developing characters with charm and wit, Brunt focuses on friendship and love, and understanding. This book is full of teary smiles and heartfelt laughs, but most of all it is a story about finding oneself and accepting new friendships.
Overall, Brunt's novel was a good read that introduced thematic elements about love and sacrifice, however, it failed to capture my attention as one of the best novels I have ever read. There was nothing overly excitable about this book and didn't leave much of an impression, but still spurred a couple conversations at the dinner table about love, friendship, and relationships.
I would give this book three out of five stars for its prose and characters, yet for its attention grabbing ability I had to dock points.
Other Reviews:
“Tremendously moving…Brunt strikes a difficult balance, imbuing June with the disarming candor of a child and the melancholy wisdom of a heart-scarred adult."—The Wall Street Journal
“[A] transcendent debut… Peopled by characters who will live in readers’ imaginations long after the final page is turned, Brunt’s novel is a beautifully bittersweet mix of heartbreak and hope.”—Booklist (starred review)
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