4.5 stars, rounded up. Absolutely wonderful historical fiction from Labuskes that follows three different women in Montana at different times, and eventually twines their stories together. Labuskes tackles a lot in this story of courageous women living in difficult times and circumstances, united by a love of books and reading. I'm knocking a half-star off just because I didn't care for the hurried wrap-up at the end; I thought the story would have stood stronger without giving a quick summary of the rest of these women's lives. Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for a digital review copy.

This book is one of my favorite genres, historical fiction.
With that said, I had a hard time keeping up with the three different characters in the book.
I would like to have been able to flip back through some pages in the beginning because it was a bit confusing, but I wasn’t able to since I was reading on my Kindle. The first half was slow going. There was, in my opinion, way too much going on in this story. I wasn’t quite sure where the author was going and what she wanted this book to be.
If you are from Montana you would probably really enjoy this read and its description and love for the state.
The Boxcar Librarian was a book I would have bought due to the genre and description, but was not a favorite of mine.

The lives of three women collide during the Great Depression through their love of books and the tragedies and triumphs of the union movement.

Writing: 4/5 Plot: 5/5 Characters: 5/5

Loved this historical fiction centered in Montana in the early 1900s. Three timelines for three characters that slowly converge: Millie Lang (1936), exiled to Missoula to “fix” the state’s contribution to the depression era American Guide Series, sponsored by the Federal Writers Project of the WPA. Alice Monroe (1924), small town Missoula librarian born to wealth, who works to get more books into more hands via rural visits. Colette Durand (1914), daughter of a Shakespeare loving union organizer for the miners employed by the Anaconda Mining Company.

An excellent cast of supporting characters, lots of action and surprising plot twists, well-researched details of the time period, and plenty of interesting locations (e.g. Glacier National Park, Wild Horse Island in Flathead Lakes, Missoula mining camps) — all vividly brought to life. Lots of literary references, both in terms of very apt quotes and individual books for an assortment of characters and the real impact they had. Really demolished the stereotype of the “lower classes” being uninteresting in learning and mind expansion. She handled themes of vengeance, injustice, and restrictions on and expectations of women adroitly with real reflection on how to know what “doing the right thing” means, and what it might cost. Loved the Boxcar library itself (apparently you can see the Lumberman’s library box car in Fort Missoula — I may take a trip!)

A great read!

Some quotes:

“Everyone had a story, and most people were just trying to get by. They didn’t deserve to become empty vessels to hold other people’s anger and insecurities.“

“So did writers. They saw the extremes in life as appealing – tear courage, fear, and strength, love and hate. They were what made humans human. But Millie didn’t think of herself as a writer. She thought of herself as a journalist. She was there to tell other people’s stories."

*Thank you to the publisher, William Morrow, for providing me with ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own *

Where do I begin?

This book captures everything I love about historical fiction. It's a beautifully written story that I couldn't put down, and I will recommend it to my friends once it's released in March. As you probably know, any novel focused on books is a must-read for me. I've read a few historical fiction books about books, but this one was unlike the others. I wasn't even aware of Boxcar Library, at least not back then, and it was a fascinating story to read; I even found myself doing some research after finishing the book because I wanted to learn more about it. I was captivated from start to end; part of me didn't want the book to end. I loved learning about the library's history.

I loved that it took place in Montana. My grandparents used to live in Missoula, Montana, and I visited there several times and enjoyed reading about it. The descriptions were so detailed that I envisioned myself among Millie, Alice, and Colette in Montana. I enjoyed reading about each of the characters' views and different timelines. I enjoyed reading from each character's point of view, but Alice and Colette stood out the most for me. I was fascinated from the start about how the three characters would connect. I enjoyed reading their individual stories, but the way the characters intertwined flowed beautifully.

I could tell how much research went into this book, and I learned so much from reading the book. It started out a little slowly, but only during the character introductions. After that, I struggled to find a stopping point because so much was happening. The Boxcar Librarian is the second book by Brianna Labuskes that I have read, but I have a couple more on my list that I am eager to read! Now I want to read her thrillers. For any fan of historical fiction who enjoys books about books, I highly recommend this.

In 1924, Alice Monroe was the only daughter of Missoula Montana’s wealthy mayor and a town librarian. Due to her poor health she had led a sheltered life and retreated into books. They brought adventure, and traveling to the outskirts of town to lend them to poor miners brought happiness. One day Alice decided to turn a boxcar into a library to serve miners far from Missoula. Some considered books dangerous because they might give miners ideas to better themselves, but Alice persisted.

Colette Durand lived with her father in the town of Hell Raisin’ Gulch in Montana. Though he worked sixteen-hour shifts for the Anaconda Copper Mining Company, Claude kept a cheerful outlook. He quoted passages from the Bard, and taught Colette to love reading. Miners had hard lives, died early, and were always in debt to the company. Claude wanted to unionize, but beatings and murders made miners afraid. In 1921 her father was shot and killed. Colette knew it was company men who killed him, and vowed revenge. After years riding the rails disguised as a man, looking for his killers, Colette landed a job as a boxcar librarian.

