Being the second son of a clan leader is no joke-you spend your whole life being the official afterthought. Elko, our hairy hero, dreams of leaving his "backup" role behind and living with the humans he's spied on his whole life. Can he escape his humorless family and its obligations to find that special spark of humanity in Portland, or will the last laugh be on him? Ride along on a light-hearted and endearing romp through the weirdness of Portland, Oregon and the wilderness of finding oneself.
A love letter to the biggest city in her life, Rebecka Ratcliffe's third novel is a poignant exploration of longing and belonging. Funny, complicated, and oh-so-human, this story will charm you as Elko chooses his own path through friendship, laughter, and newfound purpose.
Praise for
The Only One Laughing "Have you ever loved something so much you couldn't simply embrace it but share it with the world? This is what Rebecka Ratcliffe has accomplished in her big-hearted, beautifully realized novel of Portland, a city she brings fully to life with outsider spirit, insider knowledge, and all-around humor, populated with the lost souls, found voices, and magical connections that are sure to find a beloved home in readers' hearts."
-Francesco Marciuliano, NYT Bestselling Author of
I Could Pee on This and many others
