Grace's Table

by Sally Piper

Families were like sand dunes, Grace decided. They shifted shape and position with even the gentlest of forces. Even a tiny puff – a shrug – could bring about change, move a handful of thoughts to a new understanding, a new authority. A gale, like today’s, and whole dunes – lives and futures – were relocated, reimagined.

Grace had not had twelve people at her table for a while. This wasn’t the kind of family who shared regular Sunday meals. But you don’t turn 70 every day.

As her friends and family arrive for lunch, memories are rekindled but not all of them are welcome. As the meal is served, it becomes clear that events of the past have left their mark on everyone at the table in vastly different ways. Grace is reminded that age is no guarantee of wisdom and there is much still to learn from the young at heart. As the family finally confront a shocking event in their past, Grace is forced to face her own shortcomings as a parent and wife and left to contemplate the ways in which grief and regret have resonated through her life.

This moving and often funny novel dissects the lives of women over three generations, explores the pull and power of memory and celebrates the triumph of endurance.

Genres: Fiction, Literary Fiction, Contemporary, Audiobook, Ebooks

306 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Sally Piper is a former nurse who lives and writes in Meanjin/Brisbane.

Her debut novel GRACE'S TABLE (UQP 2014/Legend Press UK 2019) was shortlisted in the 2011 Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards and in 2013 she was awarded a Varuna Publishing Fellowship for her manuscript.

Her second novel THE GEOGRAPHY OF FRIENDSHIP (UQP 2018/Audible Audiobooks 2018/Legend Press UK 2019) was shortlisted in the 2019 Australian Book Industry Awards.

Her third novel BONE MEMORIES (UQP 2022/Bolinda Audiobooks) was a finalist in the 2023 Queensland Literary Awards for a Work of State Significance and the Courier-Mail People’s Choice Queensland Book of the Year Award, was longlisted for the 2023 International Dublin Literary Award and longlisted for the 2023 Sisters in Crime Davitt Award.

She holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from Queensland University of Technology. She has had short fiction and non-fiction published in various print and online publications to include an award-winning short story in the first One Book Many Brisbanes anthology, Griffith Review, The Saturday Paper, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Weekend Australian and other literary magazines and journals in Australia and the UK.

You can learn more about Sally by visiting her website http://www.sallypiper.com/ or on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sallypiperw... or Twitter https://twitter.com/SallyPiper

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is definitely what I would consider as a “grower”. At first, I was a little dubious about where the plot was going, but I very quickly fell in love with Piper’s narrative. Moving, emotional and provocative, this novel demonstrates the importance of family, honesty and acceptance.

If you are after a tale with action and adventure then… this novel is not the one for you! Set over the course of one day, readers learn about the birthday girl, Grace, as she is preparing to host her 70th birthday party dinner. With her daughter, Susan, to help her, we are given a raw insight into the relationship that Susan and Grace share. Strained, sometimes conflicted, it is clear that whilst Grace undeniably loves her daughter, she at times finds it difficult to feel frustrated with her.

However, the narrative effortlessly transports us away from present day. Every action that Grace undertakes, prompts memories and feelings – from both her childhood and as a wife/mother. In this manner, readers truly discover what it is that has made Grace who she is. Piper describes episodes of her upbringing and what her marriage was like. Gliding between past and present, the movement between different times may seem complicated, but Piper has created such a gentle narrative, that I felt the time shift was natural and to be expected. Indeed, I looked forward to discovering more about the protagonist and Grace’s past.

Undoubtedly, I fell in love with Grace. Such a wonderful character! Her surrounding close friends and family all bring something to Grace’s table and their personality traits are clearly defined. I loved how Grace’s nature was so unwavering and, even if she did feel frustrated, she continues to offer love and support to those around her. The tangents were revelations and it was refreshing to continue to learn about Grace’s past in such a gentle, blossoming narrative.

In terms of plot development, I could not see where the novel would progress. When I had completed it, I felt satisfied and actually a little sad. It was like saying goodbye to a friend. Having read so much about Grace’s past, I felt I had established a true connection with her, whilst at the same time wanting to know more. Grace’s narrative was emotional, frank and with some humour and overall, it felt like she was talking to you whilst reading.

This was an unexpected gem of a read and I don’t think I would have usually gone out of my way to read it. When the opportunity presented itself, I was so glad to have come across Piper’s work. The importance and significance of family bonds is prevalent throughout and the love that shines through Piper’s narrative certainly left a lasting impression on me. A simple yet, thoughtful story, this provoked many emotions and presented scenes that I am sure many readers would relate to.

For a debut novel, I think this is a creative, imaginative piece of writing. A family drama with lots to give, I definitely believe this is one to be put on your ‘To be read’ pile.

I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. With thanks to everyone at Legend Press and Sally Piper for allowing me to participate in this blog tour.

[Jodie (jodie.loves.books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness, this book was just exquisite. I’ve never read a more personal and immersive story in my life; Grace’s Table made everyday events seem so magical and monumental and the result was beautiful.

We follow Grace on the day of her seventieth birthday as she prepares a meal for her family with her daughter, Susan, to celebrate. We’re introduced to the important people in Grace’s life both past and present and over the course of her birthday, learn about the relationships between them and why some of them won’t be sitting at Grace’s Table today.

The descriptions in this book were phenomenal - almost poetic. Every single sentence was so wonderfully crafted, I could almost see everything being described take place in front of me as though I was watching the story unfold.

This book has so much depth and meaning to it, it’s very relatable and so heartwarming. Food is something that knits families together and our cooking and eating habits are shaped so much by our childhood and the people in our lives. Grace’s Table reflected that so well. Life is full of amazing and intriguing experiences and reading about Grace’s seventy years was such an interesting and beautiful thing.

I can’t recommend this book enough. Grace’s Table is definitely one of my all time favourite novels and I genuinely believe that it’s a book everyone should read. Beautiful - 5 stars🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not going to lie, it took me several attempts at this book until I got into it, as I initially found it off to a really slow start. Sometimes that’s ok, and other times I need an instant attention grabber to keep me interested. But I am so glad I persevered, because GRACE’S TABLE turned out to be a deeply reflective journey for me that made me ponder family, marriage and life in general.

Basically, GRACE’S TABLE revolves around Grace, who is celebrating her 70th birthday by hosting a dinner for her family in her home. As the blurb states:”This wasn’t the kind of family who shared regular Sunday meals.” Interesting - why? As her children, grandchildren and closest friends come together, some old family memories come to the surface that may explain the rift between Grace and her adult children.

As I close this book and reflect on its message, I still feel deeply saddened for Grace. She knew passion once, but as a young woman growing up in conservative small-town Australia, she ended up with the sort of husband everyone approved of but who ultimately did not make her happy. In fact, reading about Grace’s marriage awakened a rage in me that obviously touched some raw spot, and I was instantly grateful that my generation enjoyed so much more freedom of choice when it came to choosing a life partner. As Grace reflects back on her life, I could see the confident and passionate young woman and nurse becoming stifled by an ill-suited partner who would soon suffocate any sense of hope and dreams she had ever had, turning her into a dutiful but unhappy mother and wife. On the other hand, Des, Grace’s husband, was probably as much of a product of his time as Grace was, and in a way I could see my grandparents’ roles reflected in both characters, living up to the expectations of their era dutifully, losing a little bit of themselves along the way. I am not excusing Des’ constant bullying, from dictating what foods Grace was allowed to cook to expecting her to bow to his every wish, but sadly, this too often was the reality women found themselves in during that era. It was through Grace’s fond memories of her Dad that we saw how much Grace suffered, even though she may have seen him through the rose-tinted glasses of a daughter rather than a wife.

When Grace’s life is derailed by a terrible tragedy, it is little surprise that it fragments the family for good. It was at this point in the book that I felt like letting out a scream of raw pain, because Piper brings to life one of the most horrific things a woman would ever have to endure. I’m not about to give spoilers, but be prepared! At this point, I felt truly invested in Grace’s story, and it will be an image that will stay with me in all its horror.

Also interesting was Grace’s relationship with her daughter Susan. Susan was close to her father, and still resents her mother for not loving him (children can always tell), and for her emotional absence after the trauma she suffered. These were such complex family relationships, and I felt that I would have loved to discuss it all with another reader! Through Grace’s relationships with the different members of her family and her closest friends, we become privy to the real Grace, and it was this aspect of the book that ultimately made me glad I finished it.

If you like stories exploring the complexities of family relationships, then this one should definitely be on your list. It is a slow, character-driven story that takes a bit to get going, but once you are in Grace’s head you will appreciate the foundations Piper has laid here for her story. My only regret is not having read this with a book buddy so we could discuss it, as there was much to reflect upon. Which is the very reason I would recommend GRACE’S TABLE as a book club or buddy read. Beautifully written and very reflective!

Thank you to Netgalley and Legend Press for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.

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[Dale Harcombe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is like stepping back in time in one sense. I found a lot of the things recounted like the knitted tea cosies, the hand written recipes in an exercise book, the overuse of salt that used to occur in cooking of previous generations, the making of mint sauce from scratch, and so on were interesting details. When I read about Grace rolling her husband’s cigarettes and placing them in a tin for him it reminded me of seeing my mother do that for my father. So it was a bit like a walk down memory lane.
Events take place on the day of Grace’s 70th birthday celebration with family invited to share the meal. They are interwoven with events and incident that shaped family life and the tragedy that is pivotal to the story. The ending throws a little more light on events and the shaping this had on the characters.
I have to admit I’d have not been thrilled at a gift of knives either and loved the careful way Grace answered when asked if she liked them. The attention to detail is one of the things I most liked about this novel. The little descriptions like that of the money spider on the freshly picked mint plant which had been growing in a cement tub, and the description of hands betraying age are so well handled. It reminded me of a poem I had written on a similar theme about hands.
I liked the gentle yet acerbic humour at times and comments, like the way Grace responds with ‘Life Shops’ when asked whether all the different plates had been picked up at antique shops. I liked Grace and agreed with her about sarcasm being cheap currency. Susan, her daughter, I could willingly have slapped and her son Peter wasn’t much better. But you understand them a little more toward the end. It is a very detailed picture of prickly relationships in family and it makes interesting reading. However it left me feeling thankful that I do not have a family like this one.

[Kylie]

A gentle and tender novel containing some wry and honest observations about the lives of women, though not without an undercurrent of simmering rage.

If I'd read it fifteen years ago, I'd have loved it.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely modest story. I really engaged with it. I found the 'mundaneness' in the story really touching and helped to firmly root it in real life experiences. I think also the fact that the story seemed to be set in 'my time' helped me to really connect with it. I liked the way Grace found comfort and the strength to go on in the rhythm of her everyday life. I found it really interesting that she really loved her (adult) kids, but at times didn't like them much. We do our best but kids have a pesky habit of making their own way and becoming their own person to a certain degree (unless of course they turn out just like us and that is what we secretly dislike about them!). However there were a few times when I thought Grace was a bit too good to be true, but thankfully that wasn't too often.

Des came across as a brutal man but not an unfeeling one. I wondered how much a product of his time he was because certain things he did reminded me of my father. I found it interesting that the one time when he tried hard to assert his masculinity (his fight with Grace and Des' son Peter), was when his masculinity fell woefully short, and with dreadful consequences. He wasn't 'man enough' to give his son room to assert himself and he paid a huge price for it.

The bond between Grace and her grandchildren was really touching and reminded me of the way in which the generation gap manifests itself in families. It's like one group is unwillingly leaving their income earning/productive years behind them and the other group is closing in on their income earning/productive years impatiently. It is a bond epitomised by them both not quite being where they want to be.

The book showed very touchingly the everyday mundane inability we all possess to see past our own hurt to someone else's. Often the closer they are to us, the harder it is to see. It made me wonder how families cope with the worst possible thing that might happen to them and still manage to stay together, even if their together sometimes feels and appears like a default setting.

I enjoyed this book very much and managed to read it in three days, working days that is.

[rina dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a massive foodie I had a sneaky feeling this book would be great and I was definitely not wrong!
Its Grace's 70th birthday and she's hosting a dinner party for 12 guests, friends, family and loved ones are all around that table but where there's family there's normally tension and a few hidden secrets and this story is no different!
This book is such a beautiful read. The way food brings people together is really the theme and it's done in such a clever, heartwarming way.
I loved the way that the timeline flits between Grace being with her family and reminiscing on her own childhood and family life and how cooking and food played such a massive part of that.
I related to this story on so many levels as I show a lot of love through food and cooking and my children would always say it's a huge part of their lives.
Some of the plot is heartbreaking going through Graces past she's been through so much and this has had an effect on her children. It was really interesting to observe that family dynamic I found it really true to life which to me just made the book better! Yes not all of the characters are super likeable but are they in any family! I know there's a couple of members in my family that I try not to spend an awful lot of time with 😂🙈
Overall this is genuinely an uplifting read about love, friendship and the joy of sharing and cooking food!
Id recommend this book to everyone!

[Alistair · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel proved to be a suprise, and a further reminder, Reader, that a book should not be judged by its cover. What I imagined would be an amenable, gentle, nostalgic novel, turned out to be quietly subversive depiction of family life. As Grace says, "so much resentment had percolated undetected in this family for so mny yers."

[Em-Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Lucy at Legend Press for provided me a gifted copy of this book to review as part of the UK blog tour.
****************

This is a moving, slow burner of a story, and all the better for it. It's very realistic, like an episode of your favourite drama- but on the pages in much more beautiful narrative.

It concentrates on events across a single day- based around a birthday meal for Grace, who is turning 70. She's cooking a meal for her family. It's very much based around food, and the love and time that goes into preparing a meal, and then sharing it with your loved ones. Grace is preparing the meal with her daughter, Susan. They have that conflicted relationship, where they love each other, but their personalities are so different that they inevitably clash.

Across the course of the day, all the ingredients of Grace's life come together to create this wonderful dish of a book that explores family life, history and friendship - and the ties that bind us together, no matter what. Each person that arrives at the party is examined - their history, their personality and their tie to the family. Sometimes these are good memories, and sometimes they invoke a deep-set hurt that resonates through to the reader.

There are secrets below the surface, and some dark themes explored. I won't say which themes, only that these were explained away by family as a product of their time. And whilst I don't agreed that they can be excused, I do agree that they are a product of the hierarchy/ expectations in families of the mid-20th century. And now they seemed to have been buried under the surface, not talked about and left to simmer.... but now they threaten to ruin Grace's day. During the 80's, I suffered something at the hands of my family, and it was swept under the carpet and left to simmer. Unfortunately this was the way in which subjects like this were handled... it's not nice but it is realistic and the way Piper narrates it is sensitively done.

This is one of those explorations of family life, where nothing happens, but everything happens. It's quite sublime. This story is written with such a gentle touch, not in first person narrative, but certainly from Grace's viewpoint, with that keen eye that age and wisdom bring. It's very authentic, and almost poetic at times, and she brings you to the table with her.

Grace is a wonderful character - she's full of warmth and love, much like her meals. Even in times of conflict, whether with her daughter, her husband, or other family members, she has this touch of womanly softness (very much of her time) that can't be dimmed. She's quite stoic, but you have to wonder if she's truly happy or not. I wanted to pick her out of the tale, fetch her to mine and feed her cake and tea all day.

The novel is lauded as 'the food novel of the year' - I hadn't read a book marketed as a 'food novel' before, but the food, its history, it's preparation, the cooking utensils - they all added to the story and gave a centre-point round which all this family gathered to show us their history.

I very much enjoyed this story. If you like fast paced action this probably isn't for you, but if you like psychology, family and the human condition, add it to your TBR pile.

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grace's Table by Australian author, Sally Piper, is a story about family, love, loss and forgiveness or lack of it.

It takes place in one day - a family meal for 12 people in honour of Grace's 70th birthday. Present are her closest friends, her grown children, their spouses & her grandchildren. It describes in loving detail the preparation and consumption of the meal, the interaction of the different people all interspersed with Grace's reflections of the past, with small dramas and the revelation of a major event which has left marks on them all.

The actual city (I think probably Brisbane from a couple of references) and date are left unnamed which was a minor annoyance. And I think I would have liked the crucial event at heart of this family saga explored in more nuanced ways though perhaps hard to do as part of a reveal.

Overall, this is a book to be savoured rather than rushed through in one helping. It explores family relationships and perceptions, both the joys and the sorrows over four generations (Grace's parents, Grace and her relationships, her children and grandchildren). Some characters sit large in the story despite (or in fact because) of their absence. The setting and characterisation are strong and the book left me pondering family ties, love and disappointments.

[Alison Wootten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Novel set over a lunch time sitting of a 70th birthday celebration. All the ups and downs, good times and sad times, incorporated into this time of remembering. A beautifully wriiten, poignant story of family and friendships. A really lovely read. I much preferred this to her second novel, the geography of friendship.

[Rambling Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Things I liked:

I expected this to be charming mccharmington, but it was not as expected.

The descriptions are vivid, and have a real sense of place, particularly for me as an Australian.

The fact that it is character driven, but still has some degree of resolution. (I don't like books with cardboard cutout characters, but nor do I like character-driven novels that go nowhere.)

The 'undercurrent of female rage' that another reviewer described is perfectly put, and perfectly handled in this book. It never veers into darkness, even when dealing with very dark themes, but you are very much aware of it all simmering below the surface.

The suggestion of multiple viewpoints of the same events; less overt than in The Slap (the last book I can remember addressing this) and perfectly in place for this novel.

Grace calling out the two sets of rules — one for her, one for her children — was great.

Things I didn't:

I couldn't stand most of the characters, but I did appreciate that most of their flaws at least seemed 'real.' Nick was great. Susan read like a caricature, so did Richard. Des was horrible. No amount of looking after the kids makes up for the way he treated his wife.

The excusing of Des as a product of his time. I'm sorry, that is never going to be an excuse for emotional abuse. It doesn't even work in the context of the book because her Pa isn't like that, and he's a generation older.

'I always considered him a man of his time... a bit arrogant. A bit chavinistic. A Man's man with not a lot of insight into female emotions. But I also believed he was being the only man he knew how to be, so we could forgive him his faults.' ... 'Perhaps we were all being the only people we knew how to be... Perhaps we still are.' (p280).

I am all for forgiveness, but there is a line between forgiveness and refusing to change your behaviour because you're banking on forgiveness. Or excusing behaviour out of forgiveness — there is a very big difference, and repeatedly forgiving someone while permitting terrible behaviour is a very broken way of doing things.

The kids' utter selfishness at not permitting their mother her happiness in the twilight of her life made me really angry.
_________

If there's one thing I take away from the book, it's that a huge amount of deeply felt long term trauma could have been either avoided or dealt with better if the characters had simply COMMUNICATED.

Des telling his KID that he loved Grace, and considered her too good for him? The person you needed to tell was your WIFE, dude.

It's a clear (if unintentional) lesson on the utterly essential nature of good communication.

[Ellie (bookmadbarlow) · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the majority this book is quiet and atmospheric as we learn about Grace, her life and her family. Grace and her close friends are lovely characters that are completely balanced out by her children, who are definitely not. The ebb and flow of family life is portrayed brilliantly, with the everyday interactions and the underlying issues as we build up to the reveal of why tensions run so high. It takes a while to get there but when you do it helps you realise that everyone deals with problems in their own way.
My thanks to the publisher for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review

[Phil Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grace’s Table by Sally Piper is a warm portrait of life in Australia.

The art of good writing is in highlighting the little things that create a big picture and Sally has nailed it here on this one.

If you ever fought with your sibling over the shady window seat on the way back from the beach or washed your hands with Lux Soap in your grandparents concrete laundry tub, this is a book for you.

The book’s plot is also true to Australians of the time.

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book. It's very Australian. I think it really resonated with me as I also associate life events and foods. I liked that part the way through the book, the story took a slight turn and the assumptions I'd made about the main character started to change. A novel about complex family situations, that aren't what they seem at first.

[Nicola · Rating 4 out of 5]

A skillfully observed and beautifully written story about unresolved family issues, played out against the backdrop of a celebratory meal. An engrossing and entertaining read from a talented author - looking forward to her next book.

[Alexandra Daw · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wrestled with this book. It is very much a book of the interior - being the reflections and thoughts of a woman on her 70th birthday as her family and friends gather round to celebrate the occasion. The last 50 pages or so were when the story changed pace for me and I became engaged.

[Rainy Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some choices are only a weakness in the eyes of some people, Peter. To others, they're just right.

This book is a combination Grace's of down the memory lane's thoughts and her delicious food. Grace, together with her families and close friends, celebrated Grace's seventieth birthday by having a lunch party (specially prepared by Grace herself). Throughout the moments during the lunch, Grace reminisced her younger days back when she was a nurse and her life with her husband and children as she remembered. The book had a slow start for me, but as I read, it grew more and more deeper and I started to understand Grace's characters and grief well. I like the mention of some food alongside the stories, they just sound so delicious.

I can learn a lot from Grace's reflection on her life, friendships and marriage. I learnt that people have different coping mechanisms on grief and we cannot just tell people to "move on" from something that's grieving them. I wish Grace's children, Peter and Susan had been more kinder to her. I felt that they're quite like their late father when it comes on how they treated Grace. But yeah, people have different views on how they see things in this life.

[Claire - TheBookendReviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grace and her daughter Susan are preparing a meal to twelve to celebrate Grace's 70th birthday. Whilst cooking the meat and peeling the veg we take a trip down memory lane. It's apparent from her memories that not all those important to Grace will be present at the meal.

This book is full of references to food, family traditions and family secrets. It made me smile at times, bringing back memories of my late grandparents and their traditions and thoughts of the world around them.

Completely character driven, I found myself wanting a bit more of a plot and although I had my own family memories, I found it hard to connect with Grace and her experiences in life.

I think this novel is well written with fully formed characters, some with very distinct backgrounds, and whilst I liked the book there were no deeper feelings towards it.

[Rhonda Lomazow · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant read a book told through the eyes of Grace getting ready for her seventieth birthday dinner.Grace cooking in her kitchen with her daughter is not one to live on happy memories she shares with us her marriage her husband who was set in his ways her friends her children not in a fairytale but real honest life.Grace came alive a woman Ahead of her time a book that will surprise an emotional reads wonderful read @legend books

[Tilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

This book is based at Grace's 70th birthday celebrations in her own home. It shows her family coming together and all the tension and love that it brings. Grace reflects on her life and marriage and the turning points that have brought her family to where they are today. There is an underlying anger that we feel throughout the story but also one of love.
It was a quick read at just over 200 pages and I found it quite a calming read. It was entirely character driven and I found myself angry for Grace and wishing he stood up for herself more. It is very intricate and the writing is delicate and almost poetic at times. It reads in a lovely way.
I did need a bit more plot and I wish the ending was slightly more satisfying. It isn't my usual type of read but I did enjoy it.

[Justanotherpageturner · Rating 3 out of 5]

BLOG TOUR GRACE’S TABLE

Grace’s Table is based on 70 year old Grace as she prepares for a meal with 12 members of her nearest and dearest. It follows her preparations for the meal with Piper leaving a vivid image in your head of the food and character dynamics. The incredible description and imagery is mouth-watering to say the least! Amongst the detailed accounts of food, Piper has carefully penned a reflection on Grace’s life and the people in it. A very character focussed read, the book primarily deals with relationships and family dynamics in particular parental and child tension. It was a little slow-paced for me personally, but I think this was appropriate for this particular book and the purpose of the story line especially with it being a shorter story.

This book would be perfect for people who enjoy a slower pace or food/cookery based books as these parts were incredibly well written and produced authentic and vivid imagery.

I was gifted this copy by Legend Press in exchange for an honest review on the blog tour.

[Rhian Eleri · Rating 3 out of 5]

What this book does is make you reflect on your own family values and its weaknesses. It's a very short book but has a lot of content in regards to Grace and her past.
Grace is preparing a meal for 12 people with the help of her daughter Susan. Today is her 70th birthday and a good a time as any to visit memory lane.
From the start it's apparent that some people from Grace's life will not be present at her table. Some are not welcome, but others have long gone. Is it possible to be grieving after so long? Is this what Grace is experiencing? Grief? Or something else entirely?
The language of the book is almost poetic with the food references being on almost every page. Food seems to be the magnet that pulls people together in life and I cracked a few smiles here and there because I saw a lot of my parents and grandparents in some of the characters. Life literally does revolve around food doesn't it? So what better setting to have a book than a kitchen and a hungry family.
I wasn't a fan of Susan from the start and felt she was being awful to her mother, but then somewhere in the last 40 pages or so, I began to see what was happening and saw Susan was a woman with different views and perhaps someone who felt loss when what she needed (or who) was right in front of her but they just didn't see it within eachother.
This is a lovely read, it tackles some deep emotions and does it tastefully (seeing as food plays a big part this word is very fitting don't you think?)

