“Knowledge is important, don’t you think? We all say at the library, without facts we really do have nothing.”

When one of your all-time favourite authors announces a new novel, it really did give me a reason to read the blurb even though historical fiction is not my first choice of genre. Primarily, I’m a mood reader and choose to read what I really fancy at the time. However, once I read the synopsis, I was hooked!

This story is set in 1930’s post-depression era rural Kentucky and centres around the story of five young women. As history tells us, Eleanor Rooverselt was a huge reader and believed reading gave people a chance at a better life, so she sets up a scheme to introduce literacy to every corner of the US. She creates The Pack Horse Library which is what these five incredible women help set up. The First Lady was a forward-thinking woman of her time and history shows what huge strides she achieved for the rights of women in America.

“I sometimes think you love these mountains as much as I do. I think I might like them better than anywhere on earth. I just feel … more myself up here.”

It’s clear to see Ms Moyes has done her homework and weaves an unbelievable tale of fiction interwoven with historical fact. As you can imagine, five women setting up such a scheme brings its ups and downs. What I really loved about the story is that Moyes doesn’t focus this book on one particular character which for me enhanced the reading experience even more. The challenges these women face are one of bravery and wonder and at times I did feel the emotion building to a point where I just couldn’t stop reading. It must be said that these women were all from very different backgrounds which brought a fantastic dynamic to the story. It would’ve been very easy to pit these women against each other on their journey. Instead, they fought together towards an objective very important and personal to all of them. The love and support they showed each other and the risks they took were nothing short of awe-inspiring. In times where women were told what they could and most importantly couldn’t do, they bravely did and played by their own rules.

“We women face many unexpected challenges when we choose outside what are considered our habitual boundaries”

The writing was simply brilliant which I have come to expect from Ms Moyes. I could wax lyrical about this book for a long time. The character development was fantastic considering five women were all fully involved in the story arc. Not at any time was I left wanting. All extremely lovable women who not once gave me reason to shout out loud at my Kindle! This story has to be one of the best reads that focused on the friendships of women in a time of such hardship. It’s been some time since I finished this compelling read only now life has not given me a chance to write my feelings down however, the story is still very fresh in my mind. This book would be amazing translated onto the big screen. The scenery conjured up a rural Kentucky in my mind so vibrant and breathtaking, it would be simply incredible!

I love that this book is based on a real horseback library - just the thought of this being an actual thing that really existed is amazing.

Unfortunately for me I wasn't quite as inspired by the fictional story weaved around it, I really wanted to love it - I am big fan of Jojo Moyes - and the writing had a lovely flow, the characters were nicely thought out and had depth. I just didn't feel drawn in by the actual story, and whilst I absolutely loved the conclusion and thought it felt right, parts of Margery's story towards the last third of the book felt too extreme to fit the pace.

I am really glad to have read it and I may read again - I still think it worthy of 4 stars, and maybe its my own expectations that are at fault.

The character of Sophia is the winner for me.

I wanted to read this book on the basis of the author, rather than the subject matter. When I started the book and realised it was a historical novel, my heart sank as this is a genre I have little interest in.

The story is set in the 1930's and based loosely around the real life story of the female Horseback librarians, who were set up to increase literacy in the remote mountainous locations of Kentucky. This is a celebration of sisterhood, at a time when women were seen as second-class citizens.

Well before I had finished the first chapter, I was totally drawn into that world and I was gripped. I was invested in the individual characters and their stories. The ups and downs and difficulties they faced through the job and in their home lives were compelling and I could not put the book down until I had finished it.

That is surely the sigh of a successful writer, where they can convert you to a story that would not normally interest you. I loved it and would definitely recommend it.

Book 📖

The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes

Jojo Moyes is such a big time author, I was surprised and super buzzed to be given this ARC of her new book. I love her work and couldn’t wait to start this one. Thank you so much to Penguin UK and Jojo Moyes for the opportunity to review in return for an honest review.

Description 🔖

Based on a true story set in Kentucky within the Depression era, this book tells the story of a group of women brought together by the controversial travelling library endorsed by Eleanor Roosevelt. All of the women come from different walks of life, but quickly bond over their passion for their work and the unexpected depth of the friendships that are made. Not everyone in their small town and the surrounding mountains wants the initiative to work which forces the ladies to fight together to uphold their beliefs, hold on to their relationships and do what they believe to be right.

