I love books that are centered around friend groups, and this is one of the better friend group novels that I have read recently! I adored the concept of the book, and the characters were witty as well as interesting. This is the first novel I have read by Steven Rowley but plan to read Guncle next because I enjoyed this one so thoroughly. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-galley!

I enjoyed the concept of this book - five friends throwing "celebration" funerals together but I struggled with a few things like the narration and the plot. First the narration - this book is written in third person but has an omni=present narrator that also gives you the character's thoughts. I found this really confusing and it made it hard to keep track of both the conversation and who was "narrating" at a specific time because it would switch mid conversation or paragraph. It also didn't help that two of the main character were named Jordon, It seems like that was done for comedic purposes but it fell flat and again added to the confusion.

Second issue for me was the plot. I liked the concept, but I didn't think that we were given enough character background and and introduction at the start of the story so it made it really difficult to be invested. They are all very flawed, and unfortunately in my opinion a lot of them came across very immature and whinny. There was a lot of "OH MY GOD STOP" that sounded more like a teenager than a grown adult.

This book had a lot of potential with a great takeaway for the reader, unfortunately the development of the story, lack of character growth, and several questionable plot twists left the whole thing rather dull for me and it's not something I would recommend to my friends.

I only spent a few hours with these characters but their lives and love for each other felt so real. I wouldn’t have sobbed my way through the final section if they hadn’t. Not a fun light read (though very funny), but so worth spending time with.

The previous review was submitted in error, Here is my review of The Celebrants.

