Reviews with content warning for Terminal illness - The Guncle

Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

The Guncle by Steven Rowley

66 reviews

kateywaldhart's review against another edition

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emotional funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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katewhite77's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is the sweetest book I have read in a while.

Gay Uncle Patrick takes in his young neice and nephew for the summer after their mum dies and their father admits himself to rehab.

Although Patrick and Grant are brothers, Greg met his wife Sarah through Patrick as they were college buddies.

The loss of his boyfriend Joe, a few years before the book opens forces actor Patrick into early retirement to Palm Springs. So after the funeral in Coneticuit, Patrick,and the kids Masie and Grant head back there.

What follows is a very sweet life affirming and queer possive tale about learning to live alongside grief and what it takes to be a good parent. Oh, and did I mention it is also very funny and perfect for when you are feeling under the weather.

My only slight criticism is I would have liked to hear more from Jed, and if you want to know who Jed is well, then you'll just have to read the book.

The audiobook is a paticularly good way to go with this one as it is read by the author who rebrings out the humour.

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mels_reading_log's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This book was exceptional! After the death of his best friend/sister in law, Patrick takes in his niece and nephew while their dad goes to rehab. Patrick doesn’t know how to be a parent, but he can be a guncle! So he sets forth to teach the kids how to live fabulously while being truly yourself and hopefully work through some grief. This book was so funny and snarky and deep and emotional. Everyone needs to read this.

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hawksrye's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted sad

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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oxfordcommas91's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I truly loved Steven Rowley’s “The Celebrants” so wanted to give this one a try upon recommendation from a friend. It wasn’t nearly as satisfying as The Celebrants but kept me busy for a few days. While the kids were delightful, I think I missed some of the charm that their gay uncle (“Guncle”) was supposed to bring to the table. His life felt a bit difficult to relate to and disconnected from the storyline happening. Nonetheless, a nice story about grief and finding/discovering joy in unlikely places. There was a lot of heart in this book and a fair amount of laugh out loud moments, but I wasn’t as invested in this story as I would have liked to be!

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