The Kitchen Front

Hardcover, 416 pages

Published Feb. 23, 2021 by Ballantine Books.

ISBN:: 978-0-593-15880-7

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(2 reviews)

3 editions

Eli reviewed The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan

None

4 stars

An easygoing sort of fictional read on Britain in war times with rationing, black market, war prisoners, raids, death in war, sibling rivalry, creative cookery solutions with limited ingredients, and the unifying of four women who seemingly would not have got on without circumstances forcing them to. Definitely an interesting insight into the type of adjustments necessary to feed the families and moreover that whale meat and horse were just another food being given out when traditional meats in the UK were not available in sufficient quantities for everyone.

BethOwl 📚✍🏻🦉🇺🇦🌈 reviewed The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan

Review of 'The Kitchen Front' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Another treat from Jennifer Ryan. She is my new favorite. I really loved this, because I have always wanted a recipe for whale lard (LOL - just kidding. Yes, there's a whale lard recipe. No, I don't want it!).

Actually, I enjoyed this because, as was the case in The Chilbury Ladies Choir (fabulous!), her writing is beautiful, evocative, so poignant, and moves like a dream. In The Kitchen Front, Ms. Ryan has created well-nuanced characters, and I most especially appreciate her meticulous research into this understated but critically important part of life in Britain during WWII.

This is NOT a romance novel (in fact, hardly any romance at all). Instead, it's historical fiction in honor of strong women and the power and complexities of friendship.

If you are sick of dark and twisted suffering in fiction, get a breath of fresh, clean air -- devoid of saccharine, but …

Another treat from Jennifer Ryan. She is my new favorite. I really loved this, because I have always wanted a recipe for whale lard (LOL - just kidding. Yes, there's a whale lard recipe. No, I don't want it!).

Actually, I enjoyed this because, as was the case in The Chilbury Ladies Choir (fabulous!), her writing is beautiful, evocative, so poignant, and moves like a dream. In The Kitchen Front, Ms. Ryan has created well-nuanced characters, and I most especially appreciate her meticulous research into this understated but critically important part of life in Britain during WWII.

This is NOT a romance novel (in fact, hardly any romance at all). Instead, it's historical fiction in honor of strong women and the power and complexities of friendship.

If you are sick of dark and twisted suffering in fiction, get a breath of fresh, clean air -- devoid of saccharine, but a perfect hint of sweetness just the same.