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At the Table
A 2022 BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR for
THE TIMES, SUNDAY TIMES, DAILY TELEGRAPH, RED, GOOD HOUSEKEEPING AND CRITIC
To Nicole and Jamie Maguire, their parents seem the ideal couple—a suburban double act, happily married for more than 30 years. So when Linda and Gerry announce that they've decided to separate, the news sends shockwaves through the siblings' lives, forcing them to confront their own expectations and desires.
Hardworking—and hard-drinking—Nicole, pursues the ex she unceremoniously dumped six years ago, while people-pleasing Jamie fears he's sleepwalking into a marriage he doesn't actually want. But as the siblings grapple with the pressures of thirtysomething life, their parents struggle to protect the fragile façade of their own relationship and the secrets they've both been keeping.
Set in 2018, Claire Powell's beautifully observed debut novel follows each member of the Maguire family over a tumultuous year of lunches, dinners and drinks, as old conflicts arise and relationships are re-evaluated. A gripping yet tender depiction of family dynamics, love and disillusionment, At the Table is about what it means to grow up—both as an individual and as a family.
To Nicole and Jamie Maguire, their parents seem the ideal couple—a suburban double act, happily married for more than 30 years. So when Linda and Gerry announce that they've decided to separate, the news sends shockwaves through the siblings' lives, forcing them to confront their own expectations and desires.
Hardworking—and hard-drinking—Nicole, pursues the ex she unceremoniously dumped six years ago, while people-pleasing Jamie fears he's sleepwalking into a marriage he doesn't actually want. But as the siblings grapple with the pressures of thirtysomething life, their parents struggle to protect the fragile façade of their own relationship and the secrets they've both been keeping.
Set in 2018, Claire Powell's beautifully observed debut novel follows each member of the Maguire family over a tumultuous year of lunches, dinners and drinks, as old conflicts arise and relationships are re-evaluated. A gripping yet tender depiction of family dynamics, love and disillusionment, At the Table is about what it means to grow up—both as an individual and as a family.
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First published March 29, 2022
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About the author
Claire Powell
2 books39 followersClaire Powell is the author of At The Table, which was named one of the best books of 2022 by The Times and Sunday Times, The Telegraph, The Critic, Red Magazine and Good Housekeeping. Her short stories have been broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and in 2017 she won the Harper's Bazaar short story contest. She lives in south-east London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 313 reviews
March 31, 2022
I’ve read a lot of books about women struggling through their twenties, this is a book about the whole family struggling through life - and it is stunning.
A brilliant portrayal of family dynamics in all their messy glory. Powell manages to make the Maguires wholly realistic. Right down to the main characters colleagues, friends, even the locations you could picture perfectly because (if you’re in the UK) there is always a pub in walking distance called The Crown. The simple details of everyday life are just spot on every time and you could feel the ups and downs and anxieties of each character.
Set over the course of a year, At The Table gives you more than you asked for. I was expecting an easy read with funny parts here and there and instead it was like having an inside look into someone’s home. The Maguires could be your friends or neighbours, that is how crystal the writing is. And although there are funny sections in the book, the emotional grounding far surpasses what I expected. The way that Powell navigates heartache, depression, anxiety, and just not really knowing what your next step in life is, is truly exceptional.
Painfully realistic, this frank but tender portrayal of people at their lowest is a book everyone can relate to. And the cover is just, all the YES. I can’t wait to see what Claire Powell does next.
Thank you for the proof, Fleet Reads.
TW: Depression, Anxiety, Marital Issues, Alcoholism
A brilliant portrayal of family dynamics in all their messy glory. Powell manages to make the Maguires wholly realistic. Right down to the main characters colleagues, friends, even the locations you could picture perfectly because (if you’re in the UK) there is always a pub in walking distance called The Crown. The simple details of everyday life are just spot on every time and you could feel the ups and downs and anxieties of each character.
Set over the course of a year, At The Table gives you more than you asked for. I was expecting an easy read with funny parts here and there and instead it was like having an inside look into someone’s home. The Maguires could be your friends or neighbours, that is how crystal the writing is. And although there are funny sections in the book, the emotional grounding far surpasses what I expected. The way that Powell navigates heartache, depression, anxiety, and just not really knowing what your next step in life is, is truly exceptional.
Painfully realistic, this frank but tender portrayal of people at their lowest is a book everyone can relate to. And the cover is just, all the YES. I can’t wait to see what Claire Powell does next.
