4.5 stars on Goodreads

Cussy Mary is the book woman of Troublesome Creek in Kentucky.     Whilst it's clear everyone in this region has more than their fair share of issues Cussy's are different.   She's the last of her kind.  Thanks to a rare genetic condition she has blue skin.     Most of the locals treat her poorly, misunderstanding, and to some extent fearing her.     In a time when racism is rampant, her blue skin sees her treated as a coloured person and very much an outcast.        Besides her family, Cussy's one great love is books.  She's been fortunate to obtain a position as a Pack Horse Librarian delivering books, magazines and assorted reading material to the mountain people her area.   If not for this job Cussy would be friendless.  

Set in 1936, author Kim Michele Richardson did an exquisite job of seamlessly weaving details of so many issues of the time and place into her story.   Her choice of words was clever.      Where starvation was common,  words and books provided sustenance.    Not only was it a beautifully told story with some  characters to adore and others to loathe but it had another element I love.  As one of Cussy's young patrons said <i>Books’ll learn you"</i>One of the joys I get from reading is learning something new and in this case there were so many things putting me in a Googling frenzy.    From the harsh conditions of the appalachia's, the pellagra rash from starvation conditions, racism, the mountain ways and local customs, courting candles, coal mining and of course the Blue People of Kentucky.    Sure I learnt alot, but there was so much more to this book.   It was emotional, it gave hope and was just a lovely reading experience.

This endorsement by famed author Joshlyn Jackson says it perfectly for me. 

<blockquote><i>"A lush love letter to the redemptive power of books" </i> - Joshlyn Jackson <blockquote>

If you get an opportunity you should try this one.    As for me, I thank SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and NetGalley for the opportunity of reading this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review which it was my pleasure to provide.

How can you not love a book about the love of books? Based on facts of both Roosevelt's 1930s WPA effort to bring books to the poorest areas (in this case, Kentucky) and on the real blue-skinned people of the area, this novel hits a home run with sensitivity, hope, and perseverance. Loved the characters and the description of the backwoods areas of the state. And the biggest plus: I learned so much about the time and place, both socially and medically.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for ARC to read and review.

I received the review copy of this book several months ago but, within the first few pages, I was so distressed for its protagonist that I had to set the book aside. I had been drawn to it both by the pack horse librarian aspect of the story but also because I have a friend from Kentucky who knew a blue person, likely from the original Fugate family.(1) All in all, it sounded like a fascinating book of historical fiction, and it is, but reader, it is an emotionally grueling read. Still, I'm glad I read it and can only recommend it. But expect heartbreak, even though the ending is very hopeful.

Logically, I suppose one can always equate the color of one's skin with one's genes and skin color is something we can seldom change and, at least to me, the whole concept of race is a stupid construct that says nothing about a person other than whether they're more prone to getting melanoma or something. The blue people of Kentucky were counted as black, and in the Depression-era Deep South, you can imagine how most black people were treated. With that in mind, cast your mind to the isolated hollers of Kentucky, where areas like Troublesome Creek were insular, hard to reach, with high levels of illiteracy. Books and school were often a luxury. The pack horse librarians, who worked for the Pack Horse Library Project funded by the WPA (Works Progress Administration), were a favorite project of Eleanor Roosevelt.(2,3)

Nineteen-year-old Cussy Mary Carter, daughter of a slowly dying coal miner, is an unforgettable heroine who sees the power of books, of literacy, to broaden people's minds, offer the solace of escape, keys to a better life, and hope for a better future. She's a brave, kind, and transcendent figure in this story. There is nothing easy in this story, however. Be prepared to cry. A lot. But read it. Really. It's worth it.

The audiobook is beautifully narrated by Katie Schorr.

(1) Read more about the Blue People here, from a reprint of a Science article.

(2) You can hear a bit more about the Pack Horse Library Project on this NPR episode here.

(3) A Smithsonian article for your further reading.

Content Warnings: rape, attempted rape, domestic violence, racist violence, child deaths, suicide, animal abuse.

I received a Digital Review Copy and a paper review copy of this book from Sourcebooks via Net Galley, in exchange for an honest review.

Imagine this scenario:
It's 1936, you live with your Pa in the Kentucky mountains; Troublesome Creek to be exact. But you're colored. Not white, not black, but...blue.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek follows the story of Cussy Mary, better known as Bluet. She one of the last surviving members of her bloodline. Many years ago, living deep in the mountainside, desperate family members made their own family... if you get what I'm saying.

Bluet and her Pa both have what appears to be blue skin. Which means they don't get the same treatment as the white folks in town, but instead have to follow the same rules as the other colored folks. They get looked at as sickly, disgusting, not quite human. It's a hard life, but that doesn't stop Cussy Mary and her pa from living and working with everyone else.

