Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom

21 reviews

lady_elle's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

gelslitreviews's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Sexual assault, and Slavery

Moderate: Sexual harassment

gimmebacon's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, and Violence

Moderate: Drug abuse

nevertheless_she_reads's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

I recently joined a local mom's book club, and last month the book was 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 by Kathleen Grissom. I had never heard of this book, and was unsure if I would enjoy it. But surprisingly, I ended up loving it! ⁣
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 is about Lavinia, a white 7-year-old girl who is orphaned while onboard a ship from Ireland. When she arrives on a tobacco plantation in Virginia, she is ordered to live and work alongside the slaves in the kitchen house. She grows close to the slaves as she grows up, and they become family to her. In many ways, she is treated like them. But time and time again, she is reminded of her privilege due to her white skin.⁣
This book was fascinating. It was told from such a unique perspective, and in many ways, Lavinia was more mature and progressive than the time she was alive. She came to recognize her privilege and found her voice, which many women weren't allowed to share during that time.⁣
⁣
⭐⭐⭐⭐⁣
⁣
⚠️TW/CW: slavery, bondage, rape, lynching, murder, physical abuse⁣
⁣

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Slavery, and Murder

thunderbird's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, and Slavery

Moderate: Rape

olivia_stoney's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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? N/A

4.0

I had to read this book for school, so I’m a little biased to not like it; however, I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. Great story, a little slow at times.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Rape, Slavery, and Cultural appropriation

eesti23's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

4.5

"This world is not the only home. This world is for practice to get things right."

"What the color is, who the daddy be, who the mama is don’t mean nothin’. We a family, carin’ for each other. Family make us strong in times of trouble. We all stick together, help each other out. That the real meanin’ of family. When you grow up, you take that family feelin’ with you.”

"You look at today, chil’. You say, ‘Thank you, Lawd, for everythin’ you gives me today.’ Then you worries about the next day when the next day come.”

I wasn't expecting to like The Kitchen House very much, but once I got all the characters figured out, I struggled to put it down at times. It is a reminder of how cruel we are to other humans and how kind we can be to them. The story was fast paced with plenty of highs and lows, twists and turns. I was heartbroken with the ending

(the death of Mama Mae)

and while I know there is a sequel, I wish it was about Lavinia.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Rape, and Slavery

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Minor: Toxic relationship and Murder

audreykeyes's review

emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Racism, Rape, and Slavery

Moderate: Child death and Death

booksanna's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

It was so intriguing and tense that I couldn’t stop reading. I wouldn’t say I liked it, but I needed to finish it because I needed to know the ending. But throughout the book all I was thinking who’s going to die next?

Half of the plot is just babies- having babies, making babies, birthing babies, dying babies, nursing babies, healing babies.

Also racial slurs and literally all male characters are trash people, except Will.  

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, and Slavery

Moderate: Alcoholism, Rape, Torture, Violence, and Alcohol

Minor: Toxic relationship and Murder

afitz21's review

challenging dark informative inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Slavery, and Violence