A review by cc_shelflove
The Celebrants by Steven Rowley

funny sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

Thank you to Edelweiss Plus and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. 

I would describe this book as being fairly okay. A unique concept, Jordan and his friends entered a pact when they were young to host living funerals for each other. The purpose of the pact is to ensure that the friends understand the impacts they’ve made on each other’s lives before it’s too late. While I liked Steven Rowley’s writing, these characters really sucked. I personally felt that I didn’t get to know the characters well enough before being thrown into the sea of their many (and I mean MANY) problems, so I had a hard time sympathizing with them for the majority of the book. These grown adults bickered like they were still in college, and let’s face it—I’m just not all that interested in reading about forty year olds doing mushrooms. While the overall message was a positive one, I was not as moved or impressed as I would have expected.

A note to authors everywhere: PLEASE don’t give two characters the same name! Jordy and Jordan… seriously?
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