Book Review: The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes

In the 1930s, also called the Depression-era of America, Eleanor Roosevelt (wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt) came up with the idea of traveling libraries for spreading education across the nation. The novel "The Giver of Stars" by "Jojo Moyes" is about the lives of five women in Kentucky who join the cause and become packhorse librarians, usually delivering books on horseback/mule. 

Initially, the citizens of Kentucky are not too trusting of this idea, but the sheer dedication and passion with which the books are delivered draw them in. As the plot goes ahead, we delve deeper into the lives of these women and why they chose this profession, while all that the other women of the village ever did was cook for their families and gossip. How the traveling library fares and the journey of these women form the crux of the book. Also, the reference to popular English classics, children’s books and poems of that time lead us to the inspiration to the title of this book.

It’s not surprising that our world started off from a place where women were only expected to cook and give birth to children. Voicing or even having opinions led to serious implications. This predicament was also faced by colored people where the discrimination extended to the absurd concept of colored libraries and restrooms. Also, the beginnings of industrial pollution and the working conditions of mines throws light on the disparity between the rich and the needy. One thing is certain, our ancestors and women went through many hardships to bring society to this privileged position.

 The true intent of any impactful historical fiction is to make its readers strive for and look forward to development. And this book achieves it by showing us how our ancestors have done it all.