Soul Kitchen: A Novel
by Poppy Z. Brite
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Book Summary Information
Author: Poppy Z. BriteEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2006-07-25
ISBN: 0307237656
Number of pages: 288
Publisher: Three Rivers Press
Book Reviews of Soul Kitchen: A Novel
Book Review: "Soul Kitchen" delivers the goods
Summary: 4 Stars
Reading "Soul Kitchen," the third book in Poppy Z. Brite's series about chefs John Rickey and Gary "G-Man" Stubbs, is a little like having old friends over for a potluck. You know that having them over is going to be a treat, but you're not sure what they're going to bring. This time, the dish is a hefty serving of New Orleans racial and social politics dished up with a garnish of conjugal discord.
The initial scene, an argument that segues into a murder, lays the groundwork for the novel's chosen crime: the murder of a white restaurant owner by her black head chef, a man named Milford Goodman. From there it jumps ahead, with Rickey and G-man still running their restaurant, Liquor, after 3 years of success. A series of events, among them Rickey suffering a back injury that aggravates his already fierce temper, leads to one of Liquor's chefs quitting and Milford--an old friend of Rickey's, and newly released from jail--being hired to take his place. And Milford does more than take his place; he's a culinary genius who can recreate any dish he's tasted once.
Naturally, talent like Milford's doesn't go unnoticed. Rickey's doctor, a man named Lamotte who gives Rickey a seemingly endless supply of Vicodin, convinces him to join a business venture: a restaurant on a gambling riverboat called Soul Kitchen, which will offer "home cooking" from a variety of cuisines. While Rickey manages to do Milford yet another favor and have him hired as the chef, there's just one problem: Clancy Fairbairn, the new restaurant's bankroller with a dark reputation, is the man who Milford believes murdered his former employer. And Fairbairn has every reason to make sure Milford keeps quiet.
Suffice to say there's more to the story than the suspense. Brite gets in a solid dig at the homophobic atmosphere in New Orleans in a conflict between Milford and his sister; nor does she neglect the racism that pervades the city's class structure, which is taken as a matter of bitter fact by the staff of Liquor. And there's the food, not just that prepared by Liquor and Soul Kitchen, but also by Polonius, an upscale eatery run by a Dutch chef whose creations get more ludicrous and less appetizing with every mentioned course. (The fish sandwich gelee is a concept that one wishes had no basis in reality.) And lastly, Rickey's back injury and subsequent Vicodin addiction leave G-man vulnerable to the advances of a new staff member at Liquor. It may sound like a mess rather than a plot; however, like most stews, "Soul Kitchen"'s story is a lot more appetizing when it's consumed.
The ending of "Soul Kitchen" is bittersweet, as Rickey ends up swallowing his last Vicodin and quite a bit of his pride. But it's true to the characters, and wraps up with a fond look at Rickey and G-man. I would love to see another novel in this series; while the description of the food drives me to try to recreate it, my enjoyment of the characters is what keeps me coming back to these books.
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