Gosh, The Guncle turned out to be exactly the sort of feelgood, laughy-taffy book I didn't know I needed.
Patrick adores his niece and nephew, and enjoys spending time with them, though only a few days at a time. But when tragedy strikes and he is unexpectedly called upon to care for them, he doesn't think he can do it. For one, he knows nothing about raising children. But more importantly, he's been hiding out for years, dealing with his own personal grief. How can he help these children move on with theirs when he hasn't ever learned to do it himself?
Grief is a hard topic to write about, especially if you're aiming to be uplifting rather than depressing. But Rowley hits upon exactly the right notes with this book. The focus is on moving forward and making new relationships and memories. Patrick and the children need each other, which they slowly realize as time goes on. And it's only through their shared bond that they can overcome this dark shadow in their lives.
There is so much heart and humor in here. Every character is adorable and lovable, from the kids to the dog to the neighbors. Patrick's snarky humor and zingy one-liners had me in stitches. Honestly, I haven't laughed like this from reading a book in a long time. My cheeks were sore the whole way through, stretched out with smiles and laughter.
I'm always in the mood for a heartfelt story, one that tackles a serious subject, but does so with humor and warmth. After all, it's inevitable that life is full of tragedy. Sometimes all you can do is laugh and look out for each other and try to move on the best you can, and this book embodies exactly that.
Readaroo Rating: 4 stars
My heartfelt thanks for the copy that was provided for my honest and unbiased review.
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