Thank you for the proof, Fleet Reads.
TW: Depression, Anxiety, Marital Issues, Alcoholism
September 8, 2023
the last line :')
March 16, 2023
Whilst this is a family drama told through scenes where people are eating/drinking, Claire Powell handles the choice subtly and it doesn't stick out as a gimmick. As we aren't shown what happens between these sections, some scenes are left to the imagination. I was intrigued by the gaps in the story, and enjoyed getting to piece together what really did go on from what is gleaned through the next chapter.
The Maguire function are dysfunctional, but only in a way most families will find relatable. I found it poignant seeing them come together after being torn apart by their personal dramas, and Powell's choice to leave out sections ended up creating a moving sense of intimacy between them. As readers we go from being zoomed into the individual characters' minds and lives and then suddenly being shut out when their situation comes to a head.
Claire Powell is generous with her characters, and I felt equally pained for the betrayed character as the betrayer in two (maybe even three) scenarios, without feeling like the writer was making excuses for wrong actions. People just do shitty things because they're people, and I never really disliked anyone in this book despite the many mistakes most of them make. Oh to be a reader all the time instead being restricted to a single silly mind and body that has to feel feelings and take things personally.
At the Table did for me what I hoped Jonathan Franzen's The Corrections would (although I read that a good 10 years ago so probably shouldn't judge...but I'm definitely not putting myself through that again). I just think women do it better ok? Except for Steinbeck, he's a god.
The Maguire function are dysfunctional, but only in a way most families will find relatable. I found it poignant seeing them come together after being torn apart by their personal dramas, and Powell's choice to leave out sections ended up creating a moving sense of intimacy between them. As readers we go from being zoomed into the individual characters' minds and lives and then suddenly being shut out when their situation comes to a head.
Claire Powell is generous with her characters, and I felt equally pained for the betrayed character as the betrayer in two (maybe even three) scenarios, without feeling like the writer was making excuses for wrong actions. People just do shitty things because they're people, and I never really disliked anyone in this book despite the many mistakes most of them make. Oh to be a reader all the time instead being restricted to a single silly mind and body that has to feel feelings and take things personally.
At the Table did for me what I hoped Jonathan Franzen's The Corrections would (although I read that a good 10 years ago so probably shouldn't judge...but I'm definitely not putting myself through that again). I just think women do it better ok? Except for Steinbeck, he's a god.
March 27, 2024
„She always desperately wanted to have a family yet she has never really understood how they work.“
Claire Powell savo romane neišranda nieko naujo, bet jį skaityti nuo to ne ką mažiau malonu. Tema sena kaip pasaulis – šeima su visais savo netobulumais. Visą siužetą vesdama per pokalbius prie stalo autorė supažindina mus su keturiais centriniais veikėjais, jų didžiausiomis nuodėmėmis, skauduliais ir trūkumais. Maguire šeima nėra išgyvenusi didelių, pasaulį sudrebinančių tragedijų, apskritai yra gana vidutiniška, bet todėl ir labai artima. Su veikėjų iššūkiais ir problemomis lengva tapatintis, nes jie nėra kažkur paribiuose, ne karikatūrizuoti ar išdidinti dėl efekto, o labai tikri.
Per puikius dialogus ir gerą, smulkmenišką veikėjų išvystymą autorė dėlioja ne itin optimistišką istoriją. Atrodo, kad atsiduriame šeimos ir jos atskirų narių žemiausiuose gyvenimo taškuose, bet net ir skaitant apie juos nesijaučiau slogiai, veikiau kėliau sau tam tikrus klausimus, apsvarsčiau savo pačios sprendimus ir pasirinkimus. O ir autorė nemurkdo skaitytojų tik liūdesyje ir suteikia vilties.
Vienas tų kūrinių, kuris ilgainiui tikriausiai įsilies į bendrą visumą, bet skaitant jį buvo įdomu, neprailgo, o ir jaučiausi susipažinusi su tikrai kokybišku literatūriniu balsu. Jei mėgstat istorijas apie disfunkcines šeimas, jums prie širdies britų humoras ir tendencija šaipytis patiems iš savęs, šis romanas bus kaip tik jums.
Claire Powell savo romane neišranda nieko naujo, bet jį skaityti nuo to ne ką mažiau malonu. Tema sena kaip pasaulis – šeima su visais savo netobulumais. Visą siužetą vesdama per pokalbius prie stalo autorė supažindina mus su keturiais centriniais veikėjais, jų didžiausiomis nuodėmėmis, skauduliais ir trūkumais. Maguire šeima nėra išgyvenusi didelių, pasaulį sudrebinančių tragedijų, apskritai yra gana vidutiniška, bet todėl ir labai artima. Su veikėjų iššūkiais ir problemomis lengva tapatintis, nes jie nėra kažkur paribiuose, ne karikatūrizuoti ar išdidinti dėl efekto, o labai tikri.
Per puikius dialogus ir gerą, smulkmenišką veikėjų išvystymą autorė dėlioja ne itin optimistišką istoriją. Atrodo, kad atsiduriame šeimos ir jos atskirų narių žemiausiuose gyvenimo taškuose, bet net ir skaitant apie juos nesijaučiau slogiai, veikiau kėliau sau tam tikrus klausimus, apsvarsčiau savo pačios sprendimus ir pasirinkimus. O ir autorė nemurkdo skaitytojų tik liūdesyje ir suteikia vilties.
Vienas tų kūrinių, kuris ilgainiui tikriausiai įsilies į bendrą visumą, bet skaitant jį buvo įdomu, neprailgo, o ir jaučiausi susipažinusi su tikrai kokybišku literatūriniu balsu. Jei mėgstat istorijas apie disfunkcines šeimas, jums prie širdies britų humoras ir tendencija šaipytis patiems iš savęs, šis romanas bus kaip tik jums.
March 19, 2024
i like the concept but felt it lacking in execution and commitment. the family dynamics were interesting so i wished there were more scenes of them as a family. i also liked the characters and their individual struggles because it shows more of their personality, adding to the verisimilitude of the book. however, i found the writing inconsistent and a bit overdone in some scenes, which made me bored. there was no intrigue in the book nor was there a driving force, so it was quite dull at times to read it. i got through this by reading one chapter every night before going to bed because it made me sleepy.
April 24, 2023
A novel about relationships within a family and how things can change and how we cope with these even if some are failures. enjoyed this novel overall but felt it just missed a little something
March 8, 2023
strasznie męczące
January 17, 2023
This is the story of a family of four; the Maguires, in all their messy, honest and wonderful glory. Parents Linda and Gerry have been happily married for more than 30 years, so the news of their separation comes as an enormous shock to their daughter Nicole and son Jamie.
Nicole and Jamie have struggles of their own. Both in their thirties, they are trying to navigate through the dynamics of careers, life and love. Nicole is hard-working but also likes to party. She’s on a permanent quest to find the right man, remaining furiously unsuccessful while her friends settle down around her. In contrast Jamie has been seeing his girlfriend Lucy for years and their wedding is inevitable and imminent- but is it what he really wants?
Set over a year this is an intensely intimate glimpse into all of their lives. I laughed, I cried, I cringed, I gasped. This is such a real portrayal of family life, warts and all, that it took my breath away with its accuracy. I could have kept on reading about this family for a long, long time.
Compelling, immersive and often relatable, this is a book (and a family) you won’t forget in a hurry.
Nicole and Jamie have struggles of their own. Both in their thirties, they are trying to navigate through the dynamics of careers, life and love. Nicole is hard-working but also likes to party. She’s on a permanent quest to find the right man, remaining furiously unsuccessful while her friends settle down around her. In contrast Jamie has been seeing his girlfriend Lucy for years and their wedding is inevitable and imminent- but is it what he really wants?
Set over a year this is an intensely intimate glimpse into all of their lives. I laughed, I cried, I cringed, I gasped. This is such a real portrayal of family life, warts and all, that it took my breath away with its accuracy. I could have kept on reading about this family for a long, long time.
Compelling, immersive and often relatable, this is a book (and a family) you won’t forget in a hurry.
March 9, 2023
Dłużyła mi się ta lektura, momentami nudziła, a emocjami nie przekonała. Odbiłam się od niej, choć nie była powieścią złą. W autorce zobaczyłam potencjał (to jej debiut), a jednocześnie niekoniecznie potrafiłam odpowiednio podejść do jej tekstu. Bo choć doceniam wiele elementów powieści, to jako całość mi się nie podobała, często irytowała, a jednocześnie była na tyle okej, że nie mogę powiedzieć o niej nic złego.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cpj9Wg6NJ...
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cpj9Wg6NJ...
