The Giver of Stars - JoJo Moyes

From the author of Me Before You, set in Depression-era America, a breathtaking story of five extraordinary women and their remarkable journey through the mountains of Kentucky and beyond.
Alice Wright marries handsome American Bennett Van Cleve hoping to escape her stifling life in England. But small-town Kentucky quickly proves equally claustrophobic, especially living alongside her overbearing father-in-law. So when a call goes out for a team of women to deliver books as part of Eleanor Roosevelt’s new traveling library, Alice signs on enthusiastically.
The leader, and soon Alice’s greatest ally, is Margery, a smart-talking, self-sufficient woman who’s never asked a man’s permission for anything. They will be joined by three other singular women who become known as the Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky.
What happens to them–and to the men they love–becomes an unforgettable drama of loyalty, justice, humanity and passion. These heroic women refuse to be cowed by men or by convention. And though they face all kinds of dangers in a landscape that is at times breathtakingly beautiful, at others brutal, they’re committed to their job: bringing books to people who have never had any, arming them with facts that will change their lives.
Based on a true story rooted in America’s past, The Giver of Stars is unparalleled in its scope and epic in its storytelling. Funny, heartbreaking, enthralling, it is destined to become a modern classic–a richly rewarding novel of women’s friendship, of true love, and of what happens when we reach beyond our grasp for the great beyond. 

Remember that massive list of ARCS from Netgalley I mentioned earlier? This was another one of those.

Unlike the rest of the world it seems, I don't have all that much experience with Jojo Moyes, in fact this is only the third book of hers that I've read. Honestly, though I think this might be one of her best and I've now come to the conclusion that I much prefer her historical fiction to her contemporary fiction.

Plus, I mean, this is set in an era of history that I don't know an awful lot about which made it super interesting, it takes place in the southern states of the USA - which seem to be the best places for stories and to top it off, it's a historical fiction about books, I was sold!

Basically, this follows a group of women who are running one of the packhorse libraries that Eleanor Roosevelt set up during her husband's tenure as president. I didn't know that these were a thing, but it's made me want to find out more about them and of course Mrs Roosevelt, she sounds like a fascinating lady! While they are running the library, we also get to find out more about a series of different women and how they see the world around them. A world, which sadly, is very much run by the men of the town. Each of the women the story follows are so well rounded and beautifully fleshed out and it was fascinating to see their different points of view. Alice being from England saw this tiny Kentucky town very differently to Beth and Izzy who had lived there their whole lives and Sophia, being a black woman had another point of view entirely. Out of all the ladies in the book, I was especially drawn to Margery, a woman after my own heart and way before her time. She was so self assured and fiercely independent and I loved her sections, particularly when we got to see her open up and start to count the women she worked with as her friends.

This has really made me want to read more Jojo Moyes, so be sure to leave me a recommendation down below! Because it has been on my Netgalley shelf for so long, this is out in the world now for everyone to enjoy, so if you like historical fictions, books about female friendships and of course, books about books, make sure to pick this one up.

Moyes always tugs at the heartstrings. I’m so glad that I got to read this before it went stellar. Everyone I know is talking about it. Definitely recommended.

I loved this book. A group of Horseback librarians delivering books and helping their community. Great to have strong female characters.

This is book that I could not put down and went through every emotion possible.

I was slightly nervous going into this one as the last JoJo Moyes book I read nearly destroyed me and made me run out of tissues. When I started this it took me a while to get into. Not because the book wasn't good, because it was, but because I had gone into this blind I hadn't realised it was a historical romance and this is a genre I tend to struggle with. That being said this one was very well written and the fact that it was based on a true story made this more special.

Set in the US Depression era the characters were strong and fierce and this was definitely written with passion as the descriptions on this historical era were very clear and rich. It touched on some very vital issues that surrounded women and the people at that time, racism, sexism, exploitation and the classes.

Such an easy book to read. Based on an actual historical entity, this story about the packhouse librarians is full of great storytelling, diverse, realistic female characters and a dramatic unforgiving setting, that underlines what they achieved. A true pioneering story it draws you in and holds onto you. Not an easy book to put down.

I received a copy of this book from Penguin UK - Michael Joseph in return for an honest review.

I am yet to read a JoJo Moyes book that hasn’t blown me away, and this one is no different.
I don’t usually get on with historical novels, but my love for the author encourages me to try something out of my comfort zone. This beautifully written and dramatic story kept me reading long into the night and I also felt like I gained a bit of history too.

4 stars

Another sweet and enchanting book. I find Jojo Moyes's writing so readable and love that you get to know these characters so intimately.

