Summary
“Seriously?” I shouted, my voice carrying through the amphitheater. “This freakin’ family can’t even DIE normally.”
Rion (Orion) Kwirk has a unique family. His little sister’s favorite book is the dictionary. She has a better vocabulary than most adults. His older sister can quote Shakespeare and challenges him to sword fights. His mom is into astronomy and named all three kids after constellations. And his dad, a scientist by education, comes up with chemical formulas for jelly bean flavors. His latest – fried chicken – is stunningly accurate.
The Kwirk’s quirkiness hits new heights, though, when a singing clown shows up to tell them Rion’s grandfather, Frank, has died.
It’s obvious to Rion that his dad and grandfather had a strained relationship. They rarely visited his grandfather’s home or his dad’s hometown. When Papa Kwirk and his sister Gertie would ride into town on Papa’s motorcycle for the holidays, Rion’s parents seemed to brace themselves for the visit rather than look forward to it. Rion figures the funeral will be just as tense as those visits.
But Aunt Gertie informs the family that Papa Kwirk had very specific instructions for the celebration of his life. Rather than a funeral, they are having a “funneral” complete with food trucks and a marching band. And that’s just the beginning of the journey Rion and his family will undertake as they say goodbye to Frank.
Review
Absolute perfection! Rion is probably my favorite character from a John David Anderson novel so far. He’s bright – and hilarious – and awkward in all the best ways. He’s observant and a thinker – he notices things. And he feels out of step with his unusual family. Spending time with Rion was my favorite part of reading this book.
The rest of the characters are just as fun. The sibling dynamics are delightfully normal. There’s all the usual teasing, but there’s real care and understanding in there, too.
The story is wild. When was the last time you heard of a funeral with food trucks and a marching band? And the journey Rion and his family take after the “funneral” – the real journey of the book – is beautiful. When Rion hears from the people who knew Frank in his day-to-day life, he feels like he didn’t really know his grandfather at all. The journey they take is a chance for everyone in the family to know Frank better. It’s a rare chance at some degree of reconciliation for Rion’s dad even after Frank is gone. And it’s a bonding opportunity for Rion’s family. They will never be the same after this trip.
I can’t recommend this highly enough. It’s both funny and touching. It’s anchored by a fantastic point of view character. And the heart of the story is lovely. This was perfect!