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A review by richardrbecker
The Celebrants by Steven Rowley
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
The Celebrants by Steven Rowley is a light and loving novel about six college students — four men and two women — who make a pact after losing one of their numbers fall to a sort of suicide (overdose). At the funeral, the five surviving friends decide that funerals for the living are a waste, and they should meet up together if any of them are feeling down and out or alone.
Hosting a funeral for the living is an opportunity to remind any troubled soul that they are never alone. They are part of a pact, one of five surviving Berkeley transfers who had a profound impact on each other's lives and love each other. None of them take it all that seriously and barely remain connected, with the exception of Jordy and Jordan, a gay couple who ultimately marry.
Of all the characters, Jordy and Jordan, a.k.a. the Jordens, feel the most developed. The others—Naomi, Marielle, and Craig—are akin to literary devices for the first two, despite each having its own section, as each calls for a funeral, with only the one facing certain death putting it off. The first to pull the trigger after 18 years have elapsed is Marielle as she faces a post-divorce midlife crisis. The second is Naomi after her parents are killed in a car crash. The third is Craig, who faces imprisonment for accidentally selling forged art. The fourth is for Jordy after Jordan requests it as a precursor to his own mortality.
As each unfolds, Rowley presents a montage of dramatic and comedic moments both in the present and as they rehash the past. It's mostly light and fun, if not predictable, and a little bit corny, as their unique brand of togetherness lays the groundwork for Rowley's thesis to enjoy the ones we are with before we aren't with them anymore. The sentiment is tender, even if the characters are relatively vanilla in their privileged lives. All of their hardships are remarkably accessible to anyone.
Although maybe closer to 3 1/2 than 4 stars, Rowley is a gifted writer worth rounding up. This is a great book to pick up if you're feeling poetic about old friendships or would rather read than turn on a modernized Hallmark movie with a cast of creatives who dazzle themselves with a seance, skydiving, magic mushrooms, and swimming race. And yet, it's a beautiful book, too.
Hosting a funeral for the living is an opportunity to remind any troubled soul that they are never alone. They are part of a pact, one of five surviving Berkeley transfers who had a profound impact on each other's lives and love each other. None of them take it all that seriously and barely remain connected, with the exception of Jordy and Jordan, a gay couple who ultimately marry.
Of all the characters, Jordy and Jordan, a.k.a. the Jordens, feel the most developed. The others—Naomi, Marielle, and Craig—are akin to literary devices for the first two, despite each having its own section, as each calls for a funeral, with only the one facing certain death putting it off. The first to pull the trigger after 18 years have elapsed is Marielle as she faces a post-divorce midlife crisis. The second is Naomi after her parents are killed in a car crash. The third is Craig, who faces imprisonment for accidentally selling forged art. The fourth is for Jordy after Jordan requests it as a precursor to his own mortality.
As each unfolds, Rowley presents a montage of dramatic and comedic moments both in the present and as they rehash the past. It's mostly light and fun, if not predictable, and a little bit corny, as their unique brand of togetherness lays the groundwork for Rowley's thesis to enjoy the ones we are with before we aren't with them anymore. The sentiment is tender, even if the characters are relatively vanilla in their privileged lives. All of their hardships are remarkably accessible to anyone.
Although maybe closer to 3 1/2 than 4 stars, Rowley is a gifted writer worth rounding up. This is a great book to pick up if you're feeling poetic about old friendships or would rather read than turn on a modernized Hallmark movie with a cast of creatives who dazzle themselves with a seance, skydiving, magic mushrooms, and swimming race. And yet, it's a beautiful book, too.