Book review Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom

[Apruitt]

I absolutely loved this book. I have read so many books about slavery,but this one gave a whole new perspective. Love, drama, history....what more could you ask for? It was also an added bonus that much of the plot took place in the southern part of VA, which is home for me.

[KAYKAYKAY60]

Wow! This book hit me in so many different ways. I've read many books about the antebellum South including Gone With the Wind which was very grandiose. Thank you to my book club buddy Candi who showed me this book.

The Kitchen House shows the lives of Lavinia, an Irish immigrant, who at age 7, comes to live with Belle and other slaves owned by the sea captain. Lavinia comes to love the slaves and sees them as her family. She eventually marries Marshall, the son of the sea captain, and becomes mistress of the mansion. But her love for Belle and the other slaves never wavers. Where there was no color, now only color rules her world. Such a heart wrenching conflict!

I loved and grieved with the characters as I read the book. It's a definite 5 out of 5 stars.

[erine_sturdevant]

I love love loved this book! Grissom did so well creating complex relationships between all of the characters involved with the story and I was able to easily make connections with them as well. Even considering how awful and despicable Marshall was as a human being I couldn't hate him, I only felt sorry for him. This book is definitely not one that will be forgotten by me and has made an incredible impact.

[javaflipflops]

I agree that this is an amazing book. It's an excellent selection for a book club. The characters are complex and well written.