In 1936 Millie Lang was sent to Washington DC to work on a travel guide project. She was soon transferred to Missoula Montana to find out why a group of writers didn’t provide material. She had to learn about the state and was assisted by Alice Monroe, the town’s librarian. Alice opened her eyes to the hard lives of miners, politicians owned by mining companies, and stories of its people. Later, Millie heard about a missing librarian and a connection to Alice. Her attention was piqued.

Though each of these women came from different times and places, their stories convened in Missoula Montana in 1936. It took a lot of clever plot maneuvering by the author to make it happen, but the suspense and romance leading up to its satisfying conclusion was worth the back-and-forth between characters. The storyline is based on a real boxcar library in Missoula Montana, as well as real events in miner’s lives from that time period. It was a learning experience for me.

Recommended for Adults.

When Works Progress Administration (WPA) editor Millie Lang finds herself on the wrong end of a potential political scandal, she’s shipped off to Montana to work on the state’s American Guide Series—travel books intended to put the nation’s destitute writers to work. Millie arrives to an eclectic staff claiming their missed deadlines are due to sabotage, possibly from the state’s powerful Copper Kings who don’t want their long and bloody history with union organizers aired for the rest of the country to read. But Millie begins to suspect that the answer might instead lie with the town’s mysterious librarian, Alice Monroe.

More than a decade earlier, Alice Monroe created the Boxcar Library in order to deliver books to isolated mining towns where men longed for entertainment and connection. Alice thought she found the perfect librarian to staff the train car in Colette Durand, a miner’s daughter with a shotgun and too many secrets behind her eyes. Now, no one in Missoula will tell Millie why both Alice and Colette went out on the inaugural journey of the Boxcar Library, but only Alice returned. The three women’s stories dramatically converge in the search to uncover what someone is so desperately trying to hide: what happened to Colette Durand.

I really enjoy reading historical fiction from times and places I'm less familiar with, and Labuskes does a great job bringing me back in time. Excellent characters, great themes, and compelling plot, this may be one of the breakouts of 2025. Loved it! 5⭐

This was a little reminiscent of Jojo Moyes' Giver of the Stars for me in some ways.

I received an advanced complimentary digital copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

A beautifully written story. The three stories tied together so well. I so enjoy learning about library related history. I found reading about pioneering women taking charge during a time that really pushed against women being independent very relevant in today’s culture. These three women - Millie, Collette and Alice - were strong women who believed in the power of words to encourage, comfort and provide hope for people at the bottom of the ladder. If this resonates with you, take the time to read the authors note to learn about the real women who made the boxcar library happen and who worked in the works programs during the Great Depression.
Can’t wait to read this authors other works.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

A poignant historical fiction following three different women making their way in a difficult world. Wonderful characterization will leave you entranced by the stories of all three as they weave together into an intriguing story.

Thank you to Net Galley and William Morrow for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.
This is a depression era story told from three viewpoints. Ten years before Alice Monroe had started a Boxcar Library for the miners and their families. She had hired Collette Durand to run the Boxcar Library, although she ended up going with Collette. Now, ten years later, Millie is an employee of the Works Progress Administration. She is sent to Montana to work on the American Guide Series. She becomes involved in solving the Boxcar Library mystery. Collette had disappeared when the library was serving the miners. I liked this book, but I sometimes found it hard to follow all the storylines. The author did a good job of bringing all of the characters together, but it took a while. I enjoyed learning about the library, and I admired Alice because she wanted to help the miners. I also liked the way some of the characters occurred in more than one storyline-they had just grown older. I also enjoyed references to a lot of books and how books were used to tell the story. I recommend this book if you like stories about books and libraries.

Set in Montana in 1920s-1930’s. Women start traveling to mining towns with books by boxcar. Written from views of 3 women; Alice is from a wealthy family; Millie travels from Washington DC to write about people for a newsletter; and Colette is from a poor Montana family. The women become friends .

There were some lovely parts of this book. I especially enjoyed Colette’s sections. This story certainly has potential, however, it needs a thorough final line edit (and potentially to be rewritten in some small sections). There were some metaphors didn’t work well (and were grating for it, imo), and the emotions weren’t always woven in seamlessly. Pacing was off at times. Same for the realistic depictions in some sections.

This read like a draft from midway through the editing process, one that has some ways to go before being the final draft. Some parts were lovely and shone through, and others needed shaping to help the story come together.

I think the author could have also included more details in the setting. Especially early on, there wasn’t a sense of groundedness in the scenes. What does the town look like? What are the characters wearing? What kind of automobile are they driving? These setting details transport the reader are a big part of what make historical fiction so enjoyable to ready

The Boxcar Librarian introduced me to a place in time that I'm completely unfamiliar with. Getting to know early 20th century Montana through the eyes of our three heroines was a true pleasure. I have a feeling there are some more historical easter eggs that went over my head as well, that might be fun for someone more familiar with the period.

Collette was by far my favorite character. If I have one complaint about this book, it's that there wasn't more of her! Seeing her grow and mature while also standing by her hard-earned principles was inspiring. I look forward to seeing what Labuskes comes out with next.

The Boxcar Librarian is a journey unlike any other. The story masterfully intertwines plotlines from different time periods, clearly distinguished by character and date. The symbolism of books is seamlessly woven throughout, emphasizing their profound significance to people from all walks of life. The challenges and triumphs faced by Millie, Alice, and Colette are vividly portrayed, making their journeys deeply compelling. Even when I wasn’t reading, I found myself thinking about their stories and anticipating how they would connect. This is a remarkable tale of courage, trust, and vulnerability and I can't recommend it highly enough.

"To anyone who has ever called Montana home"

From the moment I read the dedication, I hoped to love this book, and it did such an incredible job in portraying my beautiful home state - messy history and all.

A fictionalized story about one of the founders of the Lumberjack Library, a daughter of a union man, and an editor tasked with figuring out a mystery, this novel was full of interesting characters and intrigue, with a dash of romance and plenty of references to classic books.

I don't think I've ever highlighted so many quotes in a book. The writing is phenomenal. The storytelling weaves together three very distinct lives and arcs into one incredible story. Time skip stories can be hit or miss for me, but this one was so well done. It barely touched on being bisexual in the 20s and 30s in Montana, but it didn't feel like a forced throw-in either. It was simply taken as a fact about the character with no homophobia in the story.

"When someone was curious about the world, about both their neighbors and strangers who they shared a country with, it countered the hate that could brew from ignorance and fear."

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review!

Thank you to NetGallery for allowing me to have advance access to this book.

The Boxcar Librarian is compelling story from the view points of three young women, Collette, Alice and Millie.

The setting is during The Great Depression in Montana. The author does a wonderful job of bringing you through some of the hardest times our country has endured from three very different viewpoints all while capturing the beauty that Montana has to offer.

Although I found the speed to be a little bit slow, I still enjoyed the truth telling of the trials faced during this period of time.

OMG, Brianna Labuskes enthralled me again! What a very good read The Boxcar Librarian is!

The story is set in Montana during the Depression era and is told from the points of view of three women whose stories meld together in unexpected ways. Politics, adventure, romance, war, labor relations, the Depression, and friendship are all given their turn in this wonderful genre-crossing tale. One of my favorite aspects of the book is how the author highlights the recurring theme of the power of reading to shape and change lives.

I didn't want this book to end! Do yourself a favor and spend some time within its pages!!

My sincere thanks to William Morris for allowing me to read a DRC of the book via NetGalley. Publication is 3/4/25. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.

Three characters are pivotal in this historical fiction novel about the origins of the Boxcar Libraries. The era is set around the Great Depression and the innovative programs that FDR created to help enrich the nation during a very difficult time. It was fascinating to read about this little known chapter of our nation.

This book followed 3 different women during the 1920s and 1930s. Millie is writing a guidebook. Alice is starting a boxcar library. Collette is fighting unions with her father who loves Shakespeare. It’s a book about books and how they impact the lives of these 3 women. It’s so well done. I really loved this story and I enjoyed all 3 points of view. Collete and her smart spunky personality was my favorite ❤️. Thank you to net galley and Harper Collin’s for letting me read this gem of a book!

**Features:**
- Historical Fiction set predominantly in depression era western Montana
- Focuses on a fictional version of the Lumberman’s Library
- Explores the impact of literature, strength through adversity, and corporate abuse

**Synopsis:**

Alice is a librarian with a mission: provide the wonder and escape of books to the isolated mining towns throughout Montana. She has even found the perfect woman to help run her library on rails. Colette Durand is a tough miner’s daughter who is no stranger to hardship or the lengths companies will go to keep their workers in line. Her one escape were the stories her father used to tell and the love of reading he had passed on to her. Over a decade later, Millie Lang finds herself in Missoula working on a travel guide series for the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Once there, she finds herself navigating a web of secrets that have threatened to halt her project. At the center of it all is librarian Alice Monroe; the only one to return from the Boxcar Library’s firsts journey.

**Thoughts:**

This book definitely exceeded my expectations. Where the titular Boxcar Library plays a central role and there is plenty of love for literature, this story ended up being about so much more. It is told through the perspectives of Colette, Alice, and Millie and spans two decades between the three of them. Colette’s story begins in 1914, Alice’s in 1924, and Millie’s in 1936 with all three storylines eventually meeting up. Though all three women love literature, they each have very different experiences that have led them to appreciate it in different ways. Of course, there are still some moments of bookish sappiness and some eye roll inducing title drops, but I would be disappointed if they weren’t in a book like this! In fact, these moments help balance out the more serious nature of the overall story in a way that’s clever given the context.

In addition to Boxcar Library and Millie’s project, this story is a snapshot of western Montana and the corporate politics during this time period. The various mining towns and even Missoula itself are intimately tied to the mining company that is almost the sole employer of the people who live there. This book explores this messy power dynamic that is only exacerbated by the Great Depression and the lengths people are willing to go to keep it hidden from the public eye. It is an interesting slice of history I did not know a lot about going in and I’m glad I got to see here. I would definitely recommend this book to book lovers and history fans alike!