The Kitchen HouseThe Kitchen House
Score Modern
What it's about
Orphaned on her passage from Ireland, young white Lavinia arrives at a Virginia plantation as an indentured servant and is placed in the kitchen house under the care of Belle, the master's enslaved daughter. Lavinia comes to see the enslaved workers as her family, until she's drawn into the world of the big house.
Why it's worth reading
It spent 76 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It's a gripping, emotional historical novel.
You'll love it if you liked
The Invention of Wings
The Help
The Secret Life of BeesGood to know
It depicts violence and abuse. It alternates between Lavinia's and Belle's voices.
By the numbers
- Readers28 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller48 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #255 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #1199 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #2215 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
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Quick answers
Is The Kitchen House worth reading?
Yes. It spent 76 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It ranks #2,215 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 61.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Kitchen House about?
Orphaned on her passage from Ireland, young white Lavinia arrives at a Virginia plantation as an indentured servant and is placed in the kitchen house under the care of Belle, the master's enslaved daughter. Lavinia comes to see the enslaved workers as her family, until she's drawn into the world of the big house.
How long does it take to read The Kitchen House?
About 9 hours (368 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Kitchen House?
If you liked it, try The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd, The Help by Kathryn Stockett or The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.