March 2, 2023
Moja recenzja: https://acecaroline.substack.com/p/dy...
https://youtu.be/scJk0GU3xDU
3,5
Jedyne określenie jakie przychodzi mi do głowy to że ta książka jest bardzo płaska, bohaterowie też, niby coś się dzieje ale jakby nic. Może oddaje to ten depresyjny klimat w jakim wszyscy są.
https://youtu.be/scJk0GU3xDU
3,5
Jedyne określenie jakie przychodzi mi do głowy to że ta książka jest bardzo płaska, bohaterowie też, niby coś się dzieje ale jakby nic. Może oddaje to ten depresyjny klimat w jakim wszyscy są.
April 4, 2022
Compelling story about the fallout of the Maguire family when the parents of 2 adult children, Nicole and Jamie announce their separation after 30 years. I really enjoyed this novel, with a good storyline that keeps a good pace throughout so I stayed easily engaged with it. Strong and steady character development and really connected with each member of the family. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the advance copy of this book.
December 10, 2023
I really enjoyed this book and it was exactly what I needed, an easy read / a good gripping distraction. The four characters are all so flawed and yet charming and I really enjoyed the structure of the book which takes place at meals over the course of a year following each member of the family in turn.
June 18, 2022
4.5
I really enjoyed this book about the break up a marriage, and the adult children’s reaction to it. While Nicole wasn’t a very nice character I thought the author was very skillful in gaining my sympathy for her and her mother alternatively: how irritating mothers can be, how selfish daughters.
I enjoyed the descriptions of all the food, and the importance given to shared meals. In fact, I’ve deducted half a star because while most of the book is based on moments happening around the table, not all of them are, which I thought was a pity. I had thought it was a clever device but the author wasn’t consistent enough with it.
I also dislike the kind of plot device the author used to wrap up the story in the end.
But other than that, I really enjoyed it.
I really enjoyed this book about the break up a marriage, and the adult children’s reaction to it. While Nicole wasn’t a very nice character I thought the author was very skillful in gaining my sympathy for her and her mother alternatively: how irritating mothers can be, how selfish daughters.
I enjoyed the descriptions of all the food, and the importance given to shared meals. In fact, I’ve deducted half a star because while most of the book is based on moments happening around the table, not all of them are, which I thought was a pity. I had thought it was a clever device but the author wasn’t consistent enough with it.
I also dislike the kind of plot device the author used to wrap up the story in the end.
But other than that, I really enjoyed it.
February 19, 2024
So disappointed in this book. The premise sounded great and relatable. The writing was very basic and the characters were incredibly dull. I feel like the author wanted the separation of the parents to be incredibly traumatic, but it fell completely flat.
On a side note, I wish reviewers would stop saying “if you liked X book, read this!” because Sorrow and Bliss this absolutely was not.
On a side note, I wish reviewers would stop saying “if you liked X book, read this!” because Sorrow and Bliss this absolutely was not.
September 22, 2023
Drivel. The premise had so much potential, but it was a huge disappointment. A few more notes on the novel in general:
- I felt secondhand embarrassment reading the scenes between one character and his love interest, the attempt at flirtation actually pained me.
- The characters and their motivations were so criminally underdeveloped, I still don’t know why anyone did anything or what I was supposed to feel when they did it. For a novel that has virtually no plot, the characters should have been the focal point of the narrative; instead they were one-dimensional, unsympathetic, and just plain boring.
- There was a half-hearted attempt to tie this saccharine story in a bow, but it ultimately fell so flat that I felt cheated.
I’m also convinced nobody edited this book for a few reasons:
- One character described his people pleasing tendencies and how his friends made fun of him for it. The clever nickname they came up for him? Mr Nice.
- A character explicitly tells one of the protagonists that he’s about to show her a video of his kid. As he pulls out his phone, the next sentence reads ‘She could tell immediately that it was a video of a child.’ Are we trying to hit word count here? Why on earth was this inane sentence necessary?
- Arriving at an appointment, a character checks his watch that reads 4.59. In the next paragraph, he refers to making this ‘6pm appointment’
- I felt secondhand embarrassment reading the scenes between one character and his love interest, the attempt at flirtation actually pained me.
- The characters and their motivations were so criminally underdeveloped, I still don’t know why anyone did anything or what I was supposed to feel when they did it. For a novel that has virtually no plot, the characters should have been the focal point of the narrative; instead they were one-dimensional, unsympathetic, and just plain boring.
- There was a half-hearted attempt to tie this saccharine story in a bow, but it ultimately fell so flat that I felt cheated.
