Horses! Librarians! The Great Depression!

Horses! Librarians! The Great Depression! Any one of these three aspects would make me favorably disposed to pick up a book. When all three are present, I'm definitely going to read the book. Readers who enjoy historically based fiction with strong female characters will enjoy The Giver of Stars by JoJo Moyes.

The Giver of Stars focuses on two main characters, Alice and Margery, who are polar opposites in upbringing and background. Alice grew up in England and ended up in the hills and hollers of eastern Kentucky while Margery hales from the area. The daughter of a scalawag, Margery continuously battles against her upbringing and the baggage associated with her last name. Alice battles quite different situations while trying to find her place in her new community. These two disparate characters and several others bond as pack horse librarians. Although Alice and Margery are the main characters, each of the women overcomes a variety of circumstances as well.

Moyes does a good job of depicting the conflict between the various elements of community the librarians serve. The conflict between the well-to-do and downtrodden and the powerful and powerless are highlighted. The powerful and well-to-do attempt to be seen as the keepers of morality and Christianity when in reality they are preserving their power and way of life. Moyes effectively shows how life and attitudes were changing in this time period and how access to books and resources was a key aspect of these changes.

Being a librarian and enjoying history and horses, The Giver of Stars by JoJo Moyes completely caught my attention from the description. Particularly as I had recently enjoyed The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek I wanted to read more about this period of time. While there are some similarities between the books, they are definitely unique stories. The similarities are unavoidable simply because of the similar setting and the need to retain some historical accuracy.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received The Giver of Stars via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.