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Monday, September 14, 2020

The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes (Review)


I've enjoyed every book I've read by Jojo Moyes and this latest book by her is one of the best books I've read this year.

BOOK DETAILS:

Title: The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
Category: Adult Fiction, 400 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books
Publication date: Oct 8, 2019
Content Rating: PG-13 (some language, family abuse, sex scenes not explicit)


BOOK DESCRIPTION:

From the author of Me Before You, set in Depression-era America, a breathtaking story of five extraordinary women and their remarkable journey through the mountains of Kentucky and beyond

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.


My Review:
Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

I've enjoyed every book I've read by Jojo Moyes and this latest book by her is one of the best books I've read this year. It's the story of strong resilient women, librarian pioneers known as the Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky who built and ran a library in the remote area of a Kentucky mountain village.

Alice is an English woman who marries Bennett, an American man, and travels back to live with him under the shadow of his father, a ruthless powerful man who owns one of the mines in the village. But her marriage quickly goes downhill and Alice is stifled and lonely, until she decides to join the Packhorse librarians and finds her calling in delivering books to families in the village and in the most remote parts of the mountains. She soon forms a bond with these women as they face prejudice, ignorance, difficult weather conditions, and criminal accusations.

There are several things I loved about this book. The setting (small village life and its struggles) the time in history (Depression-era America), the themes that run throughout the story, such as the value of books to educate, heal and entertain; the meaning of marriage; the strength of friendships; and the injustice of the justice system. The plot was unpredictable and I found myself holding my breath as I contemplated what was going to happen next.

If you love stories about strong women who have fought to make a difference in people's lives, if you like stories about the value of libraries and books, if you love American historical fiction with plenty of drama, then you will enjoy The Giver of Stars. I look forward to revisiting this story when it comes out as a major motion picture!

Disclosure: I borrowed this book from the library.  I was not told how to rate or review this product.


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About the Author:



Jojo Moyes is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Giver of Stars, Still Me, After You, Me Before You, The Horse Dancer, Paris for One and Other Stories, One Plus One, The Girl You Left Behind, The Last Letter from Your Lover, Silver Bay, and The Ship of Brides. She lives with her husband and three children in Essex, England.

Connect with the author: website

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4 comments :

  1. great cover. gives me a feeling of peace and contentment. it's great to find an author that delivers every time and i do like to read 'true' stories

    sherry @ fundinmental

    ReplyDelete
  2. I’ve never read anything by her but I’ve heard lots of love for her novels.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I started reading this one and couldn't really get into it, but I'm definitely going to go back to it. Have you read BOOK WOMAN OF TROUBLEMSOME CREEK? That was one of my favorite reads this year and I'm interested to see how THE GIVER OF STARS compares.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I requested The Book Woman from Troublesome Creek at my local library as soon as I finished reader Giver.

      Delete

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