Book Review: The Guncle

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The Guncle by Steven Rowley is my favorite book so far in 2022.

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 weeklong visits, or when he heads home to Connecticut for the holidays. But in terms of caretaking and relating to two children, no matter how adorable, Patrick is, honestly, overwhelmed.

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 acting 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.

Patrick may not be the perfect Guncle but he is the perfect Guncle for this situation. When Maisie and Grant are left with Patrick even I was worried on how he would make it work. But through taking care of the kids, Patrick learned to take care of himself and the kids. He helps the children grieve and teaches himself to as well. This book does handle heavy topics and I found myself crying and laughing throughout the book but the author handles everything perfectly. The topics in this book are heavy but the book isn’t. I don’t know what category I would place The Guncle in but it is an amazing book that shows that everyone needs a GUP.

Have you read The Guncle? If so, let me know what you thought below in the comments.