Cover Image: The Giver of Stars

The Giver of Stars

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Member Reviews

I didn't know anything about the packhorse librarians before reading this novel. This WPA program makes a great backdrop for a novel, and Moyes has created a compelling narrative. There is a lot of tension in the plot, and the characters are well developed (although I wish Beth was more fully fleshed out).

You might not think that there would be a lot of action in a story about women riding out to remote households in Kentucky to distribute books. There is plenty here, though, in the town's hostility to the program, a predatory mine owner, town politics, and complicated relationships between the characters. Moyes weaves together a multi-layered narrative that has a slightly too pat ending, but that is satisfying nevertheless.

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Trigger Warning: Abuse, Assault, Attempted Rape, Prison, Incest

Six very different women come together as librarians for the newly established WPA Pack Horse Librarian program, and find their lives changed in ways they couldn't even imagine.

"Library just exists so people can try a bit of reading. Maybe learn a little if they find they have a liking for it."


I am astonished to have loved this as much as I did, but I think that's because I was leery of Me Before You and absolutely hated with the passion of a blue star the much-lauded (why tho??) The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek.

But as soon as I started reading, I was swept up by the intertwined stories of Alice, Margery, Izzy, Beth, Sophia, Kathleen and the people of Baileyville. I was captivated, immersed and in love with these women (ok, and Mrs. Brady and pretty much every woman in the book besides Peggy and Annie) and how the lives of the mountain people of Kentucky came to life.

Alice was the picture of the lost-in-space English rose, who had had her feathers clipped and her body stuffed into a cage (okay, I'm mixing metaphors here, bear with me). In marrying Bennett, she feels she escaped her cloistering family, but finds she escaped one cage only to enter another. I felt so strongly for her, stuffed into a marriage where the ghosts of the past literally haunted every minute of their lives. Talk about turning a house into a mausoleum. Yeesh. Van Cleve Sr was a dick and a half.

Alice was a bit insufferable at first, but as she grew out of her foppish ways and learned to work hard and care for her people, I fell in love. She was kind, caring and connected with a tight-knit, isolating community, even if she found solace in the isolated peoples of the hills instead of the gossiping biddies of the town. And Fred is the perfect man, just in general.

Margery started off as my favorite, however, although over the course of the book I loved her less and less? But also, I understood why she acted the way she did, because what happened to her would have ground down any spirit, particularly that of a woman who had lived her life shamelessly, unconventionally and proudly. I did like her relationship with Sven.

Kathleen, Izzy and Beth were minor characters despite being the other three librarians (technically Mrs. Brady kinda counts too), but while I cared for them, their character arcs didn't features as heavily. They didn't really have points of view, but I did love Kathleen's knowledge of every holler and road and person, Izzy's determination when someone just gave her a chance, and Beth's general boisterous cheer.

Sophia, however, was far and away my favorite of the women. Although technically not a librarian, she was the only actual librarian of the lot. I was so upset that she wasn't able to ride (not that she'd probably want to), but I did like how sensitively and upfront Moyes tackled racism in the novel, highlighting the very real dangers and realities of life as a person of color in rural 1930s Kentucky. And how an educated woman of color might feel stifled, scared and angry at having her own wings clipped. Anywho, I love a woman who is dedicated to cleanliness and organization (probably because I lack both things in spades), and someone who had totally take a hint to save her friends and protect them, even at risk to herself.

"From what I understand it's just a bunch of girls on horses taking recipe cards here and there/blockquote>

The above quote was from one of the many naysayers of the library, who constantly minimized or exaggerated what the women were doing to further their own agendas (namely, taking the library away).

One of the many things I loved about this book was that it showed that the power of libraries is not just books. Books are one thing, but what libraries offer is so much more.

They are bringers of knowledge, of entertainment, of power and learning. And mostly they are connectors and builders of community. The pack horse librarians literally changed the dynamics of their small society, much to the detriment of those who realized that it was to their benefit to keep people ignorant, isolated and in the dark.

And ultimately, that's was libraries are today. Not just books, but connectors to more.

