A review by ivoryplum
The Guncle by Steven Rowley

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

A heartwarming story about coping with grief after losing a loved one.

I loved how it was revealed that Maisie and Grant weren't sent to Patrick so he could help them cope with the loss of their mother, his best friend. Well, they were, but more than that, by helping his niece and nephew process the loss of their mother, Patrick was able to process the loss of his husband as well, who he lost in a car accident before the events of the novel.


Nothing ever felt heavy handed and it was nice to see Patrick slowly understand how to interact with Maisie and Grant in a way that guided them, but was never overbearing towards them, even though he has little to no experience with children.
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