The Giver of Stars

BOOK REVIEW

Jojo Moyes has outdone herself with a novel set in the mountains of Kentucky during the Great Depression. The Giver of Stars draws you in with immediate tension as five strong willed women dive into the roles of pack-horse librarians on a mission to spread literacy despite any obstacles. Complications of every kind pile up. The rocky terrain, cantankerous mountain folks, and the tendency to bear arms around every bend make for enough trouble.

Our heroine, Alice, comes to the small town from a city in England as a newlywed hoping for a better life. Her new surroundings and marriage turn out quite different than her original expectations. The coal mining community protect their own and the librarians are forced to hold their own or cower to the powerful. This novel is beautifully written with an entertaining jaunt through a part of history few of us are privy to – it’s a keeper.