This novel explores a theme that has been present in several recent novels, coping with the death of a parent and returning home to mourn. This is the story of Cammy, totally lost, unsuccessful and sad who is called home when her father dies unexpectedly.

Sadly, she idolized her father and spent the days of SHIVA acting out against her mother, while refusing to follow the traditions of Jewish mourning. I found her very unlikable. It was hard to empathize with her lack of emotional maturity. I suspect I identified more with her mother, BETH, than I did with Cammy. I’m sure it’s because of my own age which certainly colored my feelings.

After finishing the book, I read about the author, Cary Gitter. I was delighted to be reminded that he wrote the play, The Sabbath Girl which was probably my favorite off-Broadway show of 2024.

So, I look forward to reading more work of this talented playwright and novelist. Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

This is a great look at finding truths and yourself in moments of grief.
Cammy does not want to sit shiva after her father dies and does everything in her power to get out of it. She relives some of her youth and kind of acts immature in some instances, but everyone deals with grief differently.
She learns more about her father and herself as she deals with her family and her grief.
The writing is witty and real. I loved the look at Jewish representation.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

Cammy Sitting Shiva by Cary Gitter is a debut novel set to be released on August 26, 2025. It’s a darkly humorous and deeply relatable story about loss, family, and self-discovery. The protagonist, Cammy Adler, returns to her small New Jersey hometown to sit shiva after the sudden death of her beloved father. As she navigates the complexities of grief, strained family dynamics, and her own aimless life, Cammy uncovers hidden truths about her father and herself. The novel blends wry humor with emotional depth, offering a poignant exploration of what it means to come home and confront the past. It’s perfect for readers who enjoy stories about personal growth and the messy, beautiful realities of family life.

This is a difficult book to rate because it felt so much like autofiction, a very personal story for the author drawn from his own life and gender-swapped, but ultimately I found this intimate portrayal of the ugly ramifications of grief tender and heartfelt.

It probably should be renamed Cammy (not) Sitting Shiva because Cammy, the main character, does everything in her power to avoid sitting shiva with her mother after her dear father dies suddenly. An atheist who never found comfort in the religious traditions that rooted her mother, she finds the thought of the Jewish communal ritual of seven days of mourning to be impossibly suffocating. She's sure her father would agree, since they used to sit in the back of the temple snickering at the rabbi's sermons.

Cammy, presumably 30 (I think) then decides to indulge in a second youth as she returns home to Bergen County, New Jersey after her exciting if arrested life in New York City, where she temped copywriting gigs and joined a drama collective but didn't have any plays to show for it. She frequently acts 16, reacting in increasingly immature and reckless ways to avoid mourning her father, her best friend who took her to Broadway plays and museums. I frequently didn't like her and at times even hated her but I always understood her motivations and that kept me compulsively reading. Everyone reacts differently to grief, and it is not always polite or respectable.

I also loved the author's writing style, which was darkly comic in a Seinfeld sort of way with a dry wit and humor. I would have focused a lot more on my hate for Cammy if not for moments in which the author broke the fourth wall, like when she writes a grief play and her pages are slammed by the drama collective and she has a quip about how can your own life be unlikable. I frequently smiled and found myself rooting for Cammy to become less shallow, grow up and get a clue. This takes a lot of skill to do as a writer.

I also loved her complicated love for her family and how that really glowed from the page, the way her parents balanced each other out and the impact her dad had on everyone he met.

A lovely tribute to a man who sounded like a real stand-up guy and someone whom I would liked to have known, wrapped up in a new adult coming of age journey.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Cammy Sitting Shiva is a heartfelt, funny, and thoughtful exploration of grief, family, and self-identity. It’s a great read for readers who enjoy stories about personal growth and the complexities of family relationships, especially in the context of loss.

Cammy Sitting Shiva is a gem of a novel. It’s funny, poignant, and full of heart, with a protagonist who feels like someone you could actually know. If you’re into stories about family, self-discovery, and the messy process of growing up (even when you’re technically an adult), this one’s definitely worth a read. I very much enjoyed it—it’s the kind of book that sticks with you long after you’ve turned the last page.