General Thoughts 🤔

Some books hit me like a lorry right from the very beginning. Some books steadily get my attention and peak my interest at a steady pace. This book falls into the second category and I think it made me appreciated it more. I found the story to be heart warming, eye opening, sad and happy all at the same time. I enjoyed it so much I didn’t want it to end, even as the story was nicely wrapped up and concluded at the end.

Characters 👫👭👬

The characters are what make this book so good. I loved each of the ladies in their own right and for their own qualities. I genuinely believe that with just one of those ladies removed from the book, it would be a totally different story. Then there are the “baddies”. Those characters that mess everything up and you love to hate; yes Van Cleave I’m talking about you! Jojo has achieved such special character development in this book, letting us as readers know a little more about each character at just the right time.

Writing Style ✍🏽

I love Jojo Moyes and I have read so much of her work. I found this book to be quite different from other books she has written but just as brilliant. As I said above, the story unfolds at just the right steady pace. There aren’t any POW moments or shocking twists, but this isn’t the story for that. She has created such special characters through her writing, I can only thank her for awesome work.

Conclusion & Scoring 🎖

I loved this book. It made me smile, laugh, feel sad and hold my breath at moments of tension. This is such a marvellous story, told through fantastic characters via astounding writing. With Christmas right around the corner, I’ll be gifting this to my nearest and dearest to share it’s fabulousness!!

I've read all of JoJo's books and have loved them. I was a bit weary on how different this one was going to be as it is based on real events rather than fiction. I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly I was drawn into the book and how quickly I fell in love with the librarians. This is a story about a real struggle in the mountains. A woman who is unhappy in her marriage and finds something worthwhile to do. The characters are strong and likeable and you want to find out more about them. I fell in love with the strong characters and their personal struggles. I shed a lot of tears whilst resding. A moving and gripping read, something a bit different from JoJo's normal writing. She has portrayed the period in history beautifully and created some really strong, likeable characters.

I thoroughly enjoyed this sweeping story about Alice and Margery, the men they married and loved, and their experience as packhorse librarians. Backed up by a cast of other librarians and local characters, the blurb of this book says it's the story of five women, but it's definitely not. It's the story of two. That's not a criticism, by any means, and the female friendships which develop between the packhorse librarians is beautifully drawn. It's just that there are more than five women involved in the library, and those five mentioned in the blurb are no more or less developed than several other characters.

Alice and Margery carry the story, driving the plot, and carrying the reader along with them. And to suggest that the book is equally about Beth, Sophia, and Izzy does an injustice to the structure of the book. That's not to say that their stories aren't compelling - they are, and all three characters are hugely interesting, developed, and add depth to a story which otherwise is very white and able-bodied. But I don't see that Izzy's story is any more compelling or developed than, say, Kathleen Bligh's. Again, this isn't a criticism of the book. I actually love how developed the stories of the secondary characters are, and think Kathleen's story is beautifully done.

Overall, though, I really enjoyed this book. Alice is a compelling main character, and Margery is tough, take no nonsense, and also vulnerable, and sweet, and fragile in unexpected ways. Alice's relationship with her husband Bennett, who swept her off her feet and whisked her away to Kentucky, is soured by the looming presence of his father, Mr Van Cleve, whose rigid ideals and disapproving countenance overhang the book as a whole.

Alice and Margery join and run the WPA Packhorse library, bringing them freedom and interaction as they deliver books, magazines, and pamphlets around the mountains and residences of rural Kentucky. The growing love Alice has for her surroundings is contrasted sharply against the cold, withdrawn nature of her marriage, and Alice's character developing as she becomes the fully realised woman she evolves into at the end of the book. To see her grow was a thoroughly enjoyable journey - mostly on horseback - and one that I would happily recommend.

I did have a few disappointments or quibbles with the book - Sven, Margery's partner, felt underdeveloped at times, occasionally nothing more than a generic male presence to bounce off Margery. And Alice's acceptance of Margery's unconventional lifestyle seemed too hurried to really countenance. There was some - but not a lot - exploration of racial tensions in the mines and the towns, but it was brushed off without much thought, which was somewhat disappointing. Alice's actions in the final pages, once she reads the booklet, were surprising, and honestly, I thought her religious beliefs weren't wonderfully portrayed, or developed, especially as her behaviour throughout the book does gradually throw off the confines of religion. These were relatively minor, though.

