THE CELEBRANTS
Steven Rowley fans: CW for FOMO, proceed with caution!! What an absolute DELIGHT it was last night to meet Steven Rowley at @booksaremagicbk in Brooklyn on the final stop of his tour for The Celebrants, @readwithjenna ‘s June pick!! (Swipe for photos!) @mrstevenrowley you are every bit as smart, gracious, witty and warm as your wonderful characters who I’ve come to adore - thank you for your kindness, your stories, and for such a fabulous evening of books, laughter and joy!
🧡
Humor, heartbreak and humanity are all in abundance in The Celebrants, where five college friends suffer a loss, and consequently vow to hold living funerals to celebrate one another during the course of their lives. In the ensuing years, they will fall in love, unlock secrets, learn to forgive, and come to appreciate each other and themselves in ways they could never have expected.
🧡
I’ll be forever mystified at how Steven Rowley’s books can make me laugh out loud on one page and wipe away tears on the next, but The Celebrants is no exception! I loved spending time with this tight-knit group of friends, and being part of their circle for a moment in time. The Celebrants deftly captures the hum of electricity between intensely close friends, with in-jokes, fleeting flirtations, shifting allegiances and fierce protectiveness. More importantly, it allows us to see how friendships evolve when individuals grow into different versions of themselves. The Celebrants is a beautiful study of the enduring power of the best kind of friendship: one that embraces every stage, even the final ones, with love, grace and unconditional acceptance. Bonus 90s nostalgia bonanza
for those old enough to appreciate, like me!
🧡
How could I resist making “little pies” when these characters literally have a group text named "Nana's Hungry Little Pie Eaters" - plus berry pie that was schlepped from NYC to Big Sur? My summer tartlets (which are kind of pie-adjacent?) are suitable for the most festive of living funerals. This photo would definitely be a Courtney Thorne-Smith on the book’s Courtney scale - and I'm ok with that! What’s your fave summer pie?