Bluet becomes a Pack Librarian for Troublesome Creek.
Pack librarians became essential when people in poor areas and off the beaten track, wanted some reading materials. Newspapers, magazines, scrapbooks, you name it, Bluet had it in her satchel. She would ride miles upon miles a week to deliver books to her patrons. They all called her Book Woman. But some of them still had to open their minds to a colored bringing them reading material. But over the course of a year, they come to love her. School children, young mothers, uptight fathers, they all wait patiently to see what the Book Woman has brought for them this week.

I absolutely loved this book.
I made a promise to myself to start reading more historical fiction this year, and I'm beyond glad I picked this up. It's a unique story, that I'm fairly certain hasn't been told before!

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is an example of historical fiction that draws you in to the era and location. Cussy is one of the blue-skinned people of Kentucky - a group of people that were viewed with mistrust. She obtains a job with the WPA Pack Horse Library project, to bring literacy to those in Appalachian Kentucky. She develops trust with her clients and brings what she can for the impoverished residents. Cussy struggles with being 'colored' and with the horrors she sees, yet realizes her inner strength to maintain her self-esteem and help others as best she can. The writing was excellent and makes me what to read other historical novels from Kim Michele Richardson. I highly recommend this book and it would be a great book club selection.

This was a really emotional read which was however not overwhelmingly so. The prejudices of narrow minded people (existing even today!) lead to so much sorrow and heartache and for our Cussy who just wanted to live a normal life was made just so much harder.



Cussy is a woman who is blue skinned. I had not heard of this condition and had to look it up. In an era of prejudice Cussy was an aberration and one who was ostracized from society as on a level with the African Americans and had to be treated accordingly with segregation and downright dislike.

Part of Roosevelt's Pack Horse Librarian services, serving distant communities and bringing reading and a modicum of education to others Cussy and those of her ilk did yeoman service in the face of prejudice and natural hardships covering long distances through remote, isolated areas.

Cussy was one of a few people who were blue skinned and despite that she was a happy soul who was satisfied that she was of some use to a community and also independent financially . That she was thwarted by the people surrounding her both in her workplace who were downright wicked and those in the community did not dull her spirit or her kind heartedness to others.

An interesting take on a part of American history and culture, also unknown to me until now.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a brilliant and sometimes heartbreaking read. It probably had so much more impact due to the fact that it’s based on a true story, well, sort of. It’s inspired by real people, and a real career (the book women – librarians who would deliver books to locations too far and small for their own library).
Set in 1936, the book follows Cussy Carter, but she’s better known as Bluet. She’s a book woman – meaning that she delivers books to her far neighbors so they can have the opportunity to read (or learn to read, in some cases). She’s also blue.
This novel deals with a lot of heavy and emotional subjects. It discusses the need for people to have access to books, the consequences of censorship, and the pain of racism and segregation. All of this while telling a beautiful and ultimately uplifting tale.

Warnings: There are a few really rough moments in this novel, along with the overall heavier tones to be told. In the beginning of the novel there’s a scene that questions consent, and it comes alongside abuse. There are other abusive moments during the novel, but most of them are verbal. There are mentions of what can happen to a blue person if they acted out though, and it’s rough. This novel also covers racism and segregation.
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek was an absolutely beautiful novel. The overall message of Bluet – her determination to get books to those that have been so overlooked by life is inspiring. Her need to help others, no matter the cost to herself, was touching, as were many other moments and sentiments in this novel.
Unfortunately there were a lot of heavy tones in this novel as well. For example, not everyone was as open to the idea of learning to read as others. And even those that were meant to help increase the exposure to reading weren’t above censorship.
This novel will start a conversation: the concept of racism and segregation, and the surprise of seeing Bluet included in that treatment. It’s not something I would have ever considered – though it makes a heartbreaking amount of sense when you think about it. I’m so glad to have had it pointed out to me, and in such a well-written manner.
There were moments in this novel where my heart absolutely broke for Bluet, her family, and her friends. But there were other moments where she inspired me. And moments that were truly uplifting. The balance was perfect, and did a wonderful job of carrying the overall message of this story.

If I’m completely honest I will admit to being bored for most of the book. Don’t get me wrong, it started interestingly enough, but overall I didn’t care for the writing.
Not a bad read but not something I will be recommending to friends

Thank you to Net Galley and Sourcebooks Landmark for giving me the chance to read and review this book. This is the story of Cussy Mary Carter, who delivers books in the mountains of Kentucky. Even though these people are poor and live a hard life, they look forward to Cussy delivering new books weekly. For most of them, a new book to read is the highlight of their life. Cussy also has another problem to deal with. She is a member of the Blue people. She has a condition that makes her skin blue, and faces the prejudices of other people. This book was well-written, and I really liked the ending. It took a lot of courage for Cussy to do what she did. I also enjoyed meeting some of the other people who lived in Troublesome Creek..

*4.5 stars rounded up

Set in 1936 in the hollers and hills of Kentucky, this is a heart-wrenching novel about poverty, prejudice and the longing for love and acceptance, but most of all, it is about the power of books to set us free.

The main character of the story, Cussy Marie Carter, is a traveling librarian with the Pack Horse Library Project, delivering books and other reading material to the folks in the hills. But there's one other interesting thing about Cussy--she's blue-skinned, a congenital disorder virtually unknown outside these hills. In fact, Cussy, also known as Bluet, may be the last of her kind.

Her mother has recently died as the story opens, and her father, a coal miner with lung disease, is trying to find a suitor for her so he'll know she'll be taken care of when he is gone. But there's so much prejudice about her skin color that the only taker is a 62-year-old man and he takes her only because some land is offered. Fortunately for Cussy, fate takes a hand on their wedding night.

So now she's a widow and back at home, working the job she loves best with the ornery mule she has inherited from her husband. There is so much to love about this story, this character, and the people she meets along the way. But there's sadness too-in the poverty, ignorance, and prejudice she confronts:

"Nary a townsfolk, not one God-fearing soul, had welcomed me or mine into town, their churches, or homes in all my nineteen years on this earth. Instead, every hard Kentucky second they'd filled us with an emptiness from their hate and scorn. It was as if Blues weren't allowed to breathe the very same air their loving God had given them, not worthy of the tiniest spoonful He'd given to the smallest forest critter. I was nothing in their world. A nothingness to them."

Beautifully written and thought-provoking. Informative too! I had never heard of this disorder before reading the book.

I received an arc of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley for my honest review. Many thanks for providing me with a very good read.

This has to be one of the most moving books I've read. I have never heard of the blue people of Kentucky but my heart went out to Bluet. I found it extremely descriptive and could picture the poverty and hardship of these people. It was very I interesting to learn about the pack horse librarians and I have to say Bluets mule made me smile more than once. Not action packed but extremely well written and I would be interested in reading more by this author.

Originally, I was drawn to <i>The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek</i> as a story of the WPA-era Pack Horse Library Project. It was an excellent reflection of that project and much more – a real gem of American Historical Fiction.

Set in 1936, the primary focus of this story was the work of a young 19-year-old girl, Cussy Carter. Cussy was one of the “book women” who, along with a couple of men, brought books and reading to the people in remote areas of Appalachia – in this case, Kentucky. They traveled on mules, horses, or by foot in all kinds of weather via often treacherous and exhausting routes. They were dedicated, brave, and fiercely passionate about their mission as the author, Kim Michele Richardson, so accurately and beautifully portrays.

This story also tackled a number of other compelling issues such as families struggling with poverty, starvation, and isolation; the horrible working conditions in the coal mines; and prejudice. In this case, the object of the prejudice toward non-Whites was the main character, Cussy, thought to be one of the last living blue-skinned people of the region.

This book did what all good historical fiction is supposed to do - present a story based on true historical facts which gives a real sense of the time and place. I was prepared to champion the efforts of “book women” but my respect grew even more as I experienced the challenges and emotions of Cussy’s work and her community.

One of the aspects of <i>The Book Woman…</i> that really caught my interest was the inclusion of the local culture - lore, superstitions, and folk medicine which was contrasted with the medical practices of the times. It also introduced me to the condition known as Methemogloberina. A symptom of one of the genetic versions is bluish skin coloring.
This was a fascinating, gripping story – a page-turner with one of the most endearing main characters in my recent memory. Highly recommended.


FYI - I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I felt that this story just missed the mark. It had the makings of a great historical fiction: Appalachia Kentucky, lore of the "blue" people, pack horse book delivery, WPA, librarians. A lot of people have loved it for those reasons and the strength of the main character, Cussy Mary "Bluet." I felt that it was the same racial angsts and stories that people write about African Americans during that era but the author instead used a "blue" woman whose skin color is caused by a congenital blood disorder. Maybe the issue is that I wanted the book to be more. I'm a Kentucky native and love stories of the Appalachian culture.

The author did a nice job recreating the place setting and time period for the story. This was a part of our nation's history that I knew nothing about. She paints a vivid picture of the poor Appalachian people who hungered for knowledge and the hardships endured by the people during the Depression. These compassionate and also poor
women delivering books by horse or mule along the dangerous mountain trails so that people can learn and maybe have a better life. #netgalley #thebookwomanoftroublesomecreek

I really enjoyed this book. The author did a great job telling this story. This can be a hard topic to tell because it is about race. The race is a very uncommon type but does exist. Cussy Mary is what you would call a blue lady. That is her skin has a blue tint to it. The story takes place in the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky. She is part of the WPA program that FDR started when he became President. This program is called the Pack horse library. What she does is gather up donated books and deliver them to her patrons on horse back or mule. She actually becomes friends with her patrons and everyone is happy to see her. She does have some things happen to her. This story goes into how these blue people are treated almost as bad as the blacks or the poor. When I picked up the book I didn't want to put it down. This is a great story and you should give it a read. I learned somethings that I didn't know. I didn't know all the programs that FDR put into action when he was President to help us get out of the depression and back on our feet. I gave this book 4.5 stars.

This was a fascinating read and such an interesting story inspired by the true blue skinned people of Kentucky and also about the Pack Horse Librarians in the Appalachian mountains of Eastern Tennessee, which lasted from 1935 – 1943.
This was a program started by Roosevelt's Work Progress Administration project that delivered books to remote regions in the Appalachian Mountains, where people had no chance of getting to a library.
The story mainly follows Cussy Mary Carter also known as Bluet, one of the few blue skinned people left in the mountains of Tennessee, she finds out she has congenital methemoglobinemia a condition that turns her skin blue due to a lack of oxygen in her blood.
Cussy loves her job as a pack horse librarian, where she is able to connect with so many people that would not otherwise be able to obtain reading material. She goes for miles distributing books, papers or magazines that her clients request, or sometimes she brings them something that she thinks they would be interested in. Because of her blue skin, she quite often has to deal with prejudice.
Cussy is a wonderful character and a very strong one. Her job brings her joy but also sadness as the people that she visits are very poor and sometimes even starving, but always so happy to see her.
This is a great book, so emotional and full of interesting characters.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC of this book.

I’ve been intrigued by the pack horse librarians ever since I heard about them a couple of years ago so I jumped at the chance to read this book. I was immediately drawn into this well-written and well-researched book.
This is the story of Cussy, better known as Bluet, a rare blue-skinned woman living in a severely impoverished area in Kentucky during the 1930s. Bluet gets a job as a pack horse librarian, bringing books to isolated people in the hills. She has a passion for books and loves her time in the mountains, visiting with and sharing books with her patrons, helping them to read and learn, keeping scrapbooks to share knowledge and recipes, connecting people.
Bluet also happens to have a rare genetic affliction which makes her physically blue. Her and her blue relatives don’t fit in anywhere and are shunned by everyone. However, her doctor is progressive and curious and is determined to study her and find out why she is the colour she is.
I loved this novel and got totally caught up in Bluet’s world, feeling anxious for the isolated mountain people and hoping they would find enough food, becoming friends with the dedicated school teacher doing her best to feed her student’s minds and bodies, feeling concern for her overworked father who has to take the risky jobs in the coal mines, and getting caught up in Bluet’s passion and dedication to her job and her absolute love of books and learning and sharing that with those she meets.
This is an inspiring novel, tackling a difficult time in history, when women didn’t often hold jobs, racism was rampant, and poverty was everywhere. The book tells people’s stories in a way that I couldn’t put down, that tore at my heart strings, but at the same time was optimistic. Richardson tread the delicate balance between heartbreaking and moving and a difficult past in a beautifully told story.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy of this book.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson will steal your heart! Such a touching tale about Cussy Mary, her job as a pack horse librarian in 1930s Kentucky, and her rare skin condition that makes her skin appear blue. This book packs lots of emotion and drama that keeps you absorbed to the very end. Read and enjoy!

Thanks to Net Galley and Scource Books.
1936, Cussy Mary Carter is nineteen, she’s also known as Bluet and Bookwoman. She has congenital methemoglobinemia, a rare condition, the people of Kentucky considered her kind to be coloured, she was constantly subjected to taunts and prejudice
Cussy has a job working for the Pack Horse Library Project, bringing books, papers, pamphlets, bibles, scrapbooks to the poor people of Appalachia, where roads were inaccessible and families were hungry but Bookwoman bringing reading material brought them some joy and hope.
Her father is a coal miner and his lungs are failing, he lights a courting candle hoping to get Cussy married off, that she will have someone to care and provide for her. Cussy has other ideas, she loves her job and her independence.
It’s a heart warming story, it’s been very well researched, the Pack Horse Librarians were pioneers doing what they loved and at the same time addressing illeracy in rural and poor areas.
This is a 5 star read.

Wow, what a learning experience while reading Cussy’s story. When a book teaches me something I enjoy it even more. I knew about Pack Horse Librarians but never thought about the dangers they faced daily or the extreme weather conditions they traveled through to reach their customers. Dedication at its best.

Cussy will find a way into your heart. It’s hard to imagine what she and other “blue” people experienced. Discrimination on all points is wrong no matter who you are.

There are a few semi-violent scenes but they add feeling to the story and show what was happening at the time. Faith is strong throughout the story. A book I would share with my older, mature teenagers. The perfect book for book clubs.

I received a complimentary copy from Sourcebooks through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.