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The Kitchen House: A Novel
The Kitchen House: A Novel
The Kitchen House: A Novel
Audiobook12 hours

The Kitchen House: A Novel

Written by Kathleen Grissom

Narrated by Orlagh Cassidy and Bahni Turpin

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

4.5/5

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About this audiobook

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.

Editor's Note

An emotional journey…

Grissom does a masterful job portraying the boundaries between slaves and those they served as seen through the eyes of a vulnerable child. An emotional journey spanning two decades of love, loss, injustice, and perseverance.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateSep 26, 2017
ISBN9781508251583
Author

Kathleen Grissom

Born and raised in Saskatchewan, Kathleen Grissom is now happily rooted in south-side Virginia. She is the New York Times bestselling author of The Kitchen House, Glory Over Everything, and Crow Mary. Find out more at KathleenGrissom.com.

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Reviews for The Kitchen House

Rating: 4.688468158347677 out of 5 stars
4.5/5

581 ratings49 reviews

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Engaging from start to finish. An accurate and ugly story that portrays our darkest time in US history but, instead of leaving the reader empty and drained, leaves a sense of hope to the goodness and kindness of people of every color.

    2 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I could hardly stop listening once I started! The story is at once haunting, devastating, and beautiful. Of all the historical fiction I have read and/or listened to, this sits among the top few!

    2 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Very engaging. It starts off as a typical story of slavery, but it traces the life of an indentured white girl and her relationships with the black slaves. Not typical.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Great book. Gets you from the first page. Well drawn character and events. Loved it!

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Exceptional narration. The first portion of the book was by far my favorite and the most detailed and heartfelt. The intimacy of the family life and life in the kitchen house had me riveted. As Lavinia matured the shorty wandered a bit and lost some of its power and less and less time was spent from Belle’s perspective. The story lost a lot of its focus and became a bit overly dramatic and cliche in many ways, but it’s still worth a listen. The ending itself felt rushed and as though the author wasn’t quite sure how to conclude things. I believe there’s a follow up novel.. which makes the last few sentences of this book seem a bit odd.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Excellent book!! I'm going to immediately start book two. Loved it.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Everything makes this story great! The story itself keeps the reader captivated. The two narrators are phenomenal and really help the reader visualize the characters and scenes. Truly an amazing story of love and tragedy.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    One of the best books I have read in a long time
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Great book with rich characters. I want a sequel, as there is so much left to tell!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book absolutely drew me in and captivated me. So well written!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Beautifully written. The cruelty was real. The strength and love of a family (regardless of bloodline), binds.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A story that needed to be told!
    Remarkable Awakening details
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I was captivated by this story, and found myself thinking about the characters even when not listening to the audiobook. Well written and well read. 5 stars indeed!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book literally brought out every emotion I have as a human being. Both beautiful and painfully raw, it will definitely go down as one of my most favorites.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This story grabbed me from the first sentence. Touched my heart and soul
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Although I abhor the thought of slavery and all that goes with it, this is a well written book that gives insight into the daily lives of its characters. A must read ( or listen to) for anyone who is fascinated with historical fiction.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The time period was depicted so wonderfully. Very well written
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I couldn't put this book down. I was so emotional all the way through it, and the ending left me crying.
    Very heart rending to think people had to endure that... how horrible.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This was a great book but very sad to read
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Couldn't put it down! Incredible story. I would highly recommend it.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Review of history forgotten! Could find yourself living this! ??
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is a wonderful exploration of a dark and sinister soul of the experience of slavery . It be hooves us to explore our history if we are to continue on with knowledge and insight.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    So good
    Historical riveting emotional great characters
    Loved every minute of it
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    An amazing story. Unbelievable how evil slave owners controlled n took away any goodness or hope from slaves. These slaves took care of each other. They created a village n proved it takes one to raise a child.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Not a book I would have typically picked but I was looking for something a little different when this was suggested. The characters were very “real” to me, the author did an amazing job.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Wonderful, wonderful, book. So heavy, so emotional, so much pain between races & at the end of the day we are all the same.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Everything from the story to the narration/performance are absolutely stupendous. Not an easy story to digest but beautifully written and researched and one of the best performance/readings I've come across on any audio book. HIGHLY recommend if you are open to the subject matter.

    p.s. be sure to listen all the way thru to the author's note chapter for further insight into the creation of the story. A compelling piece to better understand the author's perspective. Thankful she chose to include it.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    chilling. I had to listen to the end and couldn't stop, but it was difficult.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The narrators brought this gutwrenching novel to life. The story is the heart and soul of so many long ago.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    Three children die just within the first one hundred and twenty pages......I just could not continue reading this book