frannystein's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
essjay's review
3.0
This was probably my least favourite of the series. It felt like so much wheel-spinning, with not a whole lot happening or being resolved. Still love Rickey and G-Man, tho
mavenbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Decent and quick read. The writing style is ok, though the plot seemed to pick up speed suddenly towards the end.
writerlibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent. Fun, interesting, not mushy. We connect back with Rickey and G-Man and their lives running a successful restaurant, Liquor, while trying to have a life, enjoy it and be good to each other and others. The plot is mostly about Rickey helping out an old work friend to get back on his feet and getting the short end of the stick for doing something good. It's as good as the first two in the series with us getting to know the characters better (I especially liked how Lenny has grown since the last book or something looking like having matured a bit) I like the food stuff, the recipes, the behind the scenes kitchen drama.
meganlandrychampagne's review
4.0
"...the wealthy elite of New Orleans were like great dark sea creatures circling below the water's surface, things not to be messed with or even much thought of."
I think this book was my favorite out of the series. I guess it's because I felt most invested in the lives of the main characters. This time, Chef Rickey is asked to be a part of a casino restaurant, and he's rubbing elbows with some of the city's sleazier residents. Clancy Fairbairn, the (sort of) secret king of the Cronus Mardi Gras krewe, and Dr. Lamotte, the physician who prescribes Vicodin like candy, add a dash of corruption (ha!)to the lives of Rickey and G-man.
The partners get tangled up with the post-prison life of Milford Goodman, an infamous chef who has been released for the murder of a restaurant owner thanks to DNA evidence.
Brite delivers, once again, a story packed with the eccentricities of New Orleans and the South Louisiana area. I truly enjoyed reading about one of the minor characters, Alain, who comes from the South Lafourche region. There were lots of references to the Cajun culture I grew up with and still treasure.
The subplot of one of the cooks' stint at a local "haute cuisine" establishment promises lots of laughs. Chef Jaap and his culinary experiments take dining to a level of absurdity that I can't even imagine as a Cajun girl who likes to EAT.
Unfortunately, I have read that Brite has decided to scrap the other three novels she was planning to write in this series, and that means my journey with Rickey and G-man is over. (Sad face.)
I think this book was my favorite out of the series. I guess it's because I felt most invested in the lives of the main characters. This time, Chef Rickey is asked to be a part of a casino restaurant, and he's rubbing elbows with some of the city's sleazier residents. Clancy Fairbairn, the (sort of) secret king of the Cronus Mardi Gras krewe, and Dr. Lamotte, the physician who prescribes Vicodin like candy, add a dash of corruption (ha!)to the lives of Rickey and G-man.
The partners get tangled up with the post-prison life of Milford Goodman, an infamous chef who has been released for the murder of a restaurant owner thanks to DNA evidence.
Brite delivers, once again, a story packed with the eccentricities of New Orleans and the South Louisiana area. I truly enjoyed reading about one of the minor characters, Alain, who comes from the South Lafourche region. There were lots of references to the Cajun culture I grew up with and still treasure.
The subplot of one of the cooks' stint at a local "haute cuisine" establishment promises lots of laughs. Chef Jaap and his culinary experiments take dining to a level of absurdity that I can't even imagine as a Cajun girl who likes to EAT.
Unfortunately, I have read that Brite has decided to scrap the other three novels she was planning to write in this series, and that means my journey with Rickey and G-man is over. (Sad face.)
jrhartauthor's review
4.0
I feel like a lot of a person's enjoyment of this book comes from what they like about the Rickey and G-man series. If you're reading it for the crime, the kitchen talk, the food? You'll enjoy this one. If you're reading it for Rickey and G-man's relationship, you may not love it. Here's why:
*spoilers*
I'm going to preface this by saying it was arguably my least favorite book of the Rickey and G-man series. The book was still great, but to me it marked a clear turning point for Brite, one that showed they were ready to be done with the series.
There were definite strengths in Soul Kitchen, don't get me wrong. Realistic depictions of addiction and important talks on race relations shined through an otherwise less thrilling story. Rickey's descent into Vicodin dependency was painful, but hit close to home, and it was incredibly well-done (pun intended). It was also, as always, wonderful to see the unending, unconditional love that Rickey and G-man have for each other, regardless of the struggles they face. It's part of why I love them so much.
That said, if you primarily read this series for Rickey and G-man's banter, you'll find it missing through most of the story. On the one hand, that's because this goes to show how isolating addiction and dependency can be, but on the other, their missing banter was hard to go without. I found myself missing it, and as a result, this book took me a lot longer to finish reading than anything else in the series.
Good book, but missing the charm of what makes the series so great to read.
*spoilers*
I'm going to preface this by saying it was arguably my least favorite book of the Rickey and G-man series. The book was still great, but to me it marked a clear turning point for Brite, one that showed they were ready to be done with the series.
There were definite strengths in Soul Kitchen, don't get me wrong. Realistic depictions of addiction and important talks on race relations shined through an otherwise less thrilling story. Rickey's descent into Vicodin dependency was painful, but hit close to home, and it was incredibly well-done (pun intended). It was also, as always, wonderful to see the unending, unconditional love that Rickey and G-man have for each other, regardless of the struggles they face. It's part of why I love them so much.
That said, if you primarily read this series for Rickey and G-man's banter, you'll find it missing through most of the story. On the one hand, that's because this goes to show how isolating addiction and dependency can be, but on the other, their missing banter was hard to go without. I found myself missing it, and as a result, this book took me a lot longer to finish reading than anything else in the series.
Good book, but missing the charm of what makes the series so great to read.
More...