Thanks to Penguin UK-Michael Joseph and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book, which I freely chose to review.
Jojo Moyes was a name familiar to me (from bestseller lists, movie adaptations, bookshops…) but she was one of the authors I knew by name but hadn’t yet read. When I saw this book on offer at NetGalley and read the description and the fact that it was based on a real historical scheme, the 1930s Horseback Librarians of Kentucky, I thought this was a perfect opportunity to familiarise myself with her writing. As a book lover, I am always fond of stories about books and libraries, and the historical angle was a bonus for me. The Horseback Librarians of Kentucky was one of the projects set up by the WPA (Works Progress Administration), a New Deal Agency established as an attempt to provide work for victims of the Great Depression. In this case, women who could ride (horses, mules…) set up the equivalent of a mobile library, and offered books and reading materials to their neighbours, reaching even those who lived deep in the mountains, too far and too busy to regularly visit the town. In an area as beautiful as it was poor (and it seems it still remains fairly poor and under resourced), the levels of literacy were minimal, and the librarians went beyond the simple delivering of books, becoming a lifeline to many of the families they regularly visited. Although I had read about the WPA and some of their projects, I wasn’t familiar with this one, and it does make for a fascinating setting to the story.
Moyes usually writes contemporary fiction (with more than a touch of romance), so this novel breaks new ground. As I haven’t read any of her previous novels, I cannot make comparisons, but I had a great time reading this novel, which combines an easy and fluid writing style (with some wonderful descriptions of the Kentucky mountains), strong and compelling characters, especially the librarians, with a plot full of adventures, sad and joyful events, romance, and even a possible murder. This is a tale of sisterhood, of women fighting against all odds (society’s prejudices, difficult conditions, nature, illness, domestic violence, evil…), of the power of books, and of a time and a place that are far from us and yet familiar (unfortunately, some things haven’t changed that much).
What did I like, in particular? Many things. I am not an expert on Kentucky or on the historical period, so you must take this with a pinch of salt, but I loved the atmosphere and the period feel. I enjoyed the description of the feelings of the women as they rode their routes, particularly because by telling the story from the point of view of two of the women, Margery, who’s lived there all her life, and Alice, just arrived from England and totally unfamiliar with the area and the lifestyle, we get the familiarity and the newness, and learn that the heartfelt experience goes beyond being comfortable and at home. The mountains have an effect on these women, and at a point when Alice’s life is collapsing around her, give her the strength to go on. Both, the beauty of untamed nature and the comfort of literature, help give meaning to the lives of the protagonists and those who come in contact with them. Of course, not everybody appreciates those, and, in fact, the true villains of the story are people (mostly men, but not only, and I’m not going to reveal the plot in detail) who don’t care for literature and don’t respect nature. (There is an environmental aspect to the story as well, the coalmining industry caring little for the workers or the land if it got in the way of the profit margin).
I also fell for the characters. Margery is magnetic from the beginning: a woman whose father was violent, an abuser and an alcoholic, with a reputation that has tainted her as well; she is determined to live life her own way, help others, and not let anybody tell her what to do (and that includes the man she loves, who is rather nice). Although the novel is written in the third person, we see many of the events from her point of view, and although she is a woman who guards her emotions tightly and does not scare easy, she is put to the test, suffers a great deal, and she softens a bit and becomes more willing to give up some of her independence in exchange for a life richer in relationships and connections by the end of the story. Alice, on the other hand, starts as a naïve newcomer, with little common sense, that makes rushed decisions and believes in fairy tales. She thinks Bennett, her husband, is the charming prince who’s come to rescue her from an uncaring family, but she soon discovers she has changed a prison for another. Her transformation is, in some ways, the complete opposite to that of Margery. She becomes more independent, learns to care less about appearances and opinions, and discovers what is truly important for her.
In a way, the librarians provide a catalogue of different models of womanhood and also of diversity (we have a woman who lives alone with her male relatives, smokes, drinks and is outspoken; a young girl with a limp due to polio who lives under the shadow of her mother; an African American woman who gave up on her dreams to look after her brother, and who is the only trained librarian; and a widow from the mountains, saved by the power of books and by her relationship with other women), and although there are male characters —both, enablers, like Fred and Sven, and out and out enemies— these are not as well defined or important to the story (well, they set things in motion, but they are not at the heart of the story). I was quite curious about Bennett, Alice’s husband, whom I found a bit of a puzzle (he does not understand his wife, for sure, but he is not intentionally bad, and I was never sure he really knew himself), and would have liked to know more about the women whose points of view we were not privy to, but I enjoyed getting to know them all and sharing in their adventures. (Oh, and I loved the ending, that offers interesting glimpses into some of the characters we don’t hear so much about).
And yes, adventures there are aplenty. I’ve seen this book described as an epic, and it is not a bad word. There are floods, a murder trial, stories of corruption and shady business deals, bigotry and scandal, a couple of books that play important parts (a little blue book, and, one of my favourite reads as a young girl, Little Women, and its role made me smile), recipes, libraries, births, deaths, confrontations, violence (not extreme), and romance (no erotica or explicit sex scenes). This being a very conservative (and in some ways isolated society), the examples of what was considered acceptable male and female behaviour might seem old-fashioned even for the time, but, as the #MeToo movement has reminded us, some things are slow to change.
Was there anything I didn’t like? Well, no, but people need to be aware that this is a light read, a melodrama, and although it provides an inspirational tale of sisterhood, it does not offer an in-depth analysis of the ills of the society at the time. The villains, are presented as bad individuals, pure evil, and we learn nothing about them other than they are bad. Although many other important topics are hinted at and appear in the background, this is the story of this particular individuals, and not a full depiction of the historical period, but it is a great yarn and very enjoyable.
The author provides information on her note to the reader about the historical background and how she became interested in the story, and I’ve read some reviews highlighting the existence of other books on the topic, that I wouldn’t mind reading either. For me, this book brings to light an interesting episode of American history and of women’s history, creating a fascinating narrative that illustrates the lives of women in the Kentucky Mountains in the 1930s, with characters that I got to care for, suffer and rejoice with. Yes, I did shed the odd tear. And I’d recommend it to anybody who enjoys historical fiction, women’s fiction, and to Moyes’s fans. This might be a departure from her usual writing, but, at least for me, it’s a welcome one.

What a beautiful and engaging book this ended up being. I've loved many of Jojo Moyes books and I adored the premise of this book as soon as I heard about it. Women riding through the country to bring the joy of books to those who might have otherwise not have heard of it. No wonder Jojo Moyes herself said the story of these women utterly captiavated. I have no doubt that whoever reads this book will be just as captivated by the characters that she has brought to life.

This book is more than just it's seated roots in historical fiction. The characters, as we've come to expect from Jojo Moyes are rich and three dimensional and impossible not to love or hate. Alice, grows before our eyes to become the person she was probably always meant to be. Margery, always frowned on by the town, finds her new purpose and discovers that whilst you might be happy on your own, that doesn't necessarily mean you can't be happier with other people in your life. I cried, and I laughed and I never wanted it to end. Was I that surprised with the plot, maybe not? Did it matter? Absolutely not.

More than anything, the book deals with issues such as identity and belonging, about finding your family, in whatever form they take.

This is an area of history which had passed me by! Kentucky, 1937 and a new initiative is planned to increase literacy rates in the state. Due to the remoteness of some dwellings, female librarians were recruited to ride horses or mules to deliver books and magazines.
The story has been based on fact but has some wonderful fictional characters. It tells of the fortitude and skills of these pioneering ladies and the treatment and discrimination they had to endure.
Although this is a fictional telling, the research is comprehensive and the characters are vividly brought to life. The hardships endured during the winter, during flooding and during the incessant discrimination is difficult to believe that it happened only 80 years ago.
I found i became truly immersed in the fortunes of these ladies in what was ultimately a mans world.
Read and enjoy .







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When Alice meets the handsome Bennett Van Cleve, she can't waited to leave her boring English life behind and travel with her new husband to Kentucky. What she didn't expect was to be living in a small town in the Appalachian mountains, under the oppressive roof of her father-in-law, owner of the local coal mine and a man with very specific ideas on how a woman should behave. So when a call goes out for lady librarians to deliver books around the county on horseback, she jumps at the opportunity.

The WPA Pack Horse Library Project was an initiative with ran from 1935 to 1943, delivering books to those without access to books and improving literacy rates in rural areas. It was a time and place where people were suspicious of outsiders and new ideas.

Jojo Moyes might be best known for her contemporary fiction, but she's already got several historical fiction books under her belt. The Giver of Stars isn't based on a specific library but there were many like them. There is even a record of one run by a Mrs Van Cleve, but it wasn't an Alice.

In Baileyville, women are expected to get married and have babies. They shouldn't be gallivanting around the mountains of horseback. Alice is having troubling fitting in, her home-life is miserable and the town's ladies view her with disapproval, especially Bennett's childhood sweetheart. The library provides her purpose and friendship, and a sense of independence. The librarians were paid, at a time when there weren't a lot of employment opportunities for women.

Margery is an outsider too. She's from bad blood if you listen to the townsfolk, but that's compounded by her desire not to conform to the standards expected of her. She's an unmarried women with no desire to get married, despite a man who loves her. She does not want to be owned. At the time that was a scandalous notion to have, and soon she is being accused of spreading immoral ways via the library.

