At times heartwarming, others heartrending, this tender work from Washington is delectable. Lust, hunger, grief, and a longing for belonging squeeze up against the forces that seek to tear us apart, but, what Family Meal serves is a generous familial communion made up of the people we love and those who, despite our flaws, love us back. A restorative novel to be shared, undoubtedly set to bring its readers together.
Family Meal by Bryan Washington, (List Price: $28, Riverhead Books, 9780593421093, October 2023)
Reviewed by Luis Correa, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia