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A review by frank_atlas
The Townsend Family Recipe for Disaster by Shauna Robinson
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
What a fantastic read!
“The Townsend Family Recipe for Disaster” follows Mae Townsend who has spent most of her life with the white side of her family. With dreaming of connecting with her estranged Black family in the South, when he grandmother dies she makes the trip to North Carolina to pay respects and try and connect with a family she has never really known.
The characters in this book are so rich and full of personality and as you read you really begin to learn and love the members of the Townsend family as Mae learns to. With a larger ensemble cast of character it never feels too bloated with people and captures, the chaos, the laughter, the love, that can come with big family gatherings.
With Mae struggling to become a part of the family that she was never given the opportunity to know while planning a wedding, and dealing with familial drama. This story touches on the idea of what it means to be family and how to deal with the faults of our family members both past and present, mixed race relationships, racist micro aggressions, the struggle to set boundaries, and how to speak up for yourself. Whether you come from a family that has always gotten along, from one that was more dysfunctional, have been in a mixed race relationship, or family secrets being revealed, there are aspects of “The Townsend Family Recipe for Disaster” that someone will connect with.
Food is such a main driving point in this story, discussing the role that food plays in family and the history that comes with it. The way food is used as a plot device is such a unique(and delicious!) aspect that had me hungry to not only read more but to eat some mouth watering food too!
This book has such great pacing with chapters that never seem to over stay and a story that gives us such rich and intimate depiction of family without the feeling of bloated descriptions and history. By the end of the book you will truly feel that you’re a part of the family and will be dying to attend that famous Townsend family barbecue!!
“The Townsend Family Recipe for Disaster” follows Mae Townsend who has spent most of her life with the white side of her family. With dreaming of connecting with her estranged Black family in the South, when he grandmother dies she makes the trip to North Carolina to pay respects and try and connect with a family she has never really known.
The characters in this book are so rich and full of personality and as you read you really begin to learn and love the members of the Townsend family as Mae learns to. With a larger ensemble cast of character it never feels too bloated with people and captures, the chaos, the laughter, the love, that can come with big family gatherings.
With Mae struggling to become a part of the family that she was never given the opportunity to know while planning a wedding, and dealing with familial drama. This story touches on the idea of what it means to be family and how to deal with the faults of our family members both past and present, mixed race relationships, racist micro aggressions, the struggle to set boundaries, and how to speak up for yourself. Whether you come from a family that has always gotten along, from one that was more dysfunctional, have been in a mixed race relationship, or family secrets being revealed, there are aspects of “The Townsend Family Recipe for Disaster” that someone will connect with.
Food is such a main driving point in this story, discussing the role that food plays in family and the history that comes with it. The way food is used as a plot device is such a unique(and delicious!) aspect that had me hungry to not only read more but to eat some mouth watering food too!
This book has such great pacing with chapters that never seem to over stay and a story that gives us such rich and intimate depiction of family without the feeling of bloated descriptions and history. By the end of the book you will truly feel that you’re a part of the family and will be dying to attend that famous Townsend family barbecue!!