Glory Over Everything: Beyond The Kitchen House
Author:
Genres: Literature & Fiction, Romance
Book Type: Hardcover
Author:
Genres: Literature & Fiction, Romance
Book Type: Hardcover
Kathleen Grissom's sophomore novel, a spin off of her debut, THE KITCHEN HOUSE, opens with silversmith Jamie Pyke in 1830s Philadelphia.
Now "passing" and living as a white man named James Burton, the first half of GLORY OVER EVERYTHING is dedicated to Jamie's travails following his near-deadly fleeing of the South at just thirteen years old.
We also meet and follow a host of new characters, including Jamie's love interest, Caroline--a woman who fills his adult life with complication; the Burtons--a loving couple who gives Jamie much more than just a new name; and Henry and Pan--a father/son duo that puts Jamie's deepest loyalties to the test.
The story also features the sad life and times of Sukey, a slave sold from Jamie's intricate past in the previous novel, who happens to be in the right place at the right time to enable a dramatic and tricky reunion in this one.
While the idea of following Jamie as he "passes" is a marvelous one, some readers may find the intrigue somewhat diluted by an ill-timed flashback. Once the narrative stops and flashes back to thirteen-year-old Jamie and his elevation in Philadelphia society, the reader already has so much information about his future that tension and conflict are essentially neutralized. As a result, the first half of the story may feel somewhat tedious and poorly paced where it could've been engaging and suspenseful if the reader knew far less about how things turn out for Jamie by 1830. The plot also relies quite heavily on coincidence to heighten its tension, which delicately undermines the plausibility of things to come.
Despite these observations, fans of THE KITCHEN HOUSE should definitely experience GLORY OVER EVERYTHING--for its wonderfully researched historical ambiance, the notable insight to the grossly inhuman slave trade, the ravages of plantation life, the courage of the Underground Railroad and for the sheer endurance of the human spirit!
Now "passing" and living as a white man named James Burton, the first half of GLORY OVER EVERYTHING is dedicated to Jamie's travails following his near-deadly fleeing of the South at just thirteen years old.
We also meet and follow a host of new characters, including Jamie's love interest, Caroline--a woman who fills his adult life with complication; the Burtons--a loving couple who gives Jamie much more than just a new name; and Henry and Pan--a father/son duo that puts Jamie's deepest loyalties to the test.
The story also features the sad life and times of Sukey, a slave sold from Jamie's intricate past in the previous novel, who happens to be in the right place at the right time to enable a dramatic and tricky reunion in this one.
While the idea of following Jamie as he "passes" is a marvelous one, some readers may find the intrigue somewhat diluted by an ill-timed flashback. Once the narrative stops and flashes back to thirteen-year-old Jamie and his elevation in Philadelphia society, the reader already has so much information about his future that tension and conflict are essentially neutralized. As a result, the first half of the story may feel somewhat tedious and poorly paced where it could've been engaging and suspenseful if the reader knew far less about how things turn out for Jamie by 1830. The plot also relies quite heavily on coincidence to heighten its tension, which delicately undermines the plausibility of things to come.
Despite these observations, fans of THE KITCHEN HOUSE should definitely experience GLORY OVER EVERYTHING--for its wonderfully researched historical ambiance, the notable insight to the grossly inhuman slave trade, the ravages of plantation life, the courage of the Underground Railroad and for the sheer endurance of the human spirit!
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