A young Irish orphan is taken in as an indentured servant and raised by enslaved people on a plantation. Doesn’t sound too awful, hope this author is able to write a decent story and not perpetuate any negative stereotypes or be too tone deaf- nope! I’m no historian, and I’m white, but I’m pretty sure this book is the whitest retelling of American slavery I’ve ever read. The amount of stereotypes and needless violence against black women in this story is ridiculous. Incest, rape, Stockholm syndrome, uncomfortable racist stereotypes, the list goes on. I’m aware these things all happened and need to be discussed, I just believe this novel did so very poorly and without respect. It’s not horribly written, but the optics of this book are very tone deaf. It’s been a while since I read it, so if anyone has anything positive to say lmk
The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom
A young Irish orphan is taken in as an indentured servant and raised by enslaved people on a plantation. Doesn’t sound too awful, hope this author is able to write a decent story and not perpetuate any negative stereotypes or be too tone deaf- nope! I’m no historian, and I’m white, but I’m pretty sure this book is the whitest retelling of American slavery I’ve ever read. The amount of stereotypes and needless violence against black women in this story is ridiculous. Incest, rape, Stockholm syndrome, uncomfortable racist stereotypes, the list goes on. I’m aware these things all happened and need to be discussed, I just believe this novel did so very poorly and without respect. It’s not horribly written, but the optics of this book are very tone deaf. It’s been a while since I read it, so if anyone has anything positive to say lmk