Book Review: "The Giver of Stars" by Jojo Moyes
“The Giver of Stars” by Jojo Moyes
Synopsis: 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. - Pamela Dorman Books
Rating (out of 5): 4.25
Trigger warnings: abuse, incest, accused murder, misogyny
Review: I am the first to admit that I’m not a huge fan of JoJo Moyes — I just didn’t like “Me Before You” and I never considered to look at the other books she has written. So I honestly am not sure how I ended up pre-ordering “The Giver of Stars,” but I am so glad that I did.
This book is the story of several women who served as WPA Packhorse Librarians in rural Kentucky: Alice, Izzy, Kathleen, Sophia, Beth, and Margery. Until I read this book, I had no idea that such a program existed, but it did! Using federal funds, women circulated books on horseback to their neighbors in rural Kentucky; it ran from the hardest days of the depression through the middle of World War II (check out this Smithsonian article that inspired Jojo!)
At first glance, these women have nothing in common. Alice is the impulsive British newcomer, married to the town’s golden boy; Margery is the ornery daughter of the town’s most notorious moonshiner; Izzy is the spoiled and scarred daughter of a wealthy couple in town; Beth is…Beth; and Sophia is the black librarian brought into the fold by Margery. Kathleen, a later addition to this motley crew, is a woman who experienced the services of the library before starting to assist with their daily rounds. Of course they all come together with a common goal, and the library quickly becomes the best part of most of their days.
Jojo Moyes did an incredible job creating a believable world; her descriptions of the life and loves fo these women in rural Kentucky are spot-on. It reads a little like an homage to old adventure stories, but with a distinctly feminine slant. There’s murder! There’s guns! There’s sex! There’s moonshine! But it’s all told from the point of view of these incredible women. I loved that so much, especially as that’s a perspective that’s largely missing from books of that era.
Of course, the villains in this book are the men who get angry at the action of these uppity women (how dare they get people to read novels and improve their lives? The nerve!) The worst of these is Mr. Van Cleve, Alice’s abusive father-in-law and Baileyville’s largest employer. One of the better subplots in this book is about the mine that the Van Cleve family owns, and the utter disregard he has for the people that make him his money. Yes, I do love a little extra social commentary with the literature, thank you very much.
You know the worst part about a man hitting you? Ain’t the hurt. It’s that in that instance you realize the truth of what it is to be a woman. That it doesn’t matter how smart you re, how much better at arguing, how much better than them, period. It’s when you realize they can always just shut you up with a first. Just like that….course you know that only happens till you learn to hit back harder.
To me, this book is a love story to both literature and love itself, but mostly the love that exists in the bonds of female friendship. The bonds between these incredibly progressive women is amazing, and it’s inspiring to see a story of people finding their people. Everything that our main six women do is subversive, from the way they conduct their relationships to their love of education to their fondness for breeches, and it’s so great to see that highlighted in historical fiction. That’s it’s based on a real thing makes it even better.
PS/I say this in my
TL;DR: A fiercely feminist take on life in depression-era Kentucky about a true program. Come for the love of literature, stay for the female friendship and sense of adventure.
If you liked this, try these:
“The Bookwomen of Troublesome Creek” by Kim Richardson (yes, this is the one Jojo supposedly plagiarized)
“The Gown” by Jennifer Robson (my review here!)
A Note from Elizabeth: I feel like I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the accusations of plagiarism surrounding this new release — I did find this piece on Buzzfeed comparing the two stories. I have no strong feelings about this (beyond the obvious plagiarism is terrible and don’t ever do it), as I don’t have much expeiernece with other works in Moyes’ back catalog. There do seem to be some obvious corrollaries, and I hope that it’s just a coincidence. However, the timelines don’t match up for the other authors’ accusation, so I’m not sure what to think. At this moment, i’m willing to give them both the benefit of the doubt (especially as Moyes lives in Essex, England), but I will clearly update this review if that turns out to not be the case.
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