Overall, this is a thoroughly enjoyable book, a tour de force of female friendship and women forging new paths for themselves in a time when to do so was not easy. Two vibrant main characters sparkle on the page and their interactions and intertwined lives are a joy to read. The historical background of the novel feels natural and unforced, and highlights an initiative that I was previously entirely unaware of. I gobbled this book up, enjoying every delectable page, and will be recommending it around with joyful abandon.

I loved this book. I have only read one Jojo Moyes before (I know - how has that happened?) and, after reading this book I will definitely be looking to read more of her work. I cant believe that this book is based on a true story!

This is something of a diversion for Jojo Moyes and not the kind of book I'd usually lean towards, i.e. historical fiction, but having read all of this author's previous work and knowing her to be an extremely accomplished author I decided to give it a go. Not only was I pleasantly surprised - I was absolutely bewitched by this amazing story. Based on fact, it tells the tale of the Pack horse Librarians in Kentucky in the 1930's. These were a group of young women who rode horses and mules into remote mountain areas delivering books to the poor and fostering a love of reading and learning among the inhabitants of those poor areas. I was instantly drawn to the lovely, warm characters in the book, Ladies who, despite having many problems of their own, (one had a physical disability, another was recently bereaved, another was treated harshly and beaten by her father in law, another reviled simply because of her family history) nevertheless continued their work as they faced untold hardships. There were some really unpleasant male characters in the book - one I hated with a vengeance and hoped to see him get his come uppance. It's hard to believe that so much racial prejudice and suppression of women happened within the last 100 years. Happily, there were also some lovely gentlemen and the romantic elements relating to them were beautifully written. Some parts of the book were so compelling and fast moving that I found myself reading at breakneck speed in order to find out what was coming next! Other parts were tear inducing and thought provoking. Jojo Moyes writes such exquisite prose and she must have done an enormous amount of research to produce this wonderful story. I loved and lived every single page. My thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

This book is set in Kentucky in The Great Depression and is based on the true story of the Pack Horse Librarians who delivered books and magazines to rural communities. The women librarians believed that education was a way out of poverty and they began a mission to reach the poor and the lost. They endured fierce opposition and encountered the harshest of conditions but all of this strengthened their resolve and in turn cemented their friendship. This is a wonderful book about love, friendship, loyalty and the power of books. Being a book of historical fiction this is a departure from Jo Jo Moyes usual genre of writing but it doesn’t disappoint. I received a free copy of this book. A favourable review was not required and all opinions expressed here are my own

What a fantastic story! It has everything I love- a historic setting based on fact, a library and a group of brave and determined women striking out against adversity for the benefit of others. This novel is based on the initiative of Mrs Roosevelt to bring books to the more isolated areas of America, during the great depression years of the 1930s. Her idea was that women should use horses to access some of these remote areas, and thus the W PAs Horseback Librarian Programme was created. And what a brilliant setting for a novel! Our protagonists are an interesting bunch, Margery the rebellious and determined leader of the group, Alice, newly married and newly arrived from England, Izzy, coping with the effects of the polio she suffered as a child and Beth, cheerful, determined and just a little bit wild.The issues they face were all accurate for this period and hard to believe now. The writing really invites the reader into their world and I found that I was completely invested in their story, really rooting for them and the future of their library. The level of racism and sexist behaviour they experience soon creates problems and the women’s determination to overcome these, and other more personal issues, and keep the library going leads to a gripping and enthralling story. I really loved the author’s descriptions of the benefits and gratitude of those who received the books too. This book has sent me off determined to find out more about the real life Horseback Librarians. A highly, highly recommended read! One of the very best I’ve read this year!

A fantastic book which I would have devoured much faster had I not been in the throes of the beginning of the school year tiredness!
Jojo Moyes has created a story about a group of women who are all very different, yet grow to have an extremely close bond, brought together by the WPA Packhouse libraries. Set in depression-era America, we learn the strength of five women who are not afraid to fight for their rights and go against the menfolk holding them back.
It was an emotional read, especially the last half, as I became more invested in the characters, their own personal stories, and what would happen to them.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 rounded up. full review up on the blog.
Remarkable story of five incredible and diverse women – based on a true story. The horseback library of 1930s Kentucky is a powerful story of bravery, friendship and love. Set in the great depression era, this book touches all the important subjects of the time; issues of racism, class, women’s rights. It was a totally remarkable, magical even, story which I was fully immersed into and still plays on my mind. It’s emotional in parts, so have your tissues ready – truly an amazing read.

