The Guncle: Disenchanted Hollywood star discovers a new mission in life
Book Review by Linda S. Gunther
I’ve been a member of two on-going book clubs and usually the book selected is good, even great, worthy of a read. BUT on occasion the selection might turn out to be a clunker and tough to get through even the first fifty pages. A bummer when that happens!
So, when the monthly book selection for one of my clubs was a novel titled THE GUNCLE by Stephen Rowley, a light summer read, there was an “ugh” inside my head. Give me Kristin Harmel, Kristen Hannah, Isabel Allende, Jeannine Cummins - something juicy I thought to myself.
When I picked up THE GUNCLE from Kelly’s Books, (a fav independent bookstore in Watsonville, California) and glanced at the cover it reminded me of a Saturday morning cartoon. I started reading anyway.
The protagonist in THE GUNCLE is Patrick, a forty-something year old Emmy award winning gay actor on hiatus from Hollywood, who now lives a secluded existence in an upscale neighborhood in Palm Springs. He’s a cynical, yet fabulously witty character who adores wearing colorful caftans but is in considerable denial and pain from a traumatic relationship loss from his past. And he’s set on never returning to a life in tinsel town. Despite this, Patrick is hunted down by his Hollywood agent who tries to lure him back to television and maybe to some lucrative screen work.
But Patrick wants no part of it, is emotionally shut down, distant with people, practically a hermit until a dreadful day when he abruptly loses his brother and sister-in-law to a terrible tragedy.
Patrick quickly learns from their will that he was selected by the couple, if something should happen to them, to take custody of their two young children (Grant and Maisie), both under seven years old.
Of course, Patrick is reluctant. His sly, inventive maneuvering with his sister to get out of taking in his niece and nephew got my attention, and even tickled me as a reader. But delightedly, Patrick caves, allowing the two kids to spend the summer with him, but only as a temporary arrangement.
Basically, rambunctious little Grant and Maisie take over Patrick’s multi-million-dollar property including his “to die for” swimming pool with all its accoutrements. Plenty of amusing shenanigans ensue, each scene leaving me wanting more.
What’s so alluring about this seemingly simple story is how the two children journey through the heart-breaking grief process guided by The Guncle; requested to follow his almost silly philosophical principles regarding how to live life. These tenets are nothing less than hilarious and also chock full of wisdom. And as Patrick says, “normal families are boring!”.
One of the splendid highlights of this story is the space-age toilet in The Guncle’s bathroom which becomes almost another character in the book, a complicated contraption that both puzzles and delights the two young children.
Summary for THE GUNCLE by Stephen Rowley (in my opinion): A heart-warming multi-layered tale of grief and acceptance. A book for all seasons.
I LOVED IT!
Don’t miss it! AND NEVER JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER!
Psst: I hear there’s a film in the works. I can’t wait.