Kim Michele Richardson wrote The Book Woman Of Troublesome Creek. As I read it the story seemed so familiar. Set in Kentucky after the great depression, woman were hired to ride horses or mules and deliver library materials to the people living in the hills outside of town. This book seemed so familiar I thought it mentioned some of the very same book women. I thought for sure this author wrote the other book I read. Turns out JoJo Mars wrote The Giver of Stars. JoJo Mars was accused of plagiarism. Both books were based on historical records in Kentucky about these brave Pack Horse librarians so anyone can see how they would be similar. I really don't know if it was coincidence or plagiarism. I liked both books. This one was from the perspective of Cussy Carter. Cussy rode an ornery mule and her nickname was Bluet. Her skin was blue or blueish in tint and that is how she got the nickname Bluet. As I understand it there is a rare congenital defect found in some people in Kentucky and also some native people in Alaska that affects their blood's ability to carry oxygen. Instead of reddish blood these people have blood that is more brown and red and it makes their skin look blueish especially when they blush or are cold or too hot. Any situation that makes my skin reddish would make Cussy's skin blueish. Cussy has a hard life. Her mother died young. Her father is a coal miner and has lung disease. She is treated by some of the townspeople as colored because her skin is not white. Her father is basically a good guy but he makes some poor decisions on her behalf. Cussy has to deal with misogynistic lechers and/or preachers who try to attack her in the woods. Cussy is a character I will remember for a long time. Cussy is a literary hero!
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