I started off a little unsure about this book. I felt it took a while to really get going but once it did, I was utterly entranced. Well written, believable characters who you really come to care about. Strong, independent women who find unlikely friendships through the packhorse library. I laughed, I cried and I didn’t want it to end! Just a truly feel good, heart warming, beautifully told story. Do read it!

I am a big fan of Jojo Moyes and Me Before You is one of my favourite books so I was obviously going to be very excited when I realised that she had a new book out. The Giver of Stars is historical fiction at it’s best and based upon a true story, it will leave you wanting to know more about the women who inspired this fantastic story.
Alice Wright has left her rather stuffy and unwelcoming home in England to follow her heart and marry Bennett Van Cleve of Kentucky. She finds herself a stranger in a very foreign land with a husband ruled by his father and a rather unwelcoming society. Faced with endless days alone and a husband who seems terrified to come anywhere near her, Alice jumps at the chance to get involved with a new initiative. The Horseback Librarian Program was set up by Eleanor Roosevelt in the 1930’s and the aim was to get literature out within the rural communities. The idea was to share information, encourage children to learn to read and provide education to those who may not receive it in any other form. Margery O’Hare, the daughter of a renowned Moonshiner is leading the way and she recruits Alice with several other women, Izzy, Beth, Sophia and Kathleen.
For Alice it brings a whole new lease of life, she is out all day on a horse, travelling across wild terrain and encountering all different walks of life. Once she has proved herself she begins to make friends with this small tight-knit group of women and she finally has something that makes Kentucky feel like it could be a home. However, Bennett’s father is against the library from the very start and he has reasons to dislike Margery O’Hare, he sets out to bring them all down, his daughter-in-law included. Events spiral out of control and soon they are all in real danger with the town against them, can they turn it around and continue doing their good work or will prejudice and bigotry finish them off?
I have no idea why but I always avoid books set in the South but I’m so glad I read this one as it was fantastic. I loved the setting, the female characters, the truth behind the story and the many themes that Moyes included.
Each of the women involved in the library have their own story and they are all quite distant at the beginning and a little wary of each other. It was lovely to see these women come together and learn from each other until they become the best of friends and prepared to do all they can to look out for each other. Alice and Margery were my favourite characters, they are both incredibly brave in their own ways and have so much to give, it was very frustrating to see the town turning against them when they are doing so much good.
There is a romantic element to the book which was so well done, both Margery and Alice have love interests but both are hesitant to give themselves to these men for different reasons. The male characters in this book are a real mix, you have some very old-fashioned attitudes as you would expect at this time but two characters in particular show it was a time of great change and hope for women with attitudes changing.
Obviously this book is about books too and the power they yield, a subject matter I am always happy to read about. At a time when many people did not have any access to education and the only book in the house would be the Bible, the Horseback Library Program was revolutionary. To bring literature and educational materials to rural communities saw attitudes and opinions begin to change. These people are living in real poverty and surviving day to day, it was so lovely to see how these books gave real comfort and a little escapism in what was a very difficult life.
I cannot recommend The Giver of Starts enough, I was totally taken with these women and their story from the beginning. Jojo Moyes is just so good at creating characters that you fall in love with and then spinning a fascinating story around them. I urge you to read this book, you won’t be disappointed.

Blimey! I was tearful by the end of the author's note at the beginning! I loved the literary references and passages quoted throughout - so much so that I ended up down a Lloyd C Douglas rabbithole which culminated in me reading an eBook version of "The Robe", then scouring eBay and purchasing a hard copy from 1947! In "The Giver Of Stars", Jojo Moyes has given us something magical. The book is beautifully written and meticulously researched. As a library campaigner and community activist, the story hit me right in the feels. Everything about it is wonderful! The characters are so lifelike that I feel I know them personally. This is a novel to cherish, read again and again and gift to everyone you know. I've already ordered a hardback version for my friend's birthday. This book is very special indeed. There are insufficient stars in the Universe to give it a high enough rating . A first class piece of work from an author at the very top of her game. Stunning!

Set in the Great Depression in mountainous Kentucky, it entails the story a group of women who fight to set up a library for their community.It is a really good read for a book group as it has such a focus on the joy of and value in books and reading in particular. Well done for another good book by Jojo.

