The Giver of Stars
Jojo Moyes
published October 2019
Historical Fiction
399 pages
The Giver of Stars was inspired by a real group of librarians. They were called the Kentucky Pack Horse Librarians, and they delivered books to some of the most remote areas in the Appalachian Mountains. The timeframe was 1935 through 1943. The story about the librarians was cool but this is a novel about friendships and true love at a time when independence for women was limited and hard won.
Themes include small town southern life, racism, snobbery and class structure, the good old boy network at its worse and even a little dirty politics. The characters are lovable and easy to root for during their struggles delivering books to people who have none. They also work through a variety of personal problems. Women were often trapped in unsatisfactory marriages with no easy way out during these times before women’s rights.
Disclaimer: You should be aware I have a really soft spot for Jojo – who has published so many great stories. Some of those I’ve enjoyed are:
Me Before You
Still Me
After You
The Girl You Left Behind
The Last Letter from Your Lover
Paris for One