Thank you to Lucy at Legend press for sending this paperback to me for exchange of an honest review.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

*2.5 stars rounded up*

This is a story of the importance of family and food. It's a story of traditions, reminiscence, and deep family secrets

We are very much in Grace's head throughout the book, caught up with her thoughts of the present and her past as a young girl. The story is completely character-driven, which I think is why it didn't completely click with me. I also couldn't relate to 70 year old Grace's life experiences, so I found it difficult to connect to her. I'm not completely plot-driven, but I'm learning I need both an engaging plot and great characters

I really enjoyed the complexity of Grace's relationship with her daughter, Susan. It was quite hostile but still filled with love and well meaning. I've never read a subtly strained relationship like it and it felt incredibly tangible. As the book progresses we learn of reasons for this hostility which gave a lot of depth to the characters and their motivations

Overall, this book is well written and the characters are fleshed out. As a warning, one of the characters is a butcher and there's some detailed description of that, which I really didn't enjoy, but that definitely won't bother everyone!

*This book was sent to me by Netgalley and Legend Press for an honest review*

[Alison Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this superb debut novel I was reminded of Gustav Klimt's 'The Three Ages Of Woman'. A painting that became commercially popular in print form but often only featured a beautiful young Mother and infant. It's only when you search for the original painting that you see behind the vivid, brightly coloured image of youth in the foreground, stands a hunched older woman with sagging posture and head turned away. She is a stark contrast to the main image and therefore easy to edit. Cut. Written off. Forgotten. So true of the plight of older women with so much more to tell and say, if only someone would listen.

Grace has a story to tell. She will take you on a sensory journey through her life as she prepares a celebration lunch for her family. With many of life's undulations to bear, the one constant for Grace is food and with every stir, splash and simmer she will evoke powerful memories of your own too. Grace will resonate with every woman. Those who still have to cook joylessly for their families day in and day out and those who wish they could recapture the days when they did.

WARNING - Do not read on an empty stomach!

[Candy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well-crafted story which takes places on one day, but reminisces about a lifetime. At first, I read a bit of the book, but it seemed mundane and tedious, and I didn't get very far. I came across it again, started reading, and am very glad I did. This isn't a book of thriller endings and plot twists, but an ordinary woman's life examined.

It's Grace's 70th birthday, and as she prepares dinner for her family and close friends, she weaves a tale of her life: childhood, love, marriage, children, friendship. She uses the everyday and special items in her home to spark her memory and tell her story. However, it's a story that can be seen from a different perspective by other family members: “Families were like sand dunes, Grace decided. They shifted shape and position with even the gentlest of forces. Even a tiny puff – a shrug – could bring about change, move a handful of thoughts to a new understanding, a new authority. A gale, like today’s, and whole dunes – lives and futures – were relocated, reimagined.”

Thoroughly enjoyable read.

[Cass Moriarty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grace's Table by Sally Piper tells the story of Grace and her friends and family that surround her table on the occasion of her 70th birthday. Over the course of the meal - the preparation, the eating and the cleaning up - Grace's life is revealed to us through flashbacks and memory. With her children divided over a long ago incident that changed the course of their family's history, the characters' relationships with each other, with themselves, and of course, with food, are served to the reader one dish at a time. What I loved about this book is that the idea or concept we have of some of the characters changes quite a lot as we get deeper into the story and discover more about the motivations behind their actions. Perhaps all is not as straightforward as it seems. We are left feeling that we have a bit more understanding and perhaps tolerance for the people involved.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoughtful & rewarding read. Grace's 70th birthday lunch is a repast in several ways. We are reminded of the comforts of true friendship & of the undercurrents of tension that can run through any family. The grandchildren provide a refreshing note of ignorance/innocence (the moment when Jorja asks why she should learn to grow her own cherry tomatoes when she can always come & eat her grandmother's is poignant). Grace's responses to her children and to her grandchildren are very different -- and yet the hope that they will escape the traps of the past is deflated somewhat by her children's interactions with their own children. Ultimately uplifting, there are moments of Grace along the way as well as heartbreaking truths. We are reminded that truth is always relative....

[Sue Shep · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the way Grace reminisces about her life's most important events. She's hosting her 70th birthday party at home with all her family and close friends. The way tiny things, cooking, facial expressions, words spoken, would all make her recollect events from her life. The underlying dark secrets that are never spoken about, brought to the table and seen in a different light from different generations. I would recommend this book as a pleasurable read that is at times, quite moving. It moves along at a constant rate that leaves you wanting more.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book which centres around Grace, and so to her family. Family get-together's can be fraught with underlying tensions from the past, complexities of real or imagined hurts or slights, and the understanding or misunderstanding of communication.
Beautifully written the book opens out over its pages the life of Grace with all its experiences and subsequent results.
A simple but lovely read.