Enchanting, spell binding novel which had been written beautifully. I found this completely immersive and a joy to read. Highly recommended. Laughter and tears abound in this multi stranded tale of a group of ladies with a shared purpose. Fantastic.

This was a fantastic read. This is a historical fiction book set during the Depression in Kentucky. We follow a group of women who are trying to spread the love of reading and books to everyone and make sure that even the poorest people have access to books.

I loved all of the characters and felt that they were really well developed and I liked that they all had their own stories. The women are all different and have experienced their own struggles but they are united by their love for books and their mission.

I loved Jojo Moye's writing in this one from the descriptions of the landscapes to the well-developed characters. I can tell that the author had done the research for this book as it felt very authentic. This story had a lot of elements to it and they all came together really well and made for an enjoyable read.

This is by far my favourite book from Jojo Moyes and I hope that she will write more historical fiction in the future.

Another excellent book by Jojo Moyes.
As a book lover this really brings home the things book lovers will do to share that love with others. Add in the strength of friendship. An unmissable read

I was absolutely enthralled by this book. Set in the depression in Kentucky it follows 5 women who trek around the area to deliver a library service to those in remote areas. The women are brought together by the library service and are a very diverse group of girls! It is based on a true story and I really felt as though I was part of the group, choosing books and trying to overcome the difficulties in getting the households to accept books and magazines.
I was so sorry to come to the end of this one. JoJo Moyes books are all so brilliant, yet so very different from each other. You know that you are guaranteed a great read.

You can always rely on Jojo Moyes for a proper page turner. I have to admit that I wasn't convinced at the start, though, that this would be the same. Historical fiction feels like a bit of a departure from her last few books, but as it played out, the story of the packhouse library told through a bunch of great female characters really gripped me. Lovely romantic plot without being too schmaltzy. The sort of book you need to curl up on the sofa or under teh duvet with and finish in one go.

I loved Me before You and couldn't wait to jump into this book.

However I found it very difficult to stay interested in the story & characters and found I was just skimming the pages.

Sadly not for me

Absolutely loved this. Not a genre I normally go for (Period drama) but as a fan of the author, I couldn’t pass it up. Strong female leads, weak male counterparts...just what the doctor ordered. Really couldn’t put this one down. Grabbed every spare minute to finish it, willing the characters on and feeling their suffering and the injustice and inequality of the time.

The Giver of Stars, could not be described as JoJo Moyes usual writing material but it certainly does not disappoint. I would go as far as to say I would love to see it as a movie.
So many lovable and unforgettable characters.

Thoroughly enjoyed the story, following the women who run the pack horse library. Did expect due to its Kentucky setting American spelling of words rather than the English way.

I enjoy fiction based on fact and Jojo Moyes brings this time in American history and the packhorse library to life.

All of the characters add a mix of colours to the harshness of the setting. Margery, Alice, Isabelle, Beth and Sophia are the volunteers for the packhorse library. None of them fit neatly into pigeon holes in the community at Baileyville. The experiences they have drew me in emotionally to experience life (and the prejudices) alongside them. How I love a story that can provoke such a diversity of feelings! The growing bond between them is tested and their unity is represented by an intense scene that raised the hairs on the back of my neck.

The harshness of the setting is replicated at first by the reactions they receive from the majority of recipients of the books (and those in the community who think it’s a waste of money to educate others). But as the bond grows amongst themselves it also grows between themselves and the members of the far-flung community. Beautiful friendships develop that support and enrich lives. On the one hand you have the prejudice and the shadows but on the other, there is hope and love. Each of the women learn about themselves and what they are capable of as they grow and develop. I’ve no doubt you will be inspired by their strengths as much as I was.

The Giver of Stars is one of my top reads this year. Highly recommended!

This is a change of style and subject for Moyes but this is a refreshing move. She has clearly done a massive amount of research and the story feels authentic even if some of the language seems out of context. The sense of place was very strong and the evocation of a very specific period in American history was well executed. I hope to read more in this style from the author.

Whilst this book is quite different to Jojo Moyes other novels it was still just as well written and enjoyable. The plot is exciting and characters well developed and I found it a quick read for a historical novel which I sometimes struggle with. The Horseback Librarian details were fascinating. A great story and I hope it will be made into a film in the future.

After so many friends raving about this book, and loving Jojo Moyes other historical fiction I was very excited to read this. It didn't grip me at first and I found myself sidetracked by other books all too easily but once I got halfway through I found it gripping.
A sign of a good historical fiction book for me is that I want to read more factual books about the topic and that's certainly true with this one.