Ponder: The Giver of Stars

I give The Giver of Stars © 2019  FIVE stars.

This novel by Jojo Moyes is based on the real-life project known as the Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky. Per Wikipedia

The Pack Horse Library Project was a Works Progress Administration (WPA) program that delivered books to remote regions in the Appalachian Mountains between 1935 and 1943. Women were very involved in the project which eventually had 30 different libraries serving 100,000 people. Pack horse librarians were known by many different names including "book women," "book ladies," and "packsaddle librarians." The project helped employ around 200 people and reached around 100,000 residents in rural Kentucky.

The book features the grit of four women who braved harsh conditions, rugged terrains, gender biases, race biases, and societal prejudices to deliver books to the under-privileged in the remote hill areas of Kentucky. Margery, the team leader and a strong feminist in today's terms, is also a role model for Alice, Isabelle, and Beth. Alice comes from a wealthy family in England and strives gallantly to adapt to a rustic Kentucky lifestyle. Isabelle struggles with a physical disability and Beth – well, pipe-puffing, chain smoker, Beth is just ornery, outspoken Beth. The physical and emotional endurance of these women is awe-inspiring. Their compassion for the hill people and less fortunate is heart-warming as time after time they demonstrate acts of kindness and bravery on the behalf of the less fortunate. Although the book features many common stereotypes – the  cruel and greedy coal mine boss, the hillbilly with his still, the gun toting macho man who is mean when drunk, the illiterate men and women trying to scratch out a living and raise their many children, the strong but gentle and kind supporting males contrasted with the weak milk-toast husband – the characters all become real, believable, and interact together superbly. Personally I think character portrayal is one of Jojo Moyes greater strengths. I have read and enjoyed other books by her, rating most four or five stars:

• After You ©2016 (9/20/16) ★★★★☆
• One Plus One ©2014 (7/17/15) ★★★★★
• Me Before You ©2014 (6/28/15) ★★★★☆
• The Last Letter from Your Lover ©2012 (10/14/15) ★★★★☆
• Windfallen (7/25/15) ©2004 ★★★☆☆ (or even less)

The action and suspenseful scenes are plentiful and keep the novel fast-moving. I read it in one continuous read, stopping reluctantly one night to sleep. The action and suspense are mainly vehicles to showcase an inspiring tale of friendship, camaraderie, mutual support, understanding, and loyalty among a group of women. A broad spectrum of the relationships between a man and a woman are explored and provide much food for thought. I also found Jojo Moyes' wording and similes captivating. Here are a few examples.

"You know the worst thing about a man hitting you?" Margery said finally. "Ain't the hurt. It's that in that instant you realize the truth of what it is to be a woman. That it don't matter how smart you are, how much better at arguing, how much better than them, period. It's when you realize they can always just shut you up with a fist. Just like that." [Chapter 12]

This town could polish a piece of gossip and preserve it like an insect in amber. It would still be rolling around whole centuries later. ...[Chapter 15]

... a route most considered impassable, given the steepness of the terrain and the dense undergrowth. But both she and Charley, having been raised on rough ground, could see a way through as instinctively as a boss could see a dollar sign... [Chapter 18]

I enjoyed the action, the suspense, the plot surprises, the language, and the characters immensely. I recommend it highly for discussion within book clubs, between husband-wife pairs, or perhaps just with a close friend or family member.