I’m also convinced nobody edited this book for a few reasons:
- One character described his people pleasing tendencies and how his friends made fun of him for it. The clever nickname they came up for him? Mr Nice.
- A character explicitly tells one of the protagonists that he’s about to show her a video of his kid. As he pulls out his phone, the next sentence reads ‘She could tell immediately that it was a video of a child.’ Are we trying to hit word count here? Why on earth was this inane sentence necessary?
- Arriving at an appointment, a character checks his watch that reads 4.59. In the next paragraph, he refers to making this ‘6pm appointment’
August 17, 2022
I listened to this on Audible. I enjoyed it, but found Nicole unlikeable and Jamie wishy washy, so I wasn’t that concerned about what happened to them. Also the descriptions of the ingredients in the meals didn’t always add anything- just tedious padding. And I didn't think the Lucy/Jamie relationship- which had been going on for ten years - made sense given that he was so lukewarm about the relationship. Wouldn't she have picked up on that years ago and moved on?
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January 23, 2024I read At The Table last year; this is yet another catch-up review 😅
Over a family lunch, Linda and Gerry Maguire announce to their two adult kids Nicole and Jamie, that they’re separating after almost thirty years of marriage. This shocking news seems to unbalance the siblings’ lives dramatically.
Nicole starts to revisit in her mind an old relationship that ended badly, and begins to rely on alcohol more and more to get through the day. Jamie panics that he’s about to fall into a disastrous marriage of his own. Both are prone to a fair amount of self sabotaging behaviour.
We follow all four family members over the course of a year; returning together intermittently for family dinners and drinks, as their expectations of one another change with increasing understanding of each others perspectives.
I love a good family saga and this was no different. I think Powell has done a stellar job of portraying your average family dynamics; for the Maguires, it becomes obvious that so much has been left unsaid by all four of them, leading to misunderstandings and resentments building up.
There are funny moments in this book, but overall I’d say it’s such a well-realised character study of a “normal” suburban family that the overwhelming feeling reading it is how intensely intimate it is.
If you enjoy a family drama, I think you’ll appreciate At The Table. I’m looking forward to whatever Claire Powell writes next.
Over a family lunch, Linda and Gerry Maguire announce to their two adult kids Nicole and Jamie, that they’re separating after almost thirty years of marriage. This shocking news seems to unbalance the siblings’ lives dramatically.
Nicole starts to revisit in her mind an old relationship that ended badly, and begins to rely on alcohol more and more to get through the day. Jamie panics that he’s about to fall into a disastrous marriage of his own. Both are prone to a fair amount of self sabotaging behaviour.
We follow all four family members over the course of a year; returning together intermittently for family dinners and drinks, as their expectations of one another change with increasing understanding of each others perspectives.
I love a good family saga and this was no different. I think Powell has done a stellar job of portraying your average family dynamics; for the Maguires, it becomes obvious that so much has been left unsaid by all four of them, leading to misunderstandings and resentments building up.
There are funny moments in this book, but overall I’d say it’s such a well-realised character study of a “normal” suburban family that the overwhelming feeling reading it is how intensely intimate it is.
If you enjoy a family drama, I think you’ll appreciate At The Table. I’m looking forward to whatever Claire Powell writes next.
May 25, 2024
I really wanted to love this book, but for the most part I just kept waiting for something to happen, anything really. It felt quite mundane and a little boring and I found it ended very abruptly and in an odd place. Nothing felt concluded or finished. I felt it stopped right in the middle of the story, just as it was starting to get interesting. I found the reactions to their parents break up, as characters in their 30s, to be a little over the top, but that’s maybe because I grew up with a single mum and no involvement from my dad so I didn’t really deal with my parents breaking up (I was too young to remember it) so I found it difficult put myself in their shoes. I would have thought being in their 30s their reactions would have been more thoughtful and mature but maybe that’s the point. To show the messy, complex reactions to human life. I just wish there was more substance to the book.
July 11, 2025
En odottanut lukukokemukselta suuria, mutta tämä olikin sitten ihan mielenkiintoista perhedynamiikan kuvausta. Omassa tuttavaperheessäni on meneillään hyvin samankaltainen tilanne, jossa mielestäni varsin toimiva monikymmenvuotinen parisuhde on päättymässä eroon, ja olen miettinyt tilannetta paljon, myös perheen aikuisten lasten kannalta.
