With a large cast, the story spanned so many years, I had a little trouble keeping track of the convoluted relationships between the slaves and their owners. Told between alternating points of view helped anchor the story and bring it depth. Lies, misunderstandings and cruelty abounded. The parts of the story that held the most weight for me were the fierce loyalties and the longing for family between the characters who all experience loss.
Jordan demonstrates that the good-old days after World War II were not good for blacks in the South, poor struggling farmers and for women. Her characters came alive off the page and stirred strong emotions of sympathy for Laura and loathing toward the small-minded men who fought against the inevitable changes in society with violence and cruelty. I especially enjoyed that the chapters were told from various points of view, which gives the reader deeper insight into the actions and motivations of the characters. A moving story, I recommend it.
The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom