THE GIVER OF STARS
The Giver of Stars is a story of female friendship between the “Packhorse Librarians” - a group of women tasked by the Works Progress Administration with delivering books through rural mountains in post-Depression Kentucky. Each has her own reasons for embarking on this mission, but all find independence from their past life - and connection to each other - through their work. At the center of the story is Alice, a newly married transplant from England whose home life is oppressive and stifling. Her transition from refined lady to intrepid pioneer is one of the book’s strongest and most delightful storylines.
I enjoyed this sweet story of friendship and I recommend it highly if you are drawn to books that are plot-driven and not too heavy. A few things kept me from falling in love: it’s quite light on the history and romance, as well as other issues that would have added depth (race, worker exploitation, extreme poverty). The characters felt a bit typecast in their own story - the naive one, the wild one, the spunky one, et al. And yet: I did care about these women, and rooted for them wholeheartedly. I did want to find out what would happen to the Packhorse Librarians, and I did feel their growing support of and genuine love for one another. The authenticity of their bond won me over, and made me want to keep returning to this positive story of tenacity, friendship and strength. Not every story needs to break your heart and stitch it back together - this one left my heart intact and was a very satisfying and enjoyable read.
As you might imagine, there’s a whole lot of Kentucky bourbon to be had here. Since it’s holiday time, I decide to make authentic Kentucky bourbon balls. For a no-bake treat, they were surprisingly labor intensive and gave my food processor a work out! They’re covered in cocoa, confectioners sugar and crushed pistachios and taste boozier than I expected. I used a fancy bourbon somebody gave my husband as a gift once and I really hope nobody minds that they ended up in some holiday candy!
