book reviews for the book woman of troublesome creek

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The book woman of troublesome creek [book review].

August 16, 2019

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek Review

Genre/Categories: Historical Fiction, Southern Fiction, Book About Books, Racism, Prejudice, Poverty

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary:

In the 1930s, nineteen-year-old Cussy Carter and her father live in the isolated woods of Troublesome Creek, Kentucky. They are the last of the “blue people” of Kentucky and endure racism and prejudice because of the blue hue of their skin. They are considered “colored.” Dad risks his life and health working long hours in the coal mines and Cussy takes a government job with the historical Pack Horse Library Project . As a “librarian,” she travels across treacherous mountains and dangerous creeks on her mule, Junia, to deliver books and other reading materials to the mountain folk who have few resources. She does what she can to meet their most dire needs. Incidentally, she doesn’t cuss! (She’s named after a town in France.)

Early Amazon Rating (August): 4.7 Stars

My Thoughts:

Calling all histfic genre readers.

Checks all my boxes: First, I need to say that as soon as I read the last word of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek , I added this to my best of the year list! (Thank you Jennifer-Tar Heel Reader for the rec!) I’m confident it won’t be bumped because, trust me, it’s that good.

Unforgettable character
Memorable setting
Thought-provoking and important themes
Historical lessons to learn
Emotional connections
Engaging page-turner
“Wow” factor

Character: Cussy (or Bluet as she is called by some) is everything I love in a fictional character! Determined. Compassionate. Smart. Brave. Resourceful. Fierce. A difference-maker. Merciful. Passionate about her work. A librarian. And most memorably, an Angel in disguise. In addition to delivering books, she distributes encouragement, friendship, first aid, hope, and plants seeds of literacy and nourishes its growth. In addition to the donated books from the WPA program, she creates her own scrapbook-type books of recipes, collected poems, and handy hints for everything from simple repairs to fishing and circulates these handmade books among the mountain folk to pique their interest in literacy. Cussy is a likable character and a bright light in the harsh reality of Troublesome Creek. Librarians will love her!

Three important historical lessons are the focus:

The ignorance of racism/prejudice and the tragic consequences (the “blue” people experienced racism and prejudice and cruelty in the same ways as blacks).
The government program (WPA) that created the Pack Librarian jobs (its limitations and benefits).
The medical explanation for the “blue” people of Kentucky (a blood disorder) and the early experimental medical treatment.

A book about books: Yes, this is one of my favorite tropes!

A “laugh out loud” passage recounts the feelings of a dad who wants to keep “the book woman” and her books away from his house because books are making his family lazy:

John went on, “The young’uns won’t do their chores, and yesterday, Martha Hannah was nearly an hour late with my supper. An Hour! Them books are doing that–surely making them lazy. The girls are letting the laundry an’ sewing pile up around their ears, and the boys are reading at the creek when they ought to be fishing and working the garden. Plumb can’t get ’em to work ’cause they’s so busy sitting and reading them foolish books you’re bent on bringing. And I can’t have it. Won’t have it.”

Will Cussy be able to change his mind about books and reading?

Themes: Thoughtful themes abound in The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek : father/daughter relationship, poverty, hardships of mine workers, neighbor helping neighbor, absence of assistance programs for the poor, racism/prejudice, interracial relationships, kindness to neighbors, isolated/mountain environment and living, survival, hope, literacy, the plight of children, and found family. I think the author shows a great deal of compassion and concern for the children in the story and writes about them in heartfelt and poignant ways.

Is it too early to begin a Best of Year List?!

Recommended! The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is not an easy book to read, but it comes with my wholehearted recommendation for readers who look for unforgettable and inspirational characters, for histfic fans who are interested in historical facts about life in the Kentucky mountains in the 30s (specifically, mining, racism, the “blue” people, and the Pack Librarian program), for those searching for their next great read, and definitely for book clubs! For me, this is a five-star read because it gave me a book hangover.

You might think twice if you prefer not to read about the dire consequences of extreme poverty and hunger, racism, or life under difficult conditions.

I did hear from one person that the dialect made for difficult listening in the audio version. Download a sample first to see what you think.

