Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

The Guncle by Steven Rowley

24 reviews

oxfordcommas91's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Death

Moderate: Drug abuse, Cancer, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Terminal illness

Minor: Drug use

erikagibson126's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Grief, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, and Car accident

Moderate: Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, and Homophobia

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

blueyogi's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Sexual content, Death, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, Alcohol, Death of parent, Cursing, and Car accident

Minor: Addiction and Drug use

ceruleanblue42's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Death, Alcohol, and Death of parent

Minor: Drug use

koplomps's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Car accident, and Grief

Moderate: Addiction and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual content, Confinement, and Drug use

beatriks's review

emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

This was less lighthearted than I had expected, nevertheless heartwarming and hopeful. There were lots of funny moments, but also very sad ones.

that birthday cake scene, what did I cry!

I would definitely recommend the book and I’m planning to read more books by Steven Rowley.

Also, I could feel the heat of Palm Springs shine through the pages.

Curious to find out who’s going to play Patrick in the movie/TV adaptation. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Car accident, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Cancer, Homophobia, and Addiction

Minor: Drug use

slprincess's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Car accident, Death, Terminal illness, Drug use, Addiction, and Death of parent

lynxpardinus's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Grief, and Medical content

Moderate: Alcoholism, Car accident, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Cancer, Confinement, Drug abuse, Racism, Alcohol, Drug use, Terminal illness, Addiction, and Sexual assault

Minor: Child death, Gaslighting, Genocide, Abandonment, Colonisation, Suicidal thoughts, Body shaming, Outing, Bullying, Child abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pandemic/Epidemic, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual content, Stalking, Xenophobia, and Religious bigotry

alliemikennareads's review against another edition

funny hopeful reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

This book is such a beautiful depiction of growing around grief and finding your way back to yourself. It is equal parts funny, heartwarming and witty, with deeply likable characters and a fun plot. Patrick is the guncle we all wish we had, even when it takes him awhile to realize it. I really loved this and am so glad I waited to read it until I needed a book like it, because I felt it so much more. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Car accident, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Addiction, Cancer, and Medical content

thatswhatshanread's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective 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? Yes

3.5

Well, it took me about 5 years to finish this novel due to a very annoying reading slump, but after finally hitting the story’s stride with the second half, I’m happy to report I did enjoy it. It felt like the very depth of a proper embrace—comforting but yet all consuming. It was not necessarily a funny book like I expected, but more of an introspective look at grief and the different ways we cope with it. In Guncle Patrick’s case that often did include comedy, but also fury and sadness and absurdity and care. Patrick’s relationship with his niece and nephew is the star of the story, but his relationship with everyone in his life, past and present, is unveiled through his love of and life with the children. 

This a book about family and dreams, and how you should never give up on either of them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Cancer, Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Death, Alcohol, Death of parent, Car accident, Drug use, and Grief

Moderate: Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, Blood, and Abandonment