Pinnallisella tasolla tässä kirjassa syötiin - ja varsinkin juotiin - hyvin erilaisten pöytien ympärillä, mutta kohtauksissa kuvattiin hyvin sitä, kuinka paljonkin aikaa yhdessä viettävät ihmiset puhuvat toistensa ohi ja asioista, jotka eivät oikeastaan ole itselle tai kenellekään muulle olennaisia. Kirjan perheenjäsenet kipuilivat omien elämäntilanteittensa kanssa, mutta jäivät ajatuksineen yksin. Jossain kuvattiin kirjaa hauskaksi, mutta tästä ihmisten kohtaamattomuudesta johtuen itselleni jäi kirjasta enemmänkin surumielinen olo.
Pinnallisella tasolla tässä kirjassa syötiin - ja varsinkin juotiin - hyvin erilaisten pöytien ympärillä, mutta kohtauksissa kuvattiin hyvin sitä, kuinka paljonkin aikaa yhdessä viettävät ihmiset puhuvat toistensa ohi ja asioista, jotka eivät oikeastaan ole itselle tai kenellekään muulle olennaisia. Kirjan perheenjäsenet kipuilivat omien elämäntilanteittensa kanssa, mutta jäivät ajatuksineen yksin. Jossain kuvattiin kirjaa hauskaksi, mutta tästä ihmisten kohtaamattomuudesta johtuen itselleni jäi kirjasta enemmänkin surumielinen olo.
December 4, 2023
Tää oli tosi koskettava kirja, Sally Rooneyn tyyliin sellainen, että tässä ei oikeastaan tapahdu yhtään mitään, mutta hahmojen elämässä tapahtuu paljon! Tässä käsitellään aikuisten lasten suhdetta vanhempiin rehellisesti, minkä lisäksi hahmojen elämässä läsnäolevat mt-ongelmat on taustalla läsnä. Tässä ei oo ”onnellista” loppua, mutta sen takia tää tuntuukin jotenkin oikealta.
March 16, 2024
Olipa onni, että törmäsin tähän kirjaan Helmetin lukuhaasteen merkeissä! Aluksi en ollut ihan varma, mitä tästä ajatella, mutta juonen edetessä vähän jopa rakastuin tähän kirjaan. Rakkain Lontoo myös miljöönä auttaa aina! Teos kuvaa erään perheen kipuilua omien ja keskinäisten ongelmiensa parissa sen jälkeen, kun vanhemmat ilmoittavat aikuisille lapsilleen eroavansa.
July 5, 2024
So tangibly real and human. When you grieve a character's actions as if you know them, you know the writing is amazing.
August 14, 2023
Very engaging and very immersive book. Interesting and unlikeable characters (in some aspects) who are well fleshed out and easy to connect to. I liked reading all the interactions between Jamie and Nicole and the way that they functioned as siblings. I thought it was a really well written book about a family in adulthood. It was funny in parts, made me cry as well. A good read!
March 3, 2025
4+ stars for this debut novel. Painfully realistic on family life and relationships, with razor sharp dialogue and believably flawed characters.
July 21, 2024
eyes watered continuously - a little bit because i’m hungover but mainly bc this book was so lovely
July 3, 2023
The book started off well. It seemed to have lost the plot half way through and ended suddenly. Thankfully it was a 99p read.
April 19, 2022
⭐️ 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.
March 3, 2024
Wow, easiest 5 stars ever. A beautifully written, sharp and vivid portrayal of family life over the course of a tumultuous year. Each character is so well written and the intricacies of the relationships between them are endlessly fascinating. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and I felt real affection for each of them, despite their flaws; especially Linda who made me think so much of my own Mum! I enjoyed that the story was told over a series of lunches, dinners, and drinks ‘at the table’ and thought that this was executed very well and never limited Powell. At times it made me laugh, at times it made me cry, but most of all it made me want to call my parents. I can’t wait to read whatever comes next from Claire Powell.
August 29, 2023
Loved this so much that I read it in two days (technically less, if you go by hours). Tender, comforting and funny, albeit a tad miserable all the way through. That said, what's more relatable than family issues and mid-life crises? Definitely recommend.
May 5, 2022
This is about the impact on a family when Linda and Gerry decide to separate after more than 30 years of marriage. Their children Nicole and James, despite being in their 30s, are derailed by the split. James is about to get married but is wondering if his relationship is already petering out. Nicole is single, works long hours and drinks too much. The book follows them over the next year. It works because the characters are interesting and it's frequently funny. If you liked books like Seven Days of Us or Sorrow and Bliss you will probably enjoy this too.
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