The Giver of Stars

Once again Jojo Moyes has shown what a versatile writer she is with another complete change of direction. The Giver of Stars is almost an adventure book with a lot of gripping action. It is based on a true situation where women acted as librarians in Kentucky in the 1930s. Their objective is to deliver books to poor families who have no way of obtaining books for their families because of a lack of money and availability in the depression. These families live in the mountains which are quite inaccessible so the women get the books delivered by using mules and horses. The main two characters are Marjory, who appears tough and unsentimental, which belies her ability to be soft and caring. The other character is an Englishwoman called Alice who is newly married and has come to America to join her husband. Bennett Van Cleve, the son of a wealthy businessman. The marital home she moves into has a cold and characterless atmosphere with the dead wife of the father ever present, making Alice feel uncomfortable in her own home and unable to change things.
All the characters are totally believable and all the women who work at the library are amazing in different ways. They develop a strong bond and friendship which carries them through all the problems that are thrust upon them. Marjory and Alice are the two main characters but they are joined by Beth, Sonya, Izzie and finally Kathleen who all have a part to play in what is a really good story. The women are wonderful with big hearts and a strong sense of justice and all the events show the power of good friendship.

I have loved all of Jojo Moyes’ books. She is a wonderful story teller with the ability to lure you in. Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review another great book.

Thanks to Penguin UK-Michael Joseph and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book, which I freely chose to review.
Jojo Moyes was a name familiar to me (from bestseller lists, movie adaptations, bookshops…) but she was one of the authors I knew by name but hadn’t yet read. When I saw this book on offer at NetGalley and read the description and the fact that it was based on a real historical scheme, the 1930s Horseback Librarians of Kentucky, I thought this was a perfect opportunity to familiarise myself with her writing. As a book lover, I am always fond of stories about books and libraries, and the historical angle was a bonus for me. The Horseback Librarians of Kentucky was one of the projects set up by the WPA (Works Progress Administration), a New Deal Agency established as an attempt to provide work for victims of the Great Depression. In this case, women who could ride (horses, mules…) set up the equivalent of a mobile library, and offered books and reading materials to their neighbours, reaching even those who lived deep in the mountains, too far and too busy to regularly visit the town. In an area as beautiful as it was poor (and it seems it still remains fairly poor and under resourced), the levels of literacy were minimal, and the librarians went beyond the simple delivering of books, becoming a lifeline to many of the families they regularly visited. Although I had read about the WPA and some of their projects, I wasn’t familiar with this one, and it does make for a fascinating setting to the story.
Moyes usually writes contemporary fiction (with more than a touch of romance), so this novel breaks new ground. As I haven’t read any of her previous novels, I cannot make comparisons, but I had a great time reading this novel, which combines an easy and fluid writing style (with some wonderful descriptions of the Kentucky mountains), strong and compelling characters, especially the librarians, with a plot full of adventures, sad and joyful events, romance, and even a possible murder. This is a tale of sisterhood, of women fighting against all odds (society’s prejudices, difficult conditions, nature, illness, domestic violence, evil…), of the power of books, and of a time and a place that are far from us and yet familiar (unfortunately, some things haven’t changed that much).
What did I like, in particular? Many things. I am not an expert on Kentucky or on the historical period, so you must take this with a pinch of salt, but I loved the atmosphere and the period feel. I enjoyed the description of the feelings of the women as they rode their routes, particularly because by telling the story from the point of view of two of the women, Margery, who’s lived there all her life, and Alice, just arrived from England and totally unfamiliar with the area and the lifestyle, we get the familiarity and the newness, and learn that the heartfelt experience goes beyond being comfortable and at home. The mountains have an effect on these women, and at a point when Alice’s life is collapsing around her, give her the strength to go on. Both, the beauty of untamed nature and the comfort of literature, help give meaning to the lives of the protagonists and those who come in contact with them. Of course, not everybody appreciates those, and, in fact, the true villains of the story are people (mostly men, but not only, and I’m not going to reveal the plot in detail) who don’t care for literature and don’t respect nature. (There is an environmental aspect to the story as well, the coalmining industry caring little for the workers or the land if it got in the way of the profit margin).
I also fell for the characters. Margery is magnetic from the beginning: a woman whose father was violent, an abuser and an alcoholic, with a reputation that has tainted her as well; she is determined to live life her own way, help others, and not let anybody tell her what to do (and that includes the man she loves, who is rather nice). Although the novel is written in the third person, we see many of the events from her point of view, and although she is a woman who guards her emotions tightly and does not scare easy, she is put to the test, suffers a great deal, and she softens a bit and becomes more willing to give up some of her independence in exchange for a life richer in relationships and connections by the end of the story. Alice, on the other hand, starts as a naïve newcomer, with little common sense, that makes rushed decisions and believes in fairy tales. She thinks Bennett, her husband, is the charming prince who’s come to rescue her from an uncaring family, but she soon discovers she has changed a prison for another. Her transformation is, in some ways, the complete opposite to that of Margery. She becomes more independent, learns to care less about appearances and opinions, and discovers what is truly important for her.
In a way, the librarians provide a catalogue of different models of womanhood and also of diversity (we have a woman who lives alone with her male relatives, smokes, drinks and is outspoken; a young girl with a limp due to polio who lives under the shadow of her mother; an African American woman who gave up on her dreams to look after her brother, and who is the only trained librarian; and a widow from the mountains, saved by the power of books and by her relationship with other women), and although there are male characters —both, enablers, like Fred and Sven, and out and out enemies— these are not as well defined or important to the story (well, they set things in motion, but they are not at the heart of the story). I was quite curious about Bennett, Alice’s husband, whom I found a bit of a puzzle (he does not understand his wife, for sure, but he is not intentionally bad, and I was never sure he really knew himself), and would have liked to know more about the women whose points of view we were not privy to, but I enjoyed getting to know them all and sharing in their adventures. (Oh, and I loved the ending, that offers interesting glimpses into some of the characters we don’t hear so much about).
And yes, adventures there are aplenty. I’ve seen this book described as an epic, and it is not a bad word. There are floods, a murder trial, stories of corruption and shady business deals, bigotry and scandal, a couple of books that play important parts (a little blue book, and, one of my favourite reads as a young girl, Little Women, and its role made me smile), recipes, libraries, births, deaths, confrontations, violence (not extreme), and romance (no erotica or explicit sex scenes). This being a very conservative (and in some ways isolated society), the examples of what was considered acceptable male and female behaviour might seem old-fashioned even for the time, but, as the #MeToo movement has reminded us, some things are slow to change.
Was there anything I didn’t like? Well, no, but people need to be aware that this is a light read, a melodrama, and although it provides an inspirational tale of sisterhood, it does not offer an in-depth analysis of the ills of the society at the time. The villains, are presented as bad individuals, pure evil, and we learn nothing about them other than they are bad. Although many other important topics are hinted at and appear in the background, this is the story of this particular individuals, and not a full depiction of the historical period, but it is a great yarn and very enjoyable.
The author provides information on her note to the reader about the historical background and how she became interested in the story, and I’ve read some reviews highlighting the existence of other books on the topic, that I wouldn’t mind reading either. For me, this book brings to light an interesting episode of American history and of women’s history, creating a fascinating narrative that illustrates the lives of women in the Kentucky Mountains in the 1930s, with characters that I got to care for, suffer and rejoice with. Yes, I did shed the odd tear. And I’d recommend it to anybody who enjoys historical fiction, women’s fiction, and to Moyes’s fans. This might be a departure from her usual writing, but, at least for me, it’s a welcome one.

