The Giver Of Stars

 What is not to love about The Giver Of Stars, a historical novel about five strong female protagonists? Jojo Moyes, a British author, wrote this story set mostly in Eastern Kentucky during the great depression. Of one the five female heroines in Alive Van Cleeve. She married Bennett Van Cleeve to escape her disapproving family in England. Her father-in-law (a classic villain) owns the coal mine and is used to getting his way and micro-managing everyone around him including his son and new daughter-in-law. Alice can't stand the stuffy atmosphere in the Van Cleeve house. When an opportunity comes up to be a pack horse librarian courtesy of the WPA (works progress association), Alice signs up. She gives up her frilly dresses and manicures for breeches and work boots. She learns the route from Margery who grew up in this town. Margery is known for her tendency to say what ever is on her mind without a filter and her inability to care what other people think of her.  Izzy is another one of the five woman pack horse librarians. She joined because her mother made her join. She doesn't want to do this job. She has never ridden a horse before. She has a birth defect and has to wear a built up shoe in order to walk without crutches. Margery and Alice help her figure out how to ride a horse successfully. For the first time in her life, when she is on a horse, Izzy realizes her disability is  not visible and she comes to love her job. Beth is the fourth pack horse librarian. She tends to swear a lot and can sometimes make mean comments. With the long days riding horses over mountains delivering books, the library becomes a mess. Sophia is hired to organize the books and keep records and to repair the books as necessary. The people in rural Kentucky come to love getting new books every week. Then a flood threatens people who live near a creek, the pack horse librarians warn people to  move to higher ground. Some people in the town don't appreciate the work of these five women. When one of the five women is accused of a crime, politics work against them. I loved all five of the women and I loved the friendship they cultured together. I thought this was a great book.