2.91k reviews for:

The Celebrants

Steven Rowley

3.75 AVERAGE

cward94's review

2.0

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Ugh ok, I STRUGGLED with this book and probably would not have finished it if it wasn’t my bookclub book this month.

I feel like I was lied to by the marketing team about this book because I’m convinced this group of friends did not even like each other till the end of this book. Also they don’t even talk to each other for 20 years!? No one felt clear, I kept getting confused as to who each character was. Also you have the whole plot in the first chapter and the entire book just felt contrived and cliched.

The end was sweet I’ll give it that. But it was a tumultuous journey to get there. If the book had only been about the Jordans I think I would have enjoyed this book much more.

agruskin's review

2.75

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

merecat's review

3.5

lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

mathgirl_jody's review

4.5

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

kfradkin1989's review

3.5

emotional reflective medium-paced

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

hanhantap's review against another edition

4.25

emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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i did a re-read for book club earlier this month. while i meant to only skim it, i ended up annotating and highlighting passages that i had overlooked the first time. Steven Rowley is one of the best writers in contemporary/literary fiction who can capture the heaviness of grief and the humor in everyday life and relationships. brb moving Guncle up my TBR...

as someone who went through the first 21 years of my life floating through surface-level friendships, i managed to make a lifelong group of college pals who has only grown more important to me as the years have gone on. i do not know where i would be without my chosen family.

reading The Celebrants is a reminder of how precious life, death, and the relationships we make in between are meant to be imperfect, messy, and full of mistakes. but at the end of the day, we still have each other, gathering around a bonfire and talking about the adventures in the years past and our hopes for the future.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Death, Terminal illness, Grief

Moderate: Addiction, Confinement, Alcohol

Minor: Pregnancy

runlaurarun's review

4.25

adventurous emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

emilyehines's review

3.0

emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

tomellibee's review

3.25

funny hopeful reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

chronicallykb's review

4.0

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes