The Kitchen House, Kathleen Grissom
The Kitchen House, Kathleen Grissom
48 Rating(s)
List: $26.99 | Sale: $18.89
Club: $13.49

The Kitchen House

Author: Kathleen Grissom

Narrator: Orlagh Cassidy, Bahni Turpin

Unabridged: 12 hr 57 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/26/2017


Synopsis

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.

About 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.


Reviews

Goodreads review by ♥ Marlene♥ on March 30, 2016

I had sorted this book as literature on my shelf well it is definitely not literature but more cheap sensational stuff based on stereotypes. While reading this book this is what I wrote: "I am not liking this book. It feels like the books I read when I was a teen and had nothing good to read. It is to......more

Goodreads review by Norma ~ The Sisters on December 03, 2024

Absolutely wonderful narration!  This was definitely a winner for me because of its awesome narrators who made this such an entertaining and enjoyable read!  I must say this is the first audiobook that I have thoroughly enjoyed and was captivated from start to finish. THE KITCHEN HOUSE by KATHLEEN GR......more

Goodreads review by Gloria ~ on September 05, 2019

An amazing first novel! I rarely hand out 5 stars for a debut novel but this one certainly deserves it. Author Kathleen Grissom's debut novel about slavery in the South in the late 1700's, early 1800's is one of the best out this year. This thought-provoking look at life on a tobacco plantation in t......more

Goodreads review by Jaline on July 17, 2017

From the Author’s notes: The only time the work came to a standstill was when the characters took me to an event or a place where I had not yet done my research. I tried on a number of occasions to change some of the events (those that I found profoundly disturbing), but the story would stop when I......more

Goodreads review by Nicole on September 28, 2021

this book was okay, it was interesting but also too depressing or at least trying to be. I liked the overall story but it didn't mean anything to me. I honestly just expected people to die at any given moment at one point. One would think I'd get lots of feelings from that... I didn't. It's like wat......more