The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom | Summary & AnalysisPreview:The Kitchen House, Kathleen Grissom's debut novel, is a coming-of-age story about Lavinia, an Irish immigrant who grows up at Tall Oaks, a tobacco plantation in antebellum Virginia.When Lavinia's parents, who owe passage to Captain James Pyke, die en route to America, Lavinia is taken in by the captain and his family. She is put to work as an indentured servant and sent to live in the kitchen house with Belle, the captain's illegitimate daughter. Lavinia suffers from amnesia and remembers nothing of her journey. The year is 1791, and she is only seven years old.Belle, who is 18 when Lavinia arrives, is the daughter of a slave woman with whom the captain had been involved. When Belle's mother dies after she's born, the captain's mother cares for her and raises her in the big house...PLEASE NOTE: This is summary and analysis of the book and NOT the original book.Inside this Instaread Summary of The Kitchen House:Summary of the BookImportant PeopleCharacter AnalysisAnalysis of the Themes and Author's StyleAbout the AuthorWith Instaread, you can get the key takeaways, summary and analysis of a book in 15 minutes. We read every chapter, identify the key takeaways and analyze them for your convenience.
Average Rating
Informations
About the author
Instaread Summaries
Author
Summary of The Kitchen House
by Instaread Summaries
Books Like Summary of The Kitchen House
If you're looking for books similar to Summary of The Kitchen House, here are some recommendations based on themes, tone, and narrative style.
Beloved
Toni Morrison
A groundbreaking novel about the psychological impact of slavery. Follows a mother's struggle with the trauma of enslaved life. Explores themes of memory, identity, and survival. Offers a profound examination of slavery's lasting impact, similar to The Kitchen House.
Homegoing
Yaa Gyasi
An epic novel tracing the descendants of two half-sisters from Ghana to America. Explores the generational impact of slavery and colonization. Offers a powerful narrative of family, identity, and historical trauma. Provides a similar depth of historical exploration as The Kitchen House.
The Invention of Wings
Sue Monk Kidd
A historical novel exploring slavery and female empowerment in the antebellum South. Follows the relationship between Sarah Grimké, a white abolitionist, and Handful, an enslaved woman. Examines themes of oppression, resilience, and personal freedom similar to The Kitchen House. Highlights the complex social dynamics of 19th-century plantation life.
Someone Knows My Name
Lawrence Hill
Follows Aminata Diallo, an African woman kidnapped and sold into slavery. Traces her journey from Africa to America and her struggle for freedom. Provides a powerful narrative of survival and resilience. Shares similar themes of identity and oppression found in The Kitchen House.
Kindred
Octavia Butler
A powerful time-travel narrative about a modern Black woman transported back to a Maryland plantation. Explores the brutal realities of slavery through a contemporary lens. Offers a visceral examination of racial identity and historical trauma. Shares thematic similarities with The Kitchen House in its unflinching portrayal of plantation life.
The Nickel Boys
Colson Whitehead
A powerful novel based on a true story of abuse in a reform school for boys. Explores themes of systemic racism and personal resilience. Provides a stark examination of historical injustice. Shares similar themes of survival and oppression with The Kitchen House.
Jubilee
Margaret Walker
A historical novel following the life of Vyry, a biracial enslaved woman, from slavery through Reconstruction. Provides a comprehensive look at the African American experience during the 19th century. Explores themes of survival, identity, and resilience. Offers a similar historical depth to The Kitchen House.
The Secrets of Mary Bowser
Lois Leveen
Based on a true story of an enslaved woman who becomes a Union spy during the Civil War. Depicts the complex relationships between enslaved and free people in the antebellum South. Explores themes of resilience, identity, and resistance. Offers a nuanced perspective on race and survival similar to The Kitchen House.
The House Girl
Tara Conklin
A dual narrative connecting a modern lawyer's research with the story of an enslaved woman in the antebellum South. Explores themes of identity, art, and historical injustice. Provides a nuanced look at slavery's impact across generations. Shares narrative complexity with The Kitchen House.
The Widow of the South
Robert Hicks
A historical novel set during the Civil War, exploring the complex relationships between slaves and plantation owners. Focuses on a woman's perspective during a tumultuous historical period. Examines themes of personal transformation and historical trauma. Offers a similar narrative style to The Kitchen House.
No account connected — sign in to comment.