This was a fascinating dive into the customs around death! I've always been fascinated by the customs of our ancestors and especially enjoyed those chapters that explained what we know of ancient customs.

4 stars
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Who knew death could be so funny?

As someone who is fascinated by death and what happens after we die, I knew I would enjoy this one, but I had no idea just how much. Henry and Reyes take a deep subject like death and lighten the topic. The variety of subjects kept me engaged in the book. I loved this immersive deep dive. Covering everything from the postmortem interval to grief surrounding pet death, there was something for everyone.

The writing was pretty simple, but really packed a punch. It was incredibly witty and I loved the perspectives the authors gave from their own unique life experiences. I’m curious enough to seek out the podcast the authors host about similar topics.

This was an easy, quick read with so much packed in. Definitely will recommend.

4 Solid Stars!

Who knew reading about death could be so entertaining?? I didn't know what to expect but this was a fast read chalked full of morbid humor and enthralling anecdotes. Ever question what the most bizarre request someone has regarding their funeral? Well, look no further this book probably has it!

I enjoyed the relaxed writing style of this book, it made it not only easy to read but it ensured the reader was always having a good time while reading about death. After every chapter is an obituary which I thought was so clever to include given the nature of the authors' podcast. Growing up, my mom always read the obituaries' in our local paper and so I felt a touch of nostalgia to have that to look forward too (it also helps that they included witty, tea-spilling, heartfelt, and short & sweet examples).

While I thoroughly enjoyed this, I felt that some sections were over-explained and others not enough. I would have loved to continue to read about other cultures and their traditions rather than touching on them briefly. Including pre-victorian or historic practices & obituaries would have been a nice touch. I haven't listened to the podcast so I am not sure how much this furthers their discussion there, but overall I really enjoyed this!

**Thank you NetGalley and Plume for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review**

A fast and engaging reach which, I think, did what it intended. Obitchuary is not a catalogue of passive aggressive or downright mean death notices (though it does include a few). What it does, and well, is come off as a conversation rather than a dry non-fiction text. All of the “usual” death or death adjacent topics were touched on (embalming, funeral etiquette, obituaries) as well as some more obscure topics the reader may not have heard of (ghost brides, mourning photography, and extreme embalming). Interspersed throughout are sketches related to the various topics covered (some cute some slightly disturbing depending on your personal tolerance for the macabre).

If the podcast tone mirrors the writing style it’s definitely incentive to give it a listen. Overall this book shows that death and how we interact with it (just as with everything else) is a function of the time and place we live in.

A great read that acknowledges death as a somber topic, while remaining lighthearted and equally saying that it’s just as okay to laugh as to cry. An accessible narrative and a fun read.

If I could change anything about it though, I’d have included more pre-Victorian and non-Western history and traditions, there are so many interesting topics there that could have further augmented the book.

Fun, easy read. Wasn't groundbreaking and more of a book / guide than a story. I was a bit disappointed but I still enjoyed it. I don't listen to the podcast so perhaps I was missing some of the context.

Wow. What a pleasant surprise!

I've never heard of these authors podcast before, but now I'm interested in listening to it. I really liked the structure of this non-fiction book. My favorite part was the Once a Upon a Crime sections. I found those entries the most interesting and definitely the most disturbing. Yikes! This book is entertaining, zany, creepy, and macabre. Each chapter we learn something new around the topic of death. About what happens to our bodies when we pass away, about cremations, burials, and so much more. I loved the writing style, and the illustrations were awesome. Highly recommended!

This book definitely lived up to the expectations based on its title and cover. Both funny and macabre, Obitchuary discusses different aspects of death and mourning, and I feel like I learned quite a lot without getting bogged down by scientific language. The language here is instead hilarious and accessible while not shying away from the reality of death. If death is a topic that interests you, I highly recommend picking a copy up.

This is such a fun little macabre dive into funerals and the mourning rituals new and old. I’ve listened to a few of the podcasts before hearing about this book so I went into this understanding the vibes and it doesn’t disappoint. I think that this was very well researched and really mixes being informative with great humor. If you like the macabre or have a darker sense of humor then I think this is one you need to pick up. Thank you so much Netgally and the publishers for the advice copy to review.

