Wednesday, April 17, 2013

The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom

This book was, perhaps, my favorite of all my Facebook recommendations, most likely because it is historical fiction, which is my favorite genre.  It isn't a mystery and it isn't a quick read, but it's a great choice for anyone who really enjoys to read.

The Kitchen House is about a young Irish girl who is raised by African Americans who live in the "Kitchen House" of a rich white family.  Similar to The Help, this book focuses on the lives of these African American women as they become so much more than cooks or maids to the white women.  The narrators change throughout, which helps to give a more honest perspective.  At times, the young Irish girl is very naive to the reality around her, so the change in narrators helps the reader to understand what is truly happening.  However, the book follows the young girl into adulthood, as she leaves and then returns to the Kitchen House and the only family she's ever known.

This book explores the racial injustices of that time period with the innocence of a child's eyes and the brutal honesty of the African American women.  It is sad, encouraging, interesting... overall, a beautiful book.

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