Inspired by a true story, the unforgettable journey of five
extraordinary women living in perilous times. (Review by Fiona de Goede)
As an ardent Jojo Moyes fan, I was looking forward
to reading her latest offering and I’m pleased to report that The Giver of Stars did not
disappoint.
The story is set in Kentucky in the unremarkable
southern Appalachian town of Baileyville, in 1937. Alice van Cleve, an English
girl who does not fit in or conform to English society norms, meets the
attractive American, Bennett van Cleve, and rashly decides to marry him to
escape her stifling English life. However, she soon discovers that her life in
America is not the dream she envisioned and that Bennett is no match for his
overbearing father, the owner of a coal mine.
As Alice starts to despair and feels
increasingly out of her depth, a meeting at the town hall to discuss the
possibility of a traveling library service finds her volunteering to become
involved with this project. This is when
she meets Margery O’Hare, a formidable woman who is not afraid to speak her
mind and flaunt the confines of convention.
The two women, with several regular volunteers,
attempt the almost impossible task of bringing books to the poor and isolated
families in the area. They ride across treacherous terrain in severe weather
conditions and very soon the task becomes extremely rewarding as hitherto
suspicious folk start to look forward to the books and the librarians’ visits.
When the body of a notorious drunkard and
troublemaker is found in the mountains, the town is divided as to who the
possible murderer may be. It is a testament of the girls’ friendship that they
stand together and fight the accusations directed at one of their own.
I found the topic of this book extremely
fascinating – especially as it is based on a true story. The characters are believable and I enjoyed
the description of the routes the girls followed through the mountains. I have
very seldom read a book where two characters are given equal status: normally
there is a main protagonist and various supporting characters with less of a
story line. I found that although Alice was the main character, Margery’s story
was given almost as much attention. This is not a criticism, rather just an
observation and something that I rather liked – both Alice and Margery are
strong, independent women, each with a unique point of view.
Something else I would like to comment on: at
the beginning of his courtship of Alice, Bennett van Cleve showered the English
girl with attention and compliments. As much as I understood how Mr van Cleve
stifled the newlyweds’ efforts to be alone and to have a normal married life, I
was rather astounded that after a year of having tied the knot, they had not
yet consummated the marriage! It was a bit odd, after pursuing her quite openly
and ardently, that Bennett van Cleve then lost all interest in Alice. And even
when Alice decides very boldly, to take the initiative and approach Bennett, he
not only shuns her, he is disgusted by her. It did mean that Alice had a reason
to have the marriage annulled, especially as a new love interest in the form of
Fred Guisler arrived on the scene. This is a bit of a spoiler, apologies!
Another thing that I found quite remarkable was
that Alice was able to spend an entire day on horseback, in the blazing sun,
sweaty and grimy and then, with just a damp washcloth, be able to restore
herself “so that her skin was once again soft and sweet-smelling”! This is
indeed a feat I think many of us would love to be able to master.
All in all I loved The Giver of Stars, and the fact that it is so completely different
from her other novels, is once again testament to the fact that Jojo Moyes is a
very talented and gifted storyteller.
A postscript which I found interesting: The
WPA’s Horseback Librarian programme ran from 1935 to 1943. At its height it
brought books to more than a hundred thousand rural inhabitants. No programme
like it has ever been set up since.
Eastern Kentucky remains one of the poorest –
and most beautiful – places in the United States.
The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes is published
by PenguinRandomHouse. ISBN: 9780718183233. Recommended Retail Price R270.00 - Fiona
de Goede
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