My Rating: 5 Stars (and already on my best of the year list)

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek Information

***This is my review of the Month for the review collection on LovelyAudiobooks.

Meet the Author, Kim Michele Richardson

Kim Michele Richardson lives in Kentucky and resides part-time in Western North Carolina. She has volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, building houses, and is an advocate for the prevention of child abuse and domestic violence, partnering with the U.S. Navy globally to bring awareness and education to the prevention of domestic violence. She is the author of the bestselling memoir The Unbreakable Child, and a book critic for the New York Journal of Books. Her novels include Liar’s Bench, GodPretty in the Tobacco Field and The Sisters of Glass Ferry. Kim Michele currently finished her fourth novel, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek about the fierce and brave Kentucky Packhorse librarians. Coming Spring, 2019.

Does this sound like a book you would like? Will you add The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek to your TBR or have you already read it?

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Looking Ahead:

Eleven DAYS until the NEW Louise Penny installment: A Better Man . What will you be doing on August 27th?!?!?! ***Edited to add my review of A Better Man

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53 comments.

Wow fantastic review! Definitely adding this to Goodreads.

Thanks Nicki! I hope you love it! 👍

I thought it was fantastic as well. Sad and awful, but beautiful.

It gave me a book hangover! I’m happy to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for commenting!

I would have problems READING the dialect…that kind of thing makes a book very distracting for me. Did you have an issue with it?

I didn’t have any difficulty with the dialect Linda. I think you’ll be fine! I have the impression the audio narrator was maybe exaggerating the dialect?? To be certain it’s not an issue, you can download a sample from amazon and read a little bit before you order.

This review is outstanding, Carol, and it makes me so happy! Yay! ♥️

Thank you Jennifer! It’s one of those books I could reread….that’s how I knew it would be a 5! Thanks for putting it on my radar! 😍

Wow! I hadn’t given this book a second thought and now I’m off to check it out. Wonderful review, Carol💜

Thanks Jonetta! I hope you enjoy it! 👍😍

[…] The Orchid Thief Books and Me! – The Warehouse & Zippy and Me Reading Ladies – The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek The Average Reader – Mudlarking Fictionophile – Ride the Stranger Jo’s Book […]

Thank you Nicki! 👍😍

[…] There are many, but these are four favorites: How to Find Love in a Bookshop, The Lost For Words Bookshop, Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. […]

Wow… high praise indeed! And no, it isn’t too early to have a favorite of the year already. I’ve done that with “The Last List of Miss Judith Kratt” by Andrea Bobotis!

The Last List is still high priority on my TBR!

[…] 5+ Stars. Thought-provoking and unforgettable historical fiction. I love memorable characters! My full review here. […]

Thanks Carol!! On my library list!

I hope you love it Rhonda!

P.S. Also heard this recommended on the podcast What Should I Read Next– with Annie F. Downs (love her!). So your recommendation bumped on the my must read list!!

I heard that podcast and was all “YAY!!!”

[…] ***favorite read of the year runner up! Full review here. […]

[…] Caroline (Lilac Girls), Cussy (The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek), Grimke Sisters (Invention of […]

[…] My review here […]

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[…] The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson (histfic, Kentucky, *a favorite of the year*) My review. […]

[…] A new favorite gets added to the list this year! My review here. […]

[…] Full Review Here […]

[…] Stars. My Review Here. (the main character is a packhorse […]

[…] The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson (histfic, Kentucky, *a fav of 2019*) My review of Book Woman here. […]

[…] In 2020, I decided to systematically revisit my older review posts and update them. On Thursdays, I’ll be re-sharing a few of these great reads. Today, I’m re-sharing an historical fiction that’s on my lifetime favorites list, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson. […]

Such a great book! I loved it, too.

Susan http://www.blogginboutbooks.com

I’m thrilled to hear we both loved it! 🙌

Yayyy yeah this was one of my first NetGalleys and definitely a good one

What a great Netgalley start! 🙌

[…] Code by Kate Quinn Anxious People by Fredrik Backman The Girl With the Louding Voice by Abi Dare The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson The River by Peter Heller We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter The Glass Castle by Jeanette […]

[…] I love a rural setting and one that’s especially memorable is the rural mountains of Kentucky found in The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. […]

[…] The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson and The Last Blue by Isla Morley (both about the “blue people” of Kentucky) […]

[…] was THRILLED to receive an ARC for the followup to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek! I should technically wait until spring to read this, but I know I won’t be able to […]

[…] loved The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek and it was my most memorable read of 2019 so I’m eager for the […]

[…] The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson See my complete list for the year here: Most Memorable Reads of 2019 […]

[…] Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society How to Find Love in a Bookshop The Last Bookshop in London The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek The Librarian of Auschwitz The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry The Reading […]

[…] Stars. (ARC) Historical Fiction, Book about books. Sequel to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek My review of Book Woman’s Daughter will be published […]

[…] Mary Angeline Lovett is the daughter of the beloved pack horse librarian known as The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. Honey faces discrimination as one of the “blue people” and is also fighting for her […]

[…] Cussy from The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson […]

[…] Cussy in The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson is […]

[…] The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek (and the sequel, The Book Woman’s Daughter) by Kim Michele Richardson […]

[…] I’d also love to be Cussy’s assistant and bring literature to the children and their families in the hills of Kentucky. I’m not sure about the “riding a donkey” part of the job! Read all about Cussy in The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. […]

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Submitting a book for review, write the editor, you are here:, the book woman of troublesome creek.

Books can save lives. That’s the lesson of Kim Michele Richardson’s latest novel, THE BOOK WOMAN OF TROUBLESOME CREEK, a fascinating slice of historical fiction inspired by two little-known stories from America’s past: the Blue Fugates of Kentucky and the WPA Pack Horse Library Project.

Nineteen-year-old Cussy Mary Carter lives with her widowed coal miner father in the hills of rural Kentucky. It’s the late 1930s, and “the country’s despair [has] dug its roots into Kentucky and spread like ugly knotweed, choking spirits, strangling life.” Miners are little better than serfs, education is a haphazard afterthought for most, and starvation is always lurking at the door.

As a single woman with a job, Cussy Mary is better off financially than many, but worse off in other ways. She’s the last of the Blue People of Kentucky, a member of a mysterious clan that tends to produce children with blue-tinged skin. Over the years, the Blues have been shunned, mocked as inbreds (they’re not), and forced to retreat “deeper into the hills to escape the ridicule.” (The Blues of Richardson’s book are inspired by the real-life Blue Fugates of Kentucky, who had a rare condition called methemoglobinemia that affected the color of their skin.)

"...a stirring testament to the crucial role that books can play in easing the pain of poverty and letting people imagine a different, more hopeful future."

Being mocked because of her color hurts, but the real fear for Cussy Mary --- or Bluet, as she’s also known --- is violence, especially from a preacher who wants to “chase the devils” out of “sinners” like her. His past baptisms of others marked by “wickedness” --- like an albino and a set of triplets --- have ended in death.

Despite her difficult life, Cussy Mary takes solace and pride in her job as a pack horse librarian. She’s been hired as part of a Works Progress Administration effort to bring books to the isolated hollers of Appalachia, where there are “folks who are hungry for the learning.” Nearly every day, she rides out on a stubborn old mule named Junia to visit people like Angeline, a poor, pregnant woman caring for an injured husband, and Winnie Parker, who relies on her deliveries to help teach a ragtag group of children in a one-room schoolhouse. Her work is vital in the mountain communities she visits, where people rely on her to teach them their letters, bring news from the outside world, and even deliver much-needed food. It also gives her a sense of purpose and belonging in a world where she’s always been treated as an outsider.

Richardson’s meticulously researched novel shines a light on a part of American history that will be unfamiliar to many readers. Mingling the true stories of the Blue Fugates and the Pack Horse Library Project yields a rich, emotionally resonant narrative that highlights both the pernicious effects of prejudice and the transformative power of education. In Cussy Mary, she has created a steadfast and mettlesome heroine, but one who still suffers from relatable moments of loneliness and self-doubt.

Richardson doesn’t pull punches when it comes to describing the hardscrabble lives of the hill people. THE BOOK WOMAN OF TROUBLESOME CREEK opens with an arresting scene in which Cussy Mary discovers a dead body swinging from a tree. Later, characters endure marital rape, children suffer from pellagra, and women die in childbirth. Yet moments of utter despair are contrasted with uplifting episodes of hope and kindness, like when Queenie, the area’s sole African-American librarian, gets a job at the free library in Philadelphia, or when a boy gives Cussy Mary a gift of a single Lifesaver to thank her for bringing him books.

Eventually, a local doctor identifies a possible “cure” for Cussy Mary’s blueness. But she soon discovers that while she might be able to change the color of her skin, it comes at a steep price. Plus, some in Troublesome Creek won’t be so quick to forget her past, and as she embarks on a tentative romance, their long-standing prejudice threatens her happiness.

Richardson has a native’s feel for the landscape and language of eastern Kentucky. She lovingly describes the hills and hollers that Cussy Mary and those around her call home, while judiciously deploying the rich and distinct Appalachian dialect, where a man “totes his pride in a beggar’s cup,” and a snobbish, cruel woman is an “ol’ stinky polecat.” The wealth of historical detail adds to the sense of authenticity, though at times the story is a bit thin. Cussy Mary’s relationship with an open-minded outsider never feels fully developed, and the book’s resolution is abrupt. Yet Richardson’s latest effort is nonetheless a stirring testament to the crucial role that books can play in easing the pain of poverty and letting people imagine a different, more hopeful future.

Reviewed by Megan Elliott on May 10, 2019

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

Publication Date: May 7, 2019
Genres: Fiction , Historical Fiction , Women's Fiction
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
ISBN-10: 1492691631
ISBN-13: 9781492691631

book reviews for the book woman of troublesome creek

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The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

Written by Kim Michele Richardson Review by Rebecca Kightlinger

“‘Right there’ll do it.’ Pa fussed one last time with the slide on the courting candle, then finally placed the timekeeper on the table in front of my rocker and the empty seat beside me.”

Troublesome Creek, Kentucky. 1936. “There didn’t seem to be much marriage prospect for the last female of blue mountainfolk,” says narrator Cussy Mary. But Mary’s father, a coal miner whose days are running short, intends to see his nineteen-year-old daughter settled.

She resists, for if she marries she will lose her job as a Pack Horse Librarian, carrying books to the hillfolk of “Kaintuck,” and her work is all the security she needs and the only life she wants. Her patrons, poor and uneducated, and many starving to death, relish the books she brings. And despite the hereditary blue skin that renders their “Book Woman” an untouchable in town, they love and respect her.

By depicting the struggles of a woman whose skin tones range from sky blue to cobalt, author Kim Michele Richardson lays bare the lengths to which Mary is willing to go in order to be accepted, and the prejudice and meanness that underlie her shunning by neighbors and co-workers. Richardson skillfully allows her narrator, without self-pity or boasting, to reveal both the pain of her loneliness and the will and compassion that enable her to survive in Troublesome Creek and even flourish as she makes her solitary rounds through Kentucky’s treacherous hills.

Richardson, a master of phrase, cadence, and imagery, once again delivers a powerful yet heartfelt story that gives readers a privileged glimpse into an impoverished yet rigidly hierarchical society, this time by shining a light on the courageous, dedicated women who brought books and hope to those struggling to survive on its lowest rung. Strongly recommended.

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BookBrowse Reviews The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

by Kim Michele Richardson

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Historical Fiction
Tenn. Va. W.Va. Ky.
1920s & '30s
Adult-YA Crossover Fiction
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A heartfelt salute to the Pack Horse librarians of Depression-era Kentucky and to the act of reading itself, this eclectic novel is about and for book lovers.

A loyal animal companion, treks through gorgeous but forbidding wilderness, glimpses of larger historical events through personal and regional experiences: These components appear in many works of fiction intended to entertain and educate young people. They also emerge in Kim Michele Richardson's The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek , a novel set in the 1930s that is perfect for adults who grew up with the adventure and whimsy of books by Lucy Maud Montgomery and Laura Ingalls Wilder. Cussy Mary Carter, known alternately as Bluet and Book Woman, is a blue-skinned Kentuckian of French descent—based on the Blue Fugates of Kentucky, a genetic ancestral line of people suffering from a rare blood disorder called methemoglobinemia that caused their skin to appear bluish-purple. She spends her days working as a Pack Horse librarian, toting books to the rural people of Troublesome Creek and surrounding areas amidst extreme poverty. Her job and way of life are threatened when her father, a struggling coal miner, marries her off to an abusive older man. However, a stroke of poetic justice soon enables Cussy to return to work with her newly adopted mule Junia, a fierce beast who will protect her mistress at all costs. Despite the harsh and dangerous nature of Cussy's life and work, Richardson manages to infuse The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek with a sense of wonder. The characters along Cussy's route, each with their distinct dispositions and back stories, add to the novel's playful, picaresque feel. We journey with the protagonist as she visits children in a schoolhouse, an old woman with poor eyesight who depends on the Pack Horse librarian for regular Bible-reading sessions, a man sick from a gunshot wound and eligible bachelor Jackson Lovett—who we can guess from his first encounter with Cussy (or from his name alone) may be destined for a romantic future with our Book Woman. As a Blue, Cussy experiences discrimination, which is informed by the anti-black racism of the time. The white townspeople and sheriff expect her to abide by the same segregation regulations as Black people in Troublesome, and many are afraid to touch her, fearing a contagion or some unknown consequence. She finds herself in a personal and moral dilemma when the local doctor assures her that he can "cure" her blueness. Cussy's struggle with her appearance is believable, but the book never fully acknowledges the complexity of her relationship with historical racism. As a person of European ancestry rejected by a white community, she shares experiences with people of other races, but in a complicated and incomplete way. She privately sees herself as objectively worse off than her friend Queenie, a Black woman and fellow Pack Horse librarian, despite there being no evidence that the two have ever compared thoughts on the matter. It makes sense that Cussy would feel this way, having grown up as the only one of her kind in an isolated location and therefore having a limited perspective on race relations. It also seems possible that Queenie, who appears to keep a polite distance from Cussy while also showing genuine affection for her, might view Cussy as a fellow oppressed minority and yet, simultaneously, as a white woman. It would be interesting to explore this angle—however, Cussy's (understandably) simplistic thinking is never upset by a moment of conflict with Queenie or any other character. Even one short, strained exchange might have made for a less reductive presentation of systemic racism, and a more nuanced take on Cussy's feelings about her own identity. At times, Richardson's novel also feels a bit shallow in the romance department, but this isn't necessarily a problem. Cussy isn't a particularly romantic individual after all, and frankly, she doesn't have time to undergo a fancy, languorous courtship. It's actually amusing to see her lingering interest in Jackson relegated to the background for much of the book as she crashes through the woods with bigger concerns on her mind, bringing deliveries to her patrons; spontaneously tending to the sick and hungry; and negotiating encounters with dangerous men, death-defying mountain paths and, at one point, a rattlesnake. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek puts its own offbeat spin not just on classic romance but also crime, action and adventure, suspense and, of course, historical fiction—all with a flawed but sympathetic lead at its center. In addition to spotlighting a fascinating phenomenon in book history, it is itself a book lover's book, a celebration of stories and genres, an exercise in reading nostalgia. It may just take you back to hushed afternoons in the school library, nights hiding with a flashlight and paperback under the covers, those magical days of discovering reading for pleasure.

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Add your guide, you are here:, the book woman of troublesome creek.

About the Book

The hardscrabble folks of Troublesome Creek have to scrap for everything --- everything except books, that is. Thanks to Roosevelt’s Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project, Troublesome has its very own traveling librarian, Cussy Mary Carter.

Cussy's not only a book woman, however; she’s also the last of her kind, her skin a shade of blue unlike most anyone else. Not everyone is keen on Cussy’s family or the Library Project, and a Blue is often blamed for any whiff of trouble. If Cussy wants to bring the joy of books to the hill folks, she’s going to have to confront prejudice as old as the Appalachias and suspicion as deep as the holler.

Inspired by the true blue-skinned people of Kentucky and the brave and dedicated Kentucky Pack Horse library service of the 1930s, THE BOOK WOMAN OF TROUBLESOME CREEK is a story of raw courage, fierce strength, and one woman's belief that books can carry us anywhere --- even back home.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

Publication Date: May 7, 2019
Genres: Fiction , Historical Fiction , Women's Fiction
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
ISBN-10: 1492691631
ISBN-13: 9781492691631

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THE BOOK WOMAN OF TROUBLESOME CREEK

by Kim Michele Richardson ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 7, 2019

A unique story about Appalachia and the healing power of the written word.

One of Kentucky’s last living “Blue People” works as a traveling librarian in 1930s Appalachia.

Cussy Mary Carter is a 19-year-old from Troublesome Creek, Kentucky. She was born with a rare genetic condition, and her skin has always been tinged an allover deep blue. Cussy lives with her widowed father, a coal miner who relentlessly attempts to marry her off. Unfortunately, with blue skin and questionable genetics, Cussy is a tough sell. Cussy would rather keep her job as a pack-horse librarian than keep house for a husband anyway. As part of the new governmental program aimed at bringing reading material to isolated rural Kentuckians, Cussy rides a mule over treacherous terrain, delivering books and periodicals to people of limited means. Cussy’s patrons refer to her as “Bluet” or “Book Woman,” and she delights in bringing them books as well as messages, medicine, and advice. When a local pastor takes a nefarious interest in Cussy, claiming that God has sent him to rid society of her “blue demons,” efforts to defend herself leave Cussy at risk of arrest, or worse. The local doctor agrees to protect Cussy in exchange for her submission to medical testing. As Doc finds answers about Cussy’s condition, she begins to re-examine what it means to be a Blue and what life after a cure might look like. Although the novel gets off to a slow start, once Cussy begins traveling to the city for medical testing, the stakes get higher, as does the suspense of the story. Cussy's first-person narrative voice is engaging, laced with a thick Kentucky accent and colloquialisms of Depression-era Appalachia. Through the bigotry and discrimination Cussy suffers as a result of her skin color, the author artfully depicts the insidious behavior that can result when a society’s members feel threatened by things they don't understand. With a focus on the personal joy and broadened horizons that can result from access to reading material, this well-researched tale serves as a solid history lesson on 1930s Kentucky.

Pub Date: May 7, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-4926-7152-7

Page Count: 320

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark

Review Posted Online: Feb. 27, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2019

HISTORICAL FICTION

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Too beholden to sentimentality and cliché, this novel fails to establish a uniquely realized perspective.

Hunter’s debut novel tracks the experiences of her family members during the Holocaust.

Sol and Nechuma Kurc, wealthy, cultured Jews in Radom, Poland, are successful shop owners; they and their grown children live a comfortable lifestyle. But that lifestyle is no protection against the onslaught of the Holocaust, which eventually scatters the members of the Kurc family among several continents. Genek, the oldest son, is exiled with his wife to a Siberian gulag. Halina, youngest of all the children, works to protect her family alongside her resistance-fighter husband. Addy, middle child, a composer and engineer before the war breaks out, leaves Europe on one of the last passenger ships, ending up thousands of miles away. Then, too, there are Mila and Felicia, Jakob and Bella, each with their own share of struggles—pain endured, horrors witnessed. Hunter conducted extensive research after learning that her grandfather (Addy in the book) survived the Holocaust. The research shows: her novel is thorough and precise in its details. It’s less precise in its language, however, which frequently relies on cliché. “ You’ll get only one shot at this ,” Halina thinks, enacting a plan to save her husband. “ Don’t botch it .” Later, Genek, confronting a routine bit of paperwork, must decide whether or not to hide his Jewishness. “ That form is a deal breaker ,” he tells himself. “ It’s life and death .” And: “They are low, it seems, on good fortune. And something tells him they’ll need it.” Worse than these stale phrