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drizcoll's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
One of them ones where not loads happens but loads happens - the characters were all complex and multifaceted, and you could feel for all of them.
pinkvogue's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
kduhy's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
A portrayal of family life, where we meet Linda and Gerry and their adult children, Nicole and Jamie. All looks perfect on the surface. However, a family meal shakes up the status quo and we follow them as the family dynamics shift and change and each of them struggles to adapt.
Each chapter is a different family member giving both their own part of the story, some background story and the ongoing family story, this is centred round a meal or drink-meeting in the pub at lunchtime, curry with dad, friends over dinner. A very well observed, sometimes too accurate portrayal of family life. Sometimes funny, sometimes sad but all very relatable.
chapter1_page1's review against another edition
4.0
⭐️ 4 ⭐️
At the Table is an excellent debut novel, beautifully written by Claire Powell.
Set over a year — each chapter of this character-driven, family drama revolves around a meal or drinks.
The character development in particular is excellent — we get to know the four members of the Maguire family (warts and all), their family dynamics and relationships with each other (and others).
Overall, a really enjoyable, immersive read.
Many thanks to the publisher for the proof copy, in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
At the Table is an excellent debut novel, beautifully written by Claire Powell.
Set over a year — each chapter of this character-driven, family drama revolves around a meal or drinks.
The character development in particular is excellent — we get to know the four members of the Maguire family (warts and all), their family dynamics and relationships with each other (and others).
Overall, a really enjoyable, immersive read.
Many thanks to the publisher for the proof copy, in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
hayleygalpin's review against another edition
4.0
At the table is a subtle family drama which centres around a marriage break up of two parents. You get to know the 4 members of the Maguire family across a year intimately which is helped by the change of characters each chapter and the vividness of the writing. I think I would have loved a book for each of these characters which is a testament to the characterisation in such a short book.
I liked the the simplicity of everyday life captured in the book and how normalised the situations were for each character. The book cleverly covered some sensitive topics and showed the flaws and complexities of the family individually and through their relationships which I enjoyed. It was also a reminder of how many conversations happen with food and socialising at the centre which I think set the accessible tone of the book and drew you in.
Overall, I kind of wanted a bit more of a coming together at the end as I was left wanting more but nevertheless an easy read, character focussed book and a great debut!
I liked the the simplicity of everyday life captured in the book and how normalised the situations were for each character. The book cleverly covered some sensitive topics and showed the flaws and complexities of the family individually and through their relationships which I enjoyed. It was also a reminder of how many conversations happen with food and socialising at the centre which I think set the accessible tone of the book and drew you in.
Overall, I kind of wanted a bit more of a coming together at the end as I was left wanting more but nevertheless an easy read, character focussed book and a great debut!
gotabookforeverysituation's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
denisa_london's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
kba76's review against another edition
4.0
A glut of recent releases feature a character face down on the cover. This one really tickled me when I saw it, but the subject matter is a lot less humorous than it might appear.
At the Table is a debut novel focusing on characters and their interactions with one another. Though major life events take place, this novel focuses primarily on the little moments that make up the mosaic of our lives.
Our focus is a family comprising Gerry and Linda and their grown-up children, Jamie and Nicole. Their lives have been marked by meals, and this focuses on a year in their lives at different moments. We start with a meal where the parents reveal they’re getting divorced and we end with a meal shared with mother and daughter who are, due to the events they’ve been through, forging a new relationship. Along the way we have celebratory meals, catch-up meals, drunken meals but our focus is always the family and their gradual discoveries about themselves and each other.
Powell paints a frank yet tender picture of people at their lowest. The events felt, on occasion, as if they were washing over me but I found myself touched by the attempts of the author to show the characters shifting and developing.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to review this prior to publication.
At the Table is a debut novel focusing on characters and their interactions with one another. Though major life events take place, this novel focuses primarily on the little moments that make up the mosaic of our lives.
Our focus is a family comprising Gerry and Linda and their grown-up children, Jamie and Nicole. Their lives have been marked by meals, and this focuses on a year in their lives at different moments. We start with a meal where the parents reveal they’re getting divorced and we end with a meal shared with mother and daughter who are, due to the events they’ve been through, forging a new relationship. Along the way we have celebratory meals, catch-up meals, drunken meals but our focus is always the family and their gradual discoveries about themselves and each other.
Powell paints a frank yet tender picture of people at their lowest. The events felt, on occasion, as if they were washing over me but I found myself touched by the attempts of the author to show the characters shifting and developing.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to review this prior to publication.
tobycohen's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
emiliewin3's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0