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keppers_jax's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Death and Sexual content
torikate7's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Cancer, Death of parent, Grief, Death, and Car accident
Moderate: Drug abuse, Alcohol, and Addiction
Minor: Infidelity, Medical content, and Sexual content
blueyogi's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Sexual content, Death, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, Alcohol, Death of parent, Cursing, and Car accident
Minor: Addiction and Drug use
koplomps's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death of parent, Car accident, and Grief
Moderate: Addiction and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content, Confinement, and Drug use
orijuris's review
- 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
Minor: Death, Grief, Death of parent, and Sexual content
diana_raquel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The Guncle follows the story of Patrick, or Gay Uncle Patrick, when he has to take care of Maisie and Grant, his niece and nephew, after tragedy strikes. And despite having a set of “Guncle Rules”, 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.
I really loved this story! Its a story about grief and loss, but its also about hope and recovery. I loved every bit of it and couldn't put it down! Truly recommend it!
Graphic: Death, Grief, Death of parent, Car accident, and Medical content
Moderate: Cancer, Addiction, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, and Sexual content
lynxpardinus's review
4.0
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
atoft's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Generally, the book takes a lighter tone which was a nice break from the heavier queer fiction I've read recently. Unfortunately, it feels like it's trying really hard to be funny, and only occasionally manages. The titular gay uncle, Patrick, is charged with looking after his young niece and nephew for the summer, with supposedly hilarious results. He spends most of the book talking to them in a way that no real person would talk to children, filled with quippy asides and obscure references. He's saying things not because they make any sense in context but because they are funny for the reader, or at least they're meant to be. That most of the cultural references are completely lost on me probably doesn't help.
The book does have some more dramatic and emotional threads to it, in the loss of the kids' mother and Patrick's friend, Sara, and in Patrick dealing with grief from the death of his boyfriend Joe four years earlier. The latter is the most effective, especially a scene in which
The majority of the book has us tagging along with the trio throughout their summer, exploring Patrick's extravagant home (the reward for a successful TV career from which he's now hiding) and trying out various fun activities in the pretty but constraining setting of Palm Springs. Along the way he invents ridiculous "Guncle Rules" in an attempt to teach the kids important lessons, such as the value of brunch. There are a couple of other subplots, mainly around Patrick regaining the confidence to continue his acting career, and his growing flirtation with an up-and-coming young TV star. A brief moment of tension is brought about when
Reading The Guncle is not an unpleasant experience; it means spending some time in a sunny and relaxing place where nothing of much importance happens. But it's a story that too often favours fun over sincerity, and whose characters often feel as hollow as one of Patrick's colourful pool floats.
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death, Drug abuse, Car accident, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual harassment, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
thatswhatshanread's review against another edition
- 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
This a book about family and dreams, and how you should never give up on either of them.
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
spark_879's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.5
grant is absolutely adorable.
Graphic: Death of parent and Grief
Moderate: Fatphobia and Sexual content
Minor: Sexual harassment and Vomit