My final thought on this wonderful story is of the concept of power. That women have power, and don't have to be crushed under the superior strength of men and the weight of patriarchal society. That words and knowledge and strength have a weight of their own. And that no matter how beaten down you are, or how badly you've been ground down, there is still hope. Sometimes you just need to take the hard way out in order to free yourself.

"There is always a way out of a situation. Might be ugly. Might leave you feeling like the earth has gone and shifted under your feet. But you are never trapped, Alice. You hear me? There is always a way around."


I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

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This book was amazing! We enter the lives of the WPA Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky. The friendships the form through the work the do changes all their lives. It was such an enlightening book and a joy to read.

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Absolutely loved this book. I thought it was a total departure from the author's previous books (which I enjoyed). I enjoy the author's character development and story line. I enjoy historical fiction and this book did not disappoint. I've recommended it dozens of times to family and friends.

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I enjoyed this book so much that I read it in two evenings!
The WPA Packhorse Librarians were a dedicated group of women who battled not only severe weather conditions and rugged terrain to deliver library books to people during the Depression, but they battled public opinion as well. Many people felt that women were best suited to household duties, and that q group of working women threatened the moral order.
Ms. Moyes has crafted a beautiful story that combines historical detail with a delightful blend of fictional characters. Five stars!

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The Giver of Stars is a wonderful book. It is one of the most compelling historical fiction books that I have read in a very long time. I learned so much about the sacrifices of those who believed in serving others through selfless generosity, sacrifice and the support of literacy. The courage of the pack horse librarians who put the lives, safety and comfort on the line to provide access to books and magazines and personal contact with others before their own well being is a tribute to librarians and educators everywhere. A glimpse of the poverty, hardscrabble lives and isolation in this part of Kentucky was eye opening and humbling. Thank you Jojo Moyes for writing this wonderful book.

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I absolutely loved this book about librarians on horseback in rural Kentucky. Wonderful characters written so well I felt that I was in the mountains with them.

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Between the author and the subject, I knew I would have to pick this title up. I was not disappointed by Moyes' latest at all! It's easy to want joy for all of the women in this story, but even easier to see the similarities between today and yesterday's men who would like to shut down the local library. If it isn't the Bible, the good women of their lives don't need to be reading it. Yet these women are strong and resilient creatures, fighting for sharing knowledge and information despite that.

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This book is a nice reminder on how much impact being able to read can have on a community. It was fun to learn about how the packhorse libraries began and what it took to be able to make everything happen. I have tremendous respect for everyone involved in their growth.

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This is, yet, another great read by Moyes. The storyline concerns Alice, an English woman, who hope to escape the boredom and apathy of her life, by marrying a wealthy American businessman, Bennett, who resides in Kentucky. The plot is based on Eleanor Roosevelt's WPA Program, which sought to provide reading materials to citizens in remote areas. The historic foundation for the story lent an authenticity to what followed.
There are elements of romance, suspense, virtue and determination that ring so true in all lives. Prejudice, women's rights, and right versus wrong are examined in the book, culminating in a stimulating ending that will keep the reader still guessing at its conclusion.

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The Giver of Stars could quite possibly be my favorite book of 2019! I have always loved books and libraries so I really enjoyed learning about the packhorse librarians of Kentucky back in 1936-1943. Their dedication to getting books and magazines to the people in the Kentucky hills was just amazing. I totally fell in love with Alice, Margery, Beth, Sophia and Izzy. There was drama and romance plus some suspense towards the end. Sven and Fred were two great guys any woman would love to have. Once I got started with this book I found not stop until I found out what happened to each of these characters.

Thank you so much Netgalley for the chance to read and review this book. .

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The Giver of Stars by JoJo Moyes is about a group of ladies in Eastern Kentucky during the time of the packhorse librarians in the late 1930s/early 1940s. Alice has recently arrived in Kentucky from England as the new wife of a well-respected man from the town. She's finding it hard to meet people and make friends so she's quick to join some other ladies who are forming a traveling library. Not all of the citizens are fans of this new library or the librarians and tensions rise. This tale blends an actual historical period of time with a high tension court case that will leave you spellbound.

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What a pleasure to read a book on a topic that is close to my heart, told with drama and love. Based on the The WPA’s Horseback Librarian program which ran from 1936 to 1943, this story follows a group of brave women who endure physical and emotional hardships to bring books to the mountain folk of Kentucky. Focusing particularly on Alice, a sheltered bride who left England to gain independence from the conventions of British society, and Margery, a very unconventional woman who became a role model for Alice, this story plunges us into a world unlike that of most readers. Illiteracy, poverty, blood feuds, mine disasters, a strict male-dominated society, and the harsh beauty of the Kentucky mountains keep the reader thoroughly engaged. Add to that a courtroom drama that will have you on the edge of your seat, and you have a 5 star story from beginning to its very satisfying end. The power of books to change lives has never been more effectively or dramatically told. As I read this story, effortlessly downloaded to my e-reader, I salute those who had the determination to share this tool with those in need.

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Wow, JoJo Moyes does it again. I flew through this book; I couldn’t put it down. I fell in love with Moyes’ writing in her Me Before You trilogy, and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this one. I felt like I was right along with them for the entirety of the story. I both enjoyed and appreciated the ending. It was perfect.

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As a librarian, I enjoyed this book. We all know the history of books being delivered in rural regions by horseback but this author adds a storyline and characters that bring this time alive. The librarians are all different and diverse characters that keep your interest as you find out about their backgrounds, dreams, and strengths as they deal with their own families and the people on their delivery routes. For those who want a challenging read, this is not the book for you but if you are looking for an easy pleasant read, this book will meet your needs.

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This was an enjoyable book about the pack-horse librarians in Kentucky during the depression era. Although it is not the only book on this topic published this year, the two books are different enough that both can be read. This book subject matter is more concerned on the relationship of the library with the town in which the library is established. Alice, a newly married British woman is adjusting to life in Kentucky, and clashes with her father-in-law, who is the mine owner and antagonist of the novel and the library.

This book didn’t have the rural, and poverty feel to it as one may expect. It felt more like town and middle class women. One of the things I loved about the book is seeing the growth of the woman librarians in the story.

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Thank you NetGalley for chance to read this book! I grew to love these female characters doing this important job of delivering books and even reading with/to people. The women formed bonds with one another through their work. Such an important book to read. I thoroughly enjoyed it!!

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I was really excited to read this book, but I found the storyline to be unbelievable from too many sides. I almost feel like it was written to be a movie script -

I'm obviously in the minority here, but those are my true thoughts. I also had read an article that Moyes was accused of lifting plot lines from another book, so that may have affected my thoughts.

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Alice doesn't fit in at home in England, for reasons that aren't entirely made clear, but also aren't terribly important. So when Bennett Van Cleve and his father come through her town on their European tour, she's more than ready to be swept off her feet and taken away from her boring life and hyper-critical parents. Unfortunately, she didn't look at a map to understand that Kentucky mining country is a far cry from cosmopolitan New York. Nor did she have enough to have any sense of her husband's character, and things quickly go downhill for her in America.

Fortunately, the WPA's packhorse library's need for librarians comes along to save her. The only things that anchors this book in the 20th century, the packhorse library really existed. "Librarians" took books into the hills and remote areas of Kentucky (and other places), and, at least in this book, brought the light of literature out to the boonies. Alice must contend with mistrust (not only is she not from the nearest small-town, she has an accent all the way from England), hazardous weather, and a bonehead husband. Fortunately, the promise of new friendships and happier times is on the horizon, if Alice can tough it out.

This may sound like a lightweight book, but it's actually not. Swirling around Alice are issues of poverty, illiteracy, prejudice, class injustice, and the unionization of coal miners. On a personal level, she must also deal with the nature of marriage and her obligations to her family. Moyes does an elegant job of illuminating all these issues while also writing realistic and relatable characters and situations. As a librarian, I was, of course, particularly taken with her discussions of the packhorse librarians and their goals of spreading literacy throughout the countryside. Her descriptions of how books changed the lives of the families in the hills serves as a timeless reminder of the importance of books and libraries to everyone.

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Enjoyed the new book by Moyes. I felt it lacked her usual writing style and took a number of pages to engage with the book.

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