The library's mission is set against the backdrop of horrific conditions at the mine run by Alice's father-in-law. This was a time where unions were starting to form and bosses did everything they could do to keep them out. The area also suffered from severe flooding in this period which is also covered in the story. And of course, the racism of the time is rife, with certain townsfolk aghast at a black librarian in their white library.

Each chapter starts with an extract from a book that I'm assuming would have been available at the time. Certainly things that give an idea of what they might have been reading. The librarians didn't just deliver books, they also circulated magazines, comics and recipes. When books got damaged they would salvage what they could and sew together new editions.

A wonderful story set in 1930's Kentucky about strong and supportive female friendships, of how women stood up to the men that were ruling and the power of books on peoples lives. We follow a group of women as they take a stand to bring books into a poor community, delivering books by horseback into remote places, which is based on true events making it so much more appealing. The vivid descriptions of the women and the landscape enthralled me and a book which is quite long became not long enough. I was completely immersed in the era and the characters felt real to me and their troubles partly mine.
This was not what I was expecting to read from this author, but it certainly made me happy (and sad) but ultimately hopeful. Excellent and highly recommended. Warning for scenes of domestic abuse.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the gifted copy of this book.

This was not what I expected of a Jojo Moyes novel but I was pleasantly surprised by the change in setting. Strong female characters fighting sexism in a time when it was the norm and well written male characters that I loved to dislike.

Overall a gripping gritty romance well worthy of a read.

This is the first novel I have read by JoJo Moyes that's been outside of the "Me before you" universe and I was so surprised at just how much I loved it. It's really easy to get used to an author and to then only follow your favourite characters/series, but I am so glad to have branched out to an alternate book from this author.

I absolutely adored all of the leading ladies in this book and am so glad that we got to follow them all as individuals and also as a group. The fact that the story is based on real life events really brings a whole other element to the novel. As an avid reader, I really feel like the author captured the joy that reading can bring and how important it can be for our friendships and our future.

I also loved the way that JoJo Moyes wrote the importance of friendships, family and community. The story was truly captivating, I was quite often on the edge of my seat, not feeling like I could turn the page quick enough to read what was going to happen next. I felt like as the reader, I got to ride the highs and lows of each characters stories alongside them; celebrating their joys and commiserating their disappointments. This was really well written and it was so easy to get lost in a whole other world; it truly felt like an escape.

Definitely one of my favourite books I've read this year and worth 5/5 for sure.

Whilst I enjoyed the story about five strong women each with a role to play in this book, it can’t compare to the outstanding Me Before You trilogy. I found the setting of Kentucky in the 1930’s a bit dull. If you enjoy period drama then this will probably suit you.

Everyone likes to hear about strong women so going back to when they were on horseback and starting up the first library delivery service makes you realise how hard they had it back then. But what a remarkable story about these three women, their lives, hopes and dreams. This would make a great film like many of JoJo's books. So glad I picked to read it going by the author as if I had known it was set years ago I probably wouldn't have read it, so pleased I did as it is a brilliant story.

I really enjoyed reading about the ladies of the packhorse library who were trailblazers in every sense of the word. 1930s America is a very male dominated world and reading is not highly prized. However, this motley crew take library books and spread the joy of reading across miles of wilderness and face many difficulties to do this. Alice, from England, has married a man who seems to have no interest in her and whose dominant Father is heading up very shady business interests. Alice joins the packhorse team and discovers real friendship for the first time along with a sense of purpose. All the members of the team bring courage and commitment with them which they need to overcome dangerous times. A feelgood read with warmth and interest, my only criticism is that it was slightly too long, perhaps needed an edit.

It was great to have a stand alone novel from Jo Jo Moyes although I thoroughly enjoyed teh Me Before You trilogy. It was also refreshing to go back in time to the 1930s. The characters were well rounded and believable and it is an accomplished novel from an author who can be relied on for great story telling.

When I started reading this book I wasn't convinced that I would like it, however as I kept going I was pleasantly surprised. As explained at the beginning of the book, the novel is loosely based on a true story, of brave women travelling across a county to provide books to those that may not get access to literacy or education any other way. Set in rural Kentucky during the Depression era in America, each character has their own story and struggle. Although I wouldn’t consider historical fiction to be my favourite genre, this book did move me (in a good way).

The main characters were very likable and the book itself was well written; once started, it was almost impossible not to find yourself speeding through the pages. Set in an age where women were not seen as needing a job, it was both interesting and empowering to see women recreating what they thought should be the future, particularly considering the type of people that were utilising the horseback mobile library – it was interesting to think about how libraries have developed and the kind of people that need and use them, especially in comparison with how libraries are used and regarded now.

