The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes was our book club selection for March. The story was set in depression era Kentucky, and told the tale of the lives of women involved in the traveling library program, set up by Eleanor Roosevelt to help get books to people who could not afford to buy them, nor travel to get them. The two main characters are Alice and Marjorie. Alice is a young English woman who marries a Kentucky boy while he is traveling in England, and has to find her way in rural Kentucky. Marjorie is a native Kentuckian who comes from “the wrong side of the tracks” and whose family is not well thought of. They come together through the traveling library and become friends. They are joined by other strong women in their community who band together to form a unique network to support each other and get books to people in the hills. Their job is difficult, but life is hard in many ways in their community.
There are many characters in the book that I truly liked, from the two main characters, Alice and Marjorie, but also Sven, Fred, Mrs. Brady and Izzy. Once again, it pointed out the greed of mine owners who cared more for money than the safety and welfare of their workers.
Almost all of us really enjoyed the book with 4 of us giving it a 3.5 rating, while one gave it a 4, and Chris, who picked the book, gave it the lowest at 2.5
She would have liked more information about the traveling library program and the depression, and less about the romances in the book. I thought it had a very similar storyline to the Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek, which I had read last year (and I probably preferred). I enjoyed the information about the traveling library and the dedication of the women who carried books to the rural areas of Kentucky, which was not an easy task. I also loved how reading transformed so many people.
When Marjorie is arrested for murder, it is the women who try to help. I was sad that more of the people who benefited from not only the books, but the kindness, the sacrifices and the caring of Marjorie O’Hare did not come forward after she was arrested. Anything that could go wrong for Marjorie did. I do not know enough about the law in the 1930’s in Kentucky, but her lawyer did very little to help her or defend her.
In keeping with the theme of the book, Chris hosted us to a truly southern meal – a seeming stretch for a Scottish lass, but she outdid herself with corn bread, fried chicken, greens and black eyed peas.
Since the book was based in the hills of Kentucky, we drank Kentucky mules – a combination of Kentucky bourbon, lime juice and ginger ale. To top it off, she made a coffee dessert which was delicious. After all, a book club is about socializing as well as discussing books, and there was plenty to discuss. A great book club and a good book.