What a beautiful and engaging book this ended up being. I've loved many of Jojo Moyes books and I adored the premise of this book as soon as I heard about it. Women riding through the country to bring the joy of books to those who might have otherwise not have heard of it. No wonder Jojo Moyes herself said the story of these women utterly captiavated. I have no doubt that whoever reads this book will be just as captivated by the characters that she has brought to life.

This book is more than just it's seated roots in historical fiction. The characters, as we've come to expect from Jojo Moyes are rich and three dimensional and impossible not to love or hate. Alice, grows before our eyes to become the person she was probably always meant to be. Margery, always frowned on by the town, finds her new purpose and discovers that whilst you might be happy on your own, that doesn't necessarily mean you can't be happier with other people in your life. I cried, and I laughed and I never wanted it to end. Was I that surprised with the plot, maybe not? Did it matter? Absolutely not.

More than anything, the book deals with issues such as identity and belonging, about finding your family, in whatever form they take.

This is an area of history which had passed me by! Kentucky, 1937 and a new initiative is planned to increase literacy rates in the state. Due to the remoteness of some dwellings, female librarians were recruited to ride horses or mules to deliver books and magazines.
The story has been based on fact but has some wonderful fictional characters. It tells of the fortitude and skills of these pioneering ladies and the treatment and discrimination they had to endure.
Although this is a fictional telling, the research is comprehensive and the characters are vividly brought to life. The hardships endured during the winter, during flooding and during the incessant discrimination is difficult to believe that it happened only 80 years ago.
I found i became truly immersed in the fortunes of these ladies in what was ultimately a mans world.
Read and enjoy .







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