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Atria Books

The Kitchen House: A Novel

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Description

Kathleen Grissom, New York Times bestselling author of the highly anticipated Glory Over Everything, established herself as a remarkable new talent with The Kitchen House, now a contemporary classic. In this gripping novel, a dark secret threatens to expose the best and worst in everyone tied to the estate at a thriving plantation in Virginia in the decades before the Civil War. Orphaned during her passage from Ireland, young, white Lavinia arrives on the steps of the kitchen house and is placed, as an indentured servant, under the care of Belle, the master’s illegitimate slave daughter. Lavinia learns to cook, clean, and serve food, while guided by the quiet strength and love of her new family. In time, Lavinia is accepted into the world of the big house, caring for the master’s opium-addicted wife and befriending his dangerous yet protective son. She attempts to straddle the worlds of the kitchen and big house, but her skin color will forever set her apart from Belle and the other slaves. Through the unique eyes of Lavinia and Belle, Grissom’s debut novel unfolds in a heartbreaking and ultimately hopeful story of class, race, dignity, deep-buried secrets, and familial bonds. Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Atria Books; First Edition (February 2, 2010)


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Paperback ‏ : ‎ 368 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1439153663


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 66


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15 ounces


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 0.9 x 8 inches


Best Sellers Rank: #6,295 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #193 in Family Saga Fiction #244 in Coming of Age Fiction (Books) #731 in Literary Fiction (Books)


#193 in Family Saga Fiction:


#244 in Coming of Age Fiction (Books):


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Top Amazon Reviews

    • Adored this story...
I really, really enjoyed this book. It was published back in 2010 but somehow I missed the boat until now! I adore stories of the antebellum south. There is such richness (yet contrast) in the race cultures, the pomp and circumstance of society and the desolation that could (and did) occur on the plantations. This book captures ALL of that. From what I know of this era, the story is very accurate and realistic. Additionally, Grissom does not shy away from the unseemly aspects of the period: the abysmal treatment of slaves, the commonality of both consensual and non-consensual relations between slave and master and the overuse of “laudanum” (just to name a few). The story takes place in the early 1800’s, before the Civil War and alternates narration between Belle (a slave who is also the secret illegitimate daughter of the plantation's owner) and Lavinia (a young girl who is orphaned during her passage to America from Ireland, who becomes an indentured servant on the plantation). Grissom’s writing is phenomenal and very well researched. She never strays from periodic specific dialect and diction, on both the parts of the slaves and the high society folk. I found it highly transportive and entertaining! Another impressive aspect is the character development. There are at least 10+ “primary” characters and they’re all highly evolved with individual arcs. There isn’t a dull one in the bunch! In Sum: I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys the antebellum south and/or a page turner that will captivate you to the end and likely stay with you long after the last page. NOTE: I gave this 4.5 stars (instead of 5) because I wanted a TINY bit more from the ending. It’s a great ending but leaves a few unanswered questions. Good news...there is a sequel I’ve heard great things about called “Glory Over Everything.” Description: Orphaned during her passage from Ireland, young, white Lavinia arrives on the steps of the kitchen house and is placed, as an indentured servant, under the care of Belle, the master’s illegitimate slave daughter. Lavinia learns to cook, clean, and serve food, while guided by the quiet strength and love of her new family. In time, Lavinia is accepted into the world of the big house, caring for the master’s opium-addicted wife and befriending his dangerous yet protective son. She attempts to straddle the worlds of the kitchen and big house, but her skin color will forever set her apart from Belle and the other slaves. Through the unique eyes of Lavinia and Belle, Grissom’s debut novel unfolds in a heartbreaking and ultimately hopeful story of class, race, dignity, deep-buried secrets, and familial bonds. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2021 by Carpool Book Club
    • A remarkable story and achievement
What in the world could a Canadian white author know about pre-Civil War plantation life? Quite a lot, actually, as Kathleen Grissom makes clear in her excellent, gripping novel, “The Kitchen House “. Set in Virginia between the years of 1791 and 1810, the story centers on Lavinia, an orphaned Irish servant, and Belle, the mixed-race slave who takes young Lavinia under her wing in the kitchen house. There, amidst a rich cast of characters, the Irish girl makes her home and finds a new family in the slaves who love her. As a white servant, Lavinia is treated differently from the others by the plantation owners up at the Big House. She is allowed to be tutored alongside the master’s children, and when she comes of age she is sent to Philadelphia to live with the family of her mistress’s sister. There, she learns the graceful art of becoming a lady. However, she remains homesick for the people she calls family, the slaves of the Tall Oaks plantation. After the plantation owner dies, his son Marshall takes over. By this time Lavinia has returned to Tall Oaks as Marshall’s new wife. She watches with horror as her cruel, alcoholic husband threatens to destroy the lives of those she loves, including her beloved Belle as well as Mama Mae, the woman Lavinia calls “Mama”. As a reader, I knew that I was in the hands of a deft storyteller by the seamless way the author wove in the details of early nineteenth century plantation life without interfering with the true story, that of Lavinia and her slave family. I found myself caring for almost all of the characters, even feeling sorry at times for hardened, drunken Marshall. Each time I picked up the book, I became absorbed to the point where I had difficulty setting it down to do other things. The author excels in character, plot, and pacing. Her writing style is clear and heartfelt, and it is obvious to me that she has done a great deal of research into the time period and the realities of slave living. As I mentioned before, the author Kathleen Grissom is a white Canadian, which makes her achievement all the more remarkable. However, if you believe as I do, that the task of caring writers is to bridge the great divide between those who differ from one another, then Kathleen Grissom has done her job. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2022 by MLS

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