Review: The Celebrants by Steven Rowley
Thank you Putnam Books for my copy! All thoughts are my own.
Steven Rowley is one of my favorite authors. I love how he balances heavy topics and mental health with colorful characters and sharp dialogue. The Celebrants is no exception, as it follows a group of friends who make a pact to throw each other a “living funeral” when they are at their lowest points.
This books is warm and engaging, difficult and heartbreaking, but it still contains the trademark wit of Rowley’s writing. I highly recommend the audiobook!
Synopsis:
“It’s been a minute—or five years—since Jordan Vargas last saw his college friends, and twenty-eight years since their graduation when their adult lives officially began. Now Jordan, Jordy, Naomi, Craig, and Marielle find themselves at the brink of a new decade, with all the responsibilities of adulthood, yet no closer to having their lives figured out. Though not for a lack of trying. Over the years they’ve reunited in Big Sur to honor a decades-old pact to throw each other living “funerals,” celebrations to remind themselves that life is worth living—that their lives mean something, to one another if not to themselves.
But this reunion is different. They’re not gathered as they were to bolster Marielle as her marriage crumbled, to lift Naomi after her parents died, or to intervene when Craig pleaded guilty to art fraud. This time, Jordan is sitting on a secret that will upend their pact.
A deeply honest tribute to the growing pains of selfhood and the people who keep us going, coupled with Steven Rowley’s signature humor and heart, The Celebrants is a moving tale about the false invincibility of youth and the beautiful ways in which friendship helps us celebrate our lives, even amid the deepest challenges of living.” —NetGalley
What I LIked:
The Characters—I loved this friend group so much and I loved the idea of gathering to celebrate your friends when they need you most. As someone who’s love language is words of affirmation, it really resonated with me.
The Structure—It was perfect to go back and forth in time, when all the friends needed their “funeral”.
The Prose—I LOVE Rowley’s writing. I’ve been a huge fan of his work for a while now and his writing is always perfectly balanced with witty dialogue and poetic lines that go straight to your heart.
What Didn’t Work:
No complaints from me, just wanted a little bit more.
Character Authenticity: 5/5 Spice Rating: N/A Overall Rating: 4.5
Content Warnings:
cancer, death, overdose, grief, drug use, death of a parent, suicidal ideation