I hate when a book I’m reading makes me feel stupid. In the case of The Celebrants it did so twice – first when I didn’t get the pun of the house at Big Sur called Sur La Vie and the second when I couldn’t differentiate between two characters with the same name, a couple called either Jordan or Jordy. So which one was the swimmer? And which one was the Columbian? And which one had cancer? The characters are different but the conceit of having them have the same name tends to confuse (at least to confuse me.) And it took me to the end before I got the Sur La Vie pun. Sadly, I rated this book only three stars.
In this story of five Berkley dorm-mates, (there were six but one died before the novel starts) the college friends decide on a pact where each of them, in a crisis situation, can request that the others hold a funeral while they’re still alive. The novel has humor and a number of quotable quotes. So why did I find it so easy to put down and so hard to pick up again? Perhaps it was my mood during a rainy spell? Or perhaps I didn’t like it as well as Lily and the Octopus, which I loved!
Because Rowley is a fine writer I stuck with it. It almost took off near the end during the description of an exciting Escape from Alcatraz swimming race. Then it ended, rather flatly, at least for me.
I’d like to think NetGalley and Putnam’s for allowing me to read this pre-publication copy in exchange for an honest review.
I hate when a book I’m reading makes me feel stupid. In the case of The Celebrants it did so twice – first when I didn’t get the pun of the house at Big Sur called Sur La Vie and the second when I couldn’t differentiate between two characters with the same name, a couple called either Jordan or Jordy. So which one was the swimmer? And which one was the Columbian? And which one had cancer? The characters are different but the conceit of having them have the same name tends to confuse (at least to confuse me.) And it took me to the end before I got the Sur La Vie pun. Sadly, I rated this book only three stars.
In this story of five Berkley dorm-mates, (there were six but one died before the novel starts) the college friends decide on a pact where each of them, in a crisis situation, can request that the others hold a funeral while they’re still alive. The novel has humor and a number of quotable quotes. So why did I find it so easy to put down and so hard to pick up again? Perhaps it was my mood during a rainy spell? Or perhaps I didn’t like it as well as Lily and the Octopus, which I loved!
Because Rowley is a fine writer I stuck with it. It almost took off near the end during the description of an exciting Escape from Alcatraz swimming race. Then it ended, rather flatly, at least for me.
I’d like to think NetGalley and Putnam’s for allowing me to read this pre-publication copy in exchange for an honest review.
I hate when a book I’m reading makes me feel stupid. In the case of The Celebrants it did so twice – first when I didn’t get the pun of the house at Big Sur called Sur La Vie and the second when I couldn’t differentiate between two characters with the same name, a couple called either Jordan or Jordy. So which one was the swimmer? And which one was the Columbian? And which one had cancer? The characters are different but the conceit of having them have the same name tends to confuse (at least to confuse me.) And it took me to the end before I got the Sur La Vie pun. Sadly, I rated this book only three stars.
In this story of five Berkley dorm-mates, (there were six but one died before the novel starts) the college friends decide on a pact where each of them, in a crisis situation, can request that the others hold a funeral while they’re still alive. The novel has humor and a number of quotable quotes. So why did I find it so easy to put down and so hard to pick up again? Perhaps it was my mood during a rainy spell? Or perhaps I didn’t like it as well as Lily and the Octopus, which I loved!
Because Rowley is a fine writer I stuck with it. It almost took off near the end during the description of an exciting Escape from Alcatraz swimming race. Then it ended, rather flatly, at least for me.
I’d like to think NetGalley and Putnam’s for allowing me to read this pre-publication copy in exchange for an honest review.
I hate when a book I’m reading makes me feel stupid. In the case of The Celebrants it did so twice – first when I didn’t get the pun of the house at Big Sur called Sur La Vie and the second when I couldn’t differentiate between two characters with the same name, a couple called either Jordan or Jordy. So which one was the swimmer? And which one was the Columbian? And which one had cancer? The characters are different but the conceit of having them have the same name tends to confuse (at least to confuse me.) And it took me to the end before I got the Sur La Vie pun. Sadly, I rated this book only three stars.
In this story of five Berkley dorm-mates, (there were six but one died before the novel starts) the college friends decide on a pact where each of them, in a crisis situation, can request that the others hold a funeral while they’re still alive. The novel has humor and a number of quotable quotes. So why did I find it so easy to put down and so hard to pick up again? Perhaps it was my mood during a rainy spell? Or perhaps I didn’t like it as well as Lily and the Octopus, which I loved!
Because Rowley is a fine writer I stuck with it. It almost took off near the end during the description of an exciting Escape from Alcatraz swimming race. Then it ended, rather flatly, at least for me.
I’d like to think NetGalley and Putnam’s for allowing me to read this pre-publication copy in exchange for an honest review.
I hate when a book I’m reading makes me feel stupid. In the case of The Celebrants it did so twice – first when I didn’t get the pun of the house at Big Sur called Sur La Vie and the second when I couldn’t differentiate between two characters with the same name, a couple called either Jordan or Jordy. So which one was the swimmer? And which one was the Columbian? And which one had cancer? The characters are different but the conceit of having them have the same name tends to confuse (at least to confuse me.) And it took me to the end before I got the Sur La Vie pun. Sadly, I rated this book only three stars.
In this story of five Berkley dorm-mates, (there were six but one died before the novel starts) the college friends decide on a pact where each of them, in a crisis situation, can request that the others hold a funeral while they’re still alive. The novel has humor and a number of quotable quotes. So why did I find it so easy to put down and so hard to pick up again? Perhaps it was my mood during a rainy spell? Or perhaps I didn’t like it as well as Lily and the Octopus, which I loved!
Because Rowley is a fine writer I stuck with it. It almost took off near the end during the description of an exciting Escape from Alcatraz swimming race. Then it ended, rather flatly, at least for me.
I’d like to think NetGalley and Putnam’s for allowing me to read this pre-publication copy in exchange for an honest review.
I hate when a book I’m reading makes me feel stupid. In the case of The Celebrants it did so twice – first when I didn’t get the pun of the house at Big Sur called Sur La Vie and the second when I couldn’t differentiate between two characters with the same name, a couple called either Jordan or Jordy. So which one was the swimmer? And which one was the Columbian? And which one had cancer? The characters are different but the conceit of having them have the same name tends to confuse (at least to confuse me.) And it took me to the end before I got the Sur La Vie pun. Sadly, I rated this book only three stars.
