The Guncle ⭑⭑⭑⭑
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
US Publication: May 25, 2021
Print: 326 pages
Audio: 11 hours 23 minutes
Confetti Rating: 4 stars
REVIEW:
If a “guncle” is a gay uncle, I guess that makes me a “staunt.” And boy, did Steven Rowley’s latest novel hit pretty close to home for this straight aunt.
Maisie (9) and Grant (6) lose a parent to cancer and leave their East Coast home to spend the following summer in the care of their guncle while their surviving parent works through some issues. I knew even before picking up this book that it would be a hard one for me to read, but glowing reviews and that fantastically cheerful cover compelled me to give it a go anyway. You see, I’m a childless woman, who lost a brother to cancer, who had two children under 10 left behind. So yeah, I’m a staunt. I only share this to say there’s no way I can separate my personal experience of grief and endless worry from any “enjoyment” to be derived from fiction.
In light of all that, I loved The Guncle as much as I possibly could. The guncle in question, Patrick (aka GUP for Gay Uncle Patrick), is an unfiltered former sitcom star that I pictured as Sean Hayes from “Will & Grace.” He treats the kids like adults, which is at times hilarious and at others ridiculous. His humor is unabashedly rated R, so fair warning that it may not be to all readers’ tastes.
Ultimately I’m glad I read this story, and I look forward to getting to the author’s other novels. I have a feeling I’ll like his writing even more when I can better separate the silly from my own sadness.
PUBLISHER SYNOPSIS:
From the bestselling author of Lily and the Octopus and The Editor comes a warm and deeply funny novel about a once-famous gay sitcom star whose unexpected family tragedy leaves him with his niece and nephew for the summer.
Patrick, or Gay Uncle Patrick (GUP, for short), has always loved his niece, Maisie, and nephew, Grant. That is, he loves spending time with them when they come out to Palm Springs for week-long visits, or when he heads home to Connecticut for the holidays. But in terms of care taking and relating to two children, no matter how adorable, Patrick is honestly a bit out of his league.
So when tragedy strikes and Maisie and Grant lose their mother and Patrick’s brother has a health crisis of his own, Patrick finds himself suddenly taking on the role of primary guardian. Despite having a set of “Guncle Rules” ready to go, Patrick has no idea what to expect, having spent years barely holding on after the loss of his great love, a somewhat-stalled career, and a lifestyle not-so-suited to a six- and a nine-year-old. Quickly realizing that parenting — even if temporary — isn’t solved with treats and jokes, Patrick’s eyes are opened to a new sense of responsibility, and the realization that, sometimes, even being larger than life means you’re unfailingly human.
With the humor and heart we’ve come to expect from bestselling author Steven Rowley, The Guncle is a moving tribute to the power of love, patience, and family in even the most trying of times.