I love historical fiction—you learn about different eras, cultures and places, while you enjoy a good story. This is so true for The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom. Reading this book, brings to life the relationships between slave families—big house workers and field workers, between plantation owners and their wives and children, as well as how whites and slaves related to each other. The story is narrated by both Lavinia, an Irish 7 year-old orphan girl, and by Belle, daughter of the plantation owner and a slave. In 1790, Lavinia becomes an indentured servant, and she is placed to work in the kitchen house with Belle.
So many things occur as the story unfolds, that it is hard to put the book down. Mama Mae seems to hold everyone together, always reminding the characters of their place and providing her wisdom throughout the story.
Our book club met at The Blu Fig Restaurant in Stony Point and it proved to be a great setting for our discussion. The food was very good and we were given a semi-private space for our meeting.
If you haven’t read the story, mostly everyone in our club liked it, and recommends it.
It’s Kathleen Grissom’s first novel, but you can tell she researched it well and brought the characters to life. I was sorry to see the story end. 'Looking forward to a sequel.
Happy reading!! --Lourdes