In this story of five Berkley dorm-mates, (there were six but one died before the novel starts) the college friends decide on a pact where each of them, in a crisis situation, can request that the others hold a funeral while they’re still alive. The novel has humor and a number of quotable quotes. So why did I find it so easy to put down and so hard to pick up again? Perhaps it was my mood during a rainy spell? Or perhaps I didn’t like it as well as Lily and the Octopus, which I loved!
Because Rowley is a fine writer I stuck with it. It almost took off near the end during the description of an exciting Escape from Alcatraz swimming race. Then it ended, rather flatly, at least for me.
I’d like to think NetGalley and Putnam’s for allowing me to read this pre-publication copy in exchange for an honest review.
I hate when a book I’m reading makes me feel stupid. In the case of The Celebrants it did so twice – first when I didn’t get the pun of the house at Big Sur called Sur La Vie and the second when I couldn’t differentiate between two characters with the same name, a couple called either Jordan or Jordy. So which one was the swimmer? And which one was the Columbian? And which one had cancer? The characters are different but the conceit of having them have the same name tends to confuse (at least to confuse me.) And it took me to the end before I got the Sur La Vie pun. Sadly, I rated this book only three stars.
In this story of five Berkley dorm-mates, (there were six but one died before the novel starts) the college friends decide on a pact where each of them, in a crisis situation, can request that the others hold a funeral while they’re still alive. The novel has humor and a number of quotable quotes. So why did I find it so easy to put down and so hard to pick up again? Perhaps it was my mood during a rainy spell? Or perhaps I didn’t like it as well as Lily and the Octopus, which I loved!
Because Rowley is a fine writer I stuck with it. It almost took off near the end during the description of an exciting Escape from Alcatraz swimming race. Then it ended, rather flatly, at least for me.
I’d like to think NetGalley and Putnam’s for allowing me to read this pre-publication copy in exchange for an honest review.
I hate when a book I’m reading makes me feel stupid. In the case of The Celebrants it did so twice – first when I didn’t get the pun of the house at Big Sur called Sur La Vie and the second when I couldn’t differentiate between two characters with the same name, a couple called either Jordan or Jordy. So which one was the swimmer? And which one was the Columbian? And which one had cancer? The characters are different but the conceit of having them have the same name tends to confuse (at least to confuse me.) And it took me to the end before I got the Sur La Vie pun. Sadly, I rated this book only three stars.
In this story of five Berkley dorm-mates, (there were six but one died before the novel starts) the college friends decide on a pact where each of them, in a crisis situation, can request that the others hold a funeral while they’re still alive. The novel has humor and a number of quotable quotes. So why did I find it so easy to put down and so hard to pick up again? Perhaps it was my mood during a rainy spell? Or perhaps I didn’t like it as well as Lily and the Octopus, which I loved!
Because Rowley is a fine writer I stuck with it. It almost took off near the end during the description of an exciting Escape from Alcatraz swimming race. Then it ended, rather flatly, at least for me.
I’d like to think NetGalley and Putnam’s for allowing me to read this pre-publication copy in exchange for an honest review.
I hate when a book I’m reading makes me feel stupid. In the case of The Celebrants it did so twice – first when I didn’t get the pun of the house at Big Sur called Sur La Vie and the second when I couldn’t differentiate between two characters with the same name, a couple called either Jordan or Jordy. So which one was the swimmer? And which one was the Columbian? And which one had cancer? The characters are different but the conceit of having them have the same name tends to confuse (at least to confuse me.) And it took me to the end before I got the Sur La Vie pun. Sadly, I rated this book only three stars.
In this story of five Berkley dorm-mates, (there were six but one died before the novel starts) the college friends decide on a pact where each of them, in a crisis situation, can request that the others hold a funeral while they’re still alive. The novel has humor and a number of quotable quotes. So why did I find it so easy to put down and so hard to pick up again? Perhaps it was my mood during a rainy spell? Or perhaps I didn’t like it as well as Lily and the Octopus, which I loved!
Because Rowley is a fine writer I stuck with it. It almost took off near the end during the description of an exciting Escape from Alcatraz swimming race. Then it ended, rather flatly, at least for me.
I’d like to think NetGalley and Putnam’s for allowing me to read this pre-publication copy in exchange for an honest review.
I hate when a book I’m reading makes me feel stupid. In the case of The Celebrants it did so twice – first when I didn’t get the pun of the house at Big Sur called Sur La Vie and the second when I couldn’t differentiate between two characters with the same name, a couple called either Jordan or Jordy. So which one was the swimmer? And which one was the Columbian? And which one had cancer? The characters are different but the conceit of having them have the same name tends to confuse (at least to confuse me.) And it took me to the end before I got the Sur La Vie pun. Sadly, I rated this book only three stars.
In this story of five Berkley dorm-mates, (there were six but one died before the novel starts) the college friends decide on a pact where each of them, in a crisis situation, can request that the others hold a funeral while they’re still alive. The novel has humor and a number of quotable quotes. So why did I find it so easy to put down and so hard to pick up again? Perhaps it was my mood during a rainy spell? Or perhaps I didn’t like it as well as Lily and the Octopus, which I loved!
Because Rowley is a fine writer I stuck with it. It almost took off near the end during the description of an exciting Escape from Alcatraz swimming race. Then it ended, rather flatly, at least for me.
I’d like to think NetGalley and Putnam’s for allowing me to read this pre-publication copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Celebrants is very different from Rowley’s last book, Guncle. This book has humor and sadness, which portrays the reality of our lives. This book follows a group of former college roommates/friends, that lost one of their friends, Alex unexpectedly. This made them create a pact, to stay in contact with each other and each of them would be able to ignite the pact by having a living funeral. This living funeral would be a time when that person could be appreciated as they are alive rather than after they have passed. Years have gone by and most of the group has had minimal contact when one of the members ignites the pact, and brings the members back together.

I enjoyed this book, I liked the ideas of the living funerals. The concept of telling people you love, that you care about them while you are alive.

The gang is reunited once again, just as they have several times over the years to throw a funeral for a living member of the group. They held a funeral for Marielle when her marriage ended, for Craig when he pled guilty to art fraud and of course there was the original funeral but that one was real. This time a mystery from the past might tear the group apart forever. The Celebrants tells the story of friendship, love and loss that crosses decades.

I adored Guncle. It was the perfect funny but emotional hug of a book. I was hopeful that The Celebrants would be the same but this book has a slightly different feel. The premise of celebrating life before you die is something I love. I think it would be a much better world if we all told each other what we love about it other more frequently. However, the characters of this book were so... meh. They all had flaws, which is to be expected, but they were bordering unlikeable instead of relatable.
Overall, I did like the writing and plot. I just would have liked to love the characters a little more and have a bigger emotional connection to them.

Wow! This one was really good. I went in with extremely high hopes due to my love of The Guncle, and I wasn't disappointed. While this one is not as amazing as The Guncle, in my opinion, not much really can be. This story centered around a group of friends who create a pact after the untimely death of one of their college friends to have a living funeral for each group member so everyone can know how loved they are. I loved the premise, I really liked the characters, I liked the different timelines, and I loved Steven Rowley's signature humor. The only reason I am going 4 stars and not 5 was that it really seemed like St. Elmo's Fire and The Big Chill had a baby, and that baby was this book. Not that anything is wrong with that, but the story didn't feel as original as those I give 5 stars. Absolutely a great read though, I truly enjoyed it from start to finish.

Wow! The Guncle was one of my favorite books the year it came out, and The Celebrants will probably be too! This book follows five friends from college as they navigate life and come together to honor a pact they made when they lost the sixth member of their group. Once I got the time jumps and all the characters straight (two Jordans?! Come on!), I was able to dive in and fall in love with the story. I laughed, cried, shook my head, gasped, and felt like they were my friends too. There were a couple characters I didn't connect with as much, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of this book and I was sad when I finally finished it. I would have loved to spend more time with this group! Overall, I truly enjoyed The Celebrants and cannot wait to see what Steven Rowley comes out with next. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Rowley has a knack for writing punchy characters with snappy comebacks and quick wit. The Celebrants is no different.

The book follows 7 friends who have a funeral pact with each other that, when triggered, calls for their living funeral when needed in their lives after the tragic loss of their friend when in college. The idea- leave nothing left unsaid. When one member of the group has terminal diagnosis, the pact is triggered yet again. Following decades with secrets unraveling along the way, this book deals with grief in a witty way.

While it seems like a heavy topic, this book is a light and quick read. The characters are imperfect and relatable.

With the witty dialogue throughout, this would be an AMAZING audiobook (although I still enjoyed reading this).

3.5/5

Easy to read, yet with surprising depth and insight. Funny in parts, and heartbreaking in others. Though the book’s layout could be choppy and disjointed at times, I really enjoyed this story of college friends and their connection over the next thirty years.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I am a big fan of Rowley's writing, so I was excited to get an early copy of this novel.

