The Guncle
Steven Rowley
11hrs 23mins
Audible audio
Released May 31st, 2022
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The Guncle is an adorable contemporary dramedy about an American sitcom actor who retired prematurely from Hollywood to the Palm Springs desert after a tragic loss. The single loner is forced to confront his own grief, that he has buried for five years, when he is asked to look after his young niece and nephew because their mother recently died of cancer. I had previously read and enjoyed Lily and The Octopus by this author, and seen this reviewed positively in the last couple of years, so bought it when it was on sale through Audible and listened to it on my recent runs. It’s a wonderful mix of cheeky humour and heartbreaking emotion
Patrick O’Hara is horrified when his recently widowed brother asks him to take care of Grant (6) and Maisie (9) for the summer while he enters rehab following the death of his wife, who was Patrick’s best friend. GUP (Gay Uncle Patrick) has no idea how to relate to young children, and struggles to cope with the mess and noise they bring to his quiet ordered life – until the day he faces losing them…
This was a delightful story about unconventional family bonds, and healing from great sadness. The audiobook is narrated by the author, who has an appealing voice and nails Patrick’s sardonic quips and Oscar Wilde quotes. Some lines are laugh out loud funny, but the book covers serious topics like addiction, bereavement and sibling rivalry. I was delighted to discover that a sequel set five years later was published this year, so have added that to my ever-increasing Wishlist.
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