I feel like this book needs a sequel. I enjoyed it so much. I have now started listening to the podcast and I feel like there is so much more in this realm to enjoy. The book had great humor, was paced well, and organized efficiently. It could have been so much longer! Need more crazy obits!

So fun and so funny. I love the podcast so this was a no brainer. This read like I was listening to a podcast and I loved every second of it.

A fun(eral) look at all things death, famous last words, deathbed confessions, you know, that sort of thing. Stems from a podcast that I’m not familiar with, but I don’t know a ton of podcasts. The book was cute, but very short, only 145 pages, and I would definitely feel like I hadn’t gotten my money’s worth if I paid, say, $24 for it.

Oh, and in my ARC, FRANKENSTEIN is credited to Percy Shelley. Percy. Ladies, the struggle will never, never end.

Informative and hilarious, though not for the faint of heart or readers afraid of dying. I read a lot of books about death but, even if some of the information here wasn’t new to me, I still learned a lot (funeral clowns? If there is one thing worse than death, it’s clowns!). I loved the relatable tone in which the authors write, as it sounds like having a conversation with knowledgeable friends. Not everyone will appreciate the tone, though. Anyone who sees the solemnity of funerals might even be offended. People with a twisted sense of humor will appreciate how the authors take the sting out of something so sad by seeing the humorous side. I recently lost my beloved Dad and humor helps me cope. Spencer Henry and Madison Reyes with their gallows humor made my day.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/PENGUIN GROUP Dutton | Plume.

3.5 out of 5 stars

Thank you NetGalley for the arc.

This book was certainly very fun to read. Listeners of the podcast will LOVE this book.

The book goes over pretty much everything about death. Some of the facts included were not ones that I knew! I always enjoy learning new things. I wish there were more obituaries in the book, but I obviously understand that they use those for their podcast.

In all, an interesting and fun read.

This was such a fun read! It’s a light hearted take on a serious subject that we all face, death. I loved the trivia points about different celebrities and famous figures. The science was explained well and easy to digest. It does help to go into the book knowing it’s not a typical nonfiction book that you’d read straight though, but is more of a “chapter at a time” book. The humor was there and definitely was reflective of the podcast it’s based on.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story! It delved into what happens to the body after we pass away, exploring death rituals across religious, cultural, and historical contexts. The section on funeral foods was particularly intriguing, complete with the beloved potluck favorite: funeral potato recipe. Additionally, I discovered fascinating details about famous individuals’ final outfits and inmates last meals before execution. Overall, the difficult topic of death was handled with sensitivity, making it both informative and palatable.

If you enjoy the podcast, you will love this book. If you have never heard of the podcast but have even the slightest interest in this subject, you will enjoy this book. Spencer Henry and Madison Reyes do an excellent job of sharing the facts about death in an honest straight-forward manner. I learned a lot reading this book. I’m totally looking at my death in a new light. Thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP for the ARC.

What a fun read. Love the podcast, so this was just a little extra look into their work and research. Easy read.

Thank you, NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for this advanced reader's copy. This book was hilarious. Definitely for the right audience, of course, but this book is about morbid ways some people have died. Some are absolutely horrible, and some are downright ridiculous. There are many ways to view death, but we all are going there so we might as well think about how we are going to go out.

This book uses lighthearted comment and humor to cover a pretty serious topic — death. Easy to read and full of some things I never really thought about or considered when it comes to death, I thought the authors did a great job. The stories were captivating and the book was easy to read and fast-paced. My only issue is that it’s basically a retelling of the stories, facts, and content of their podcast, so if you’re an avid listener of Obitchuary, this book won’t provide you with anything new.

It's fun to make light of death because it's the one thing it makes sense for everyone to be at least a little afraid of. This book is particularly fun because of the wide range of death-related topics, which ranged from the ick -- biological processes are gross! to last meals of death row inmates the mundane. I think my favorites were the obituaries that really tried to show what the people were like, even when they were terrible. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this