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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Fun, heartfelt
Grant's lisp. Maisiey's wardrobe, Patrick's droll, erratic banter. Lots of Oscar Wilde quotes and Christmas in the summer. Love, humor, grief and learning to carry on after loss. Great read. Immensely entertaining.
Grant's lisp. Maisiey's wardrobe, Patrick's droll, erratic banter. Lots of Oscar Wilde quotes and Christmas in the summer. Love, humor, grief and learning to carry on after loss. Great read. Immensely entertaining.
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
This was one of the most delightful and uplifting stories I’ve read in a long time. Now, I'm determined to read everything written by Steven Rowley!
If you go into this expecting nothing but lighthearted laughs, you will need to adjust your expectations: at its core, The Guncle is about love, loss, learning to open your heart again in unexpected ways, and the deep acceptance of oneself and others. These are weighty themes, but Rowley handles them with such warmth and authenticity that they go straight to the heart. You may well up (or even cry), but you’ll also laugh out loud—often in the very same chapter.
Patrick, Maisie, Grant, and yes, even Marlene Dietrich, will have my whole heart forever. I can’t wait to dive into The Guncle Abroad, and I’m genuinely excited to see how the upcoming screen adaptation brings this world to life. (And I never look forward to screen adaptations!)
STRONG RECOMMENDATION: Choose the audiobook for this one! Steven Rowley’s narration is exceptional—his performance makes the characters sparkle (Grant’s lisp alone is worth it!). I honestly can’t imagine a better way to experience this story.
I don’t usually save quotes from novels, but this one had me highlighting constantly. A few favorites:
If you go into this expecting nothing but lighthearted laughs, you will need to adjust your expectations: at its core, The Guncle is about love, loss, learning to open your heart again in unexpected ways, and the deep acceptance of oneself and others. These are weighty themes, but Rowley handles them with such warmth and authenticity that they go straight to the heart. You may well up (or even cry), but you’ll also laugh out loud—often in the very same chapter.
Patrick, Maisie, Grant, and yes, even Marlene Dietrich, will have my whole heart forever. I can’t wait to dive into The Guncle Abroad, and I’m genuinely excited to see how the upcoming screen adaptation brings this world to life. (And I never look forward to screen adaptations!)
STRONG RECOMMENDATION: Choose the audiobook for this one! Steven Rowley’s narration is exceptional—his performance makes the characters sparkle (Grant’s lisp alone is worth it!). I honestly can’t imagine a better way to experience this story.
I don’t usually save quotes from novels, but this one had me highlighting constantly. A few favorites:
- “We are all a little broken, but sometimes the cracks in our hearts can let the light in.”
- “Books should be an experience, he thought, not a trophy for having read them.”
- “What do we say in this house? Boys can do girl things, and girls can do boy things… People should just do what they want.”
- “Normal is a terrible thing to aspire to. Aim higher.”
- “Why do you like boys?” Grant asked.
‘I don’t know, why do you like pizza?’
‘Because it tastes good in my mouth.’
Patrick wasn’t about to go anywhere near that.” - “Gay people, Christians always fighting over the symbolism when rainbows rightfully belonged to the leprechauns.”
- “I need you to remember something. We’ll call it Guncle Rule sweet sixteen: I want you to really live. To live is the rarest of things. Most people merely exist.”
- "Live your life to the fullest every single day, because every day is a gift. That's why people die. To teach us the importance of living"
Rowley blends humor and heart so seamlessly that by the end, you don’t just feel like you’ve read a story—you feel like you’ve lived alongside these characters. Cannot recommend this enough!
This was a cute book that tackled some heavy subject matter in a wonderful way. The characters were well developed and charming and although clearly predictable, you were rooting for them all along. It definitely made me want to have more spontaneous fun with my kids
A fun, feel-good read that manages to tackle some serious topics, too. So sweet.
adventurous
hopeful
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
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad