The Librarian of Boone's Hollow by Kim Vogel Sawyer

 

                                                                     About the book

A traveling librarian ventures into the mining towns of Kentucky on horseback and rediscovers her passions in this powerful novel from the best-selling author of A Silken Thread.

During the Great Depression, Addie Cowherd dreams of being a novelist and offering readers the escape that books gave her during her tragic childhood. When her adoptive father loses his job, she is forced to leave college and take the only employment she can find--delivering books on horseback to poor coal mining families in the hills of Kentucky.

The small community of Boone's Hollow is suspicious of outsiders and steeped in superstitions that leave Addie feeling rejected and indignant. Although she finds an unexpected friend in an elderly outcast, the other horseback librarians scorn her determination to befriend Nanny Fay.

Emmett Tharp grew up in the tiny mountain hamlet where most men either work in the coal mine or run moonshine. He's the first in the community to earn a college degree, and he has big dreams, but witnesses the Depression robbing many young men of their future.

Then someone sets out to sabotage the library program, going so far as to destroy Addie's novel in progress. Will the saboteur chase Addie and the other librarians away, or will knowledge emerge victorious over prejudice? Is Emmett the local ally that Addie needs--and might their friendship lead to something more?

Inspired by the real WPA program that sent librarians on horseback to deliver books to hill families in Kentucky, Kim Vogel Sawyer immersed herself in Appalachian history to tell this captivating story. 

My thoughts:

The Librarian of Boone’s County penned by Kim Vogel Sawyer is a terrific historical novel set during the Great Depression.   I thoroughly enjoyed the journey each of the characters took to make it through the trying times they faced, life was hard for most everyone in that time period and the author wrote of those hardships in such a way that it drew me into their lives.  As a reader, that’s exactly what I wanted and that’s exactly what I got.

I found the storyline extremely interesting as I read about the librarians traveling through the rugged countryside by horseback or mule to deliver reading material to the community scattered across the mountains.  It really was fascinating as is the story of the men and boys who worked in the mining industry even if they didn’t relish the idea but they did what they had to feed their families.  Some of the situations the characters were in was heartbreaking but I really did admire and respect their determination and hard work. 

Overall, I thought this novel was beautifully crafted with compelling characters.  I also liked the pace and I got to know the characters which made for a wonderful read.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley.  All opinions expressed are completely my own.