Overall this book flows really well and the characterisation is great – there weren’t any issues when differentiating between the different characters and their situations, which is always a good thing when a book contains a lot of characters. I would recommend this book as I enjoyed it, regardless of what kind of fiction you enjoy. My only issue was that I felt like everything was tied up a little too neatly at the end, but at the same time it was nice to have an enjoyable ending.

Wow yet again Jojo Moyes excels, what a great book I really enjoyed it.
Centred on the stories of two women from really different backgrounds who come together with others to create a travelling library service in the mountains of Kentucky. The Giver of Stars investigates the position of women in the 1930s and the behaviour of some men towards women, men who think they can bully and win, but these indomitable women show how this can be dealt with. It also brings out the power of love, in all its true senses.
As ever the writing flows easily.

I have read and enjoyed most of Jojo Moyes books and this one does not disappoint. Set in a factual background the story is a total page turner. Wonderful characters living in a part of America not well known but so beautifully described I feel that I have been there. A lovely story with a real twist towards the end. I laughed and I cried, a perfect set of emotions for a really good read. Thoroughly recommenced. .

Inspired by the true story of Eleanor Roosevelt’s initiative to boost morale and literacy in the years following the Great Drepression, ‘The Giver of Stars’ is a simply stunning read, set in the mountains surrounding 1930’s Eastern Kentucky. It focuses on five women from the small town of Baileyville who deliver books on horseback to remote mountain communities. Margery, Alice, Izzy, Beth, Sophia, Kathleen are packhorse librarians who rise at dawn and saddle up in all weathers to bring books, moral support and much-needed succour to isolated families.

From the first page I was completely immersed in the lives of these incredible pioneering women and was captivated by their indomitable spirits as they face the whole gamut of issues. Jojo’s epic storytelling explores issues of domestic violence, disability, racism, sexism, class divides and exploitation in her usual utterly captivating style. She is truly a masterful storyteller who has once again triumphed in bringing this magical piece of history to life for a new generation.

I imagine that would have been all too easy to write another story in the vein of Will and Louisa, but instead Jojo Moyes has sought out new territory. We are richly rewarded with this compelling story of strong women whose refusal to conform to the gender stereotypes of the time results in firm friendships with each other. This, together with the bonds they forge with those they come into contact with, sustain them through unimaginable adversity and hardships. No spoilers!

In the preface, Jojo describes a series of trips to live in the Kentucky mountains in order to gain a feel for this milieu. This care and attention to detail leaps off the page creating a dazzling narrative , where detailed descriptions of mountain life are lovingly and stunningly recreated with real authenticity. A superlative read which I’ll be buying multiple copies to gift for Christmas. Thank you Penguin UK and Netgalley for the ARC.

I loved this. I am a Jojo Moyes fan - particularly her most recent books, and despite the fact that the setting was very different from her usual style, I thought she pulled it off very well. The story was gripping, the characters well developed and everything came to a satisfactory conclusion. Thank you so much!

The Giver of Stars
JoJo Moyes
Publisher: Penguin Uk - Michael Joseph
Publication Date 3/10/19

4.5 stars
A definite slow burner but built into a thrilling climax. Based on a real library project in 1930’s Kentucky, with strong female characters in a harsh, male dominated environment, this was a fascinating insight into another world. It took me a while to get into it but I really enjoyed it once I had. Highly recommended.
I’d like to thank the author, publisher and netgalley for providing me with this advance digital copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

I was really excited to read this novel but I have to admit that it was a slow burner and hard going to start with. However it warmed up into a touching and fascinating story. Not her best in my opinion but. Great read

Jojo Moyes has a beautiful way with words and I’ve loved her contemporary works, but this is most definitely my favourite.
Part mystery, part female empowerment and part a tale of belonging, The Giver of Stars is a wonderful period blend of the Golden Girls and The Gilmore Girls. Not only does it pull you in from the very start, it allows you to feel like you’re one of them.
It’s a perfect read for these darkening evenings and will make for a perfect gift for anyone who enjoys a historical book with a modern flair.

Set in America in the 1930’s, Alice is a stranger in a foreign land when she moves across the world to be with her husband, who she believes is the love of her life, only to realise she doesn’t know him at all. She is lonely and so decides to volunteer to help start a travelling library to be run by women. This opens her to the friendship of four unlikely woman and follows their stories in a time when woman are starting to be more than just house wives.

I have to admit I was a bit unsure when I started reading this as I am not as massive fan of historical fiction, I can read it but I have to be in the right mood for it and I will be honest I hadn’t read the description when I requested the ARC, I just saw it was Jojo and said “yes please!!”
That being said I was quickly drawn in (as is usually the case with anything I read by Moyes) and I found myself enjoying the story line.

I enjoyed that although the story was fictional, the library initiative was real and helped so many people.