This story follows a group of friends who decide to not wait until they die to celebrate each other, so they decide to hold "alive funerals." This plot was great, but there were a few things I didn't love. The group of friends are not really friends anymore. I didn't really feel like they were connected outside of the tragedy of losing a friend in college. I wish they would have stayed friends throughout the decades. I also wish the story were told more chronologically, even with The Jordans' chapters.

I will still read anything Rowley writes. This one just wasn't my favorite.

I am a huge fan of Steven Rowley- Lily and the Octopus broke my heart and The Uncle put it back together, so thank you for this ARC!

The Celebrants follows a group of 5 (6?) friends that met in college, and formed a pact that they revisit over the years. I wanted to adore this book as much as I loved Rowley's other works, but it just didn't have the same umph. I didn't relate to the characters and I felt like the dialogue was clunky. The last third of the book was the best, but overall this was unfortunately a miss for me.

I don't have the proper words to truly express my feelings about this book. It is poignant and humorous; it made me laugh and the very last lines of the book made me tear up. Heartfelt and real. Funny and sad. It has all the things. All the feels. Each character is fully formed, and while all are friends for years, they are all so different. Their group dynamic was, well, dynamic. Steven Rowley is a MUST read for me.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me an ARC. I was thrilled when I saw it in my inbox.

Posted to my goodreads page 1/14/23

I’ll admit that this is my first full title by the author. I started reading The Guncle and then my dad got sick and died, very quickly - I stopped reading at that point, putting it aside for a later time, and it’s not that time yet. The author’s ‘The Editor’ has been on my tbr list for years, and I always thought that ‘Lily and the Octopus’ was children’s fiction and didn’t look further at it. So, yes, this is my first completely read title.

But, recalling that I was thoroughly enjoying my reading of TG while I was, I knew that I wanted to read this new title and was very excited to be approved.

There’s a lot of emotion in these pages, and you’ll be going on a roller coaster ride with them. This was utterly heartfelt, sentimental, and wonderful reading. I enjoyed this one a lot.

Recommended.




Thank you to G.P. Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley for the DRC!

DNF At 50%. The story got a little too morbid for my taste, and it lacked the same humor and heart that the authors lee opus work had in abundance

Wow, what a story. Jumping back and forth through time and focusing on each character via chapters, this novel delves into what it means to be a friend. Deep friendship is complicated and full of silences, and untruths that we carry unknowingly. The book also leads readers into a tussle with grief and how our relationships are impacted by joint loss. Sad at times, without any neat clean resolutions, it’s a lovely meditation on what it means to show up for the ones we call our people.

“To think about life is to contemplate death — it’s what makes living so valuable.”

This was such a wonderful book. I loved seeing this friend group come together to honor the pact and give each other living funerals.

It was heartbreaking to current situation with the Jordans interspersed with the past and the other people’s funerals.

I really enjoyed the idea of having a living funeral; of reflecting on your life and seeing your impact.

This group of friends was special and connected. And I liked seeing how they challenged and supported each other.

Each person’s funeral was special in its own way. They featured some very funny moments as well as very poignant.

Definitely recommend this one.

The Guncle is a tough act to follow, and my expectations for his follow-up book were through the roof. But despite any disappointments I might have had while reading this new book, I couldn't help but be charmed as I finished the final pages. It's the perfect book for 2023, as we're all trying to recover and regroup after years of loss, both collective and individual. The message of this novel is beyond heartwarming and so important, all while dodging cliches. The characters are memorable and unique. It's rewarding to follow them from their 20s to their early 50s. As a 90s college kid, I loved the nostalgia elements woven throughout.

This is the third Steven Rowley book I've read. At this point, I inherently trust him to write novels that are sentimental, smart, and thought-provoking. I know so many readers will be excited to get their hands on this book when it's published.

Thank you to NetGalley, Putnam, and Mr. Rowley for the opportunity to be one of the first readers of The Celebrants.

Loved this book from beginning to end a roller coaster of emotions one minute I’m laughing one crying.A group of friends close in college who remain close as the age.Gorgeous writing as all of Steven Rowleys books.#netgalley #penguinputnam