Review: "A Place at the Table" by Susan Rebecca White

This was a unique, thought provoking novel about three people who are seemingly unrelated but their lives are incredibly intertwined. It commences in North Carolina in 1929 in the small town of Emancipation where two young children witness a lynching. It moves to 1970, Decatur, Georgia, where preacher’s young son is just beginning to realize that he is different from the other boys and the pain and rejection he experiences when his parents become aware. Last the story travels to 1989, Old Greenwich Connecticut where a 40 something empty nester’s marriage is on the brink of collapse.

The author does a brilliant job of telling this story and weaving all the storylines seamlessly together. The characters are real and their emotions of pain and abandonment are palatable. The plot is intriguing and keeps you wanting to turn pages to find out how these people’s lives all come together. You will be guessing until the end.

Some of the subjects discussed are controversial and a few sections of the story were difficult to read. In my opinion, this is not a book for juvenile readers. I did enjoy it though, and do recommend it. I will definitely add this author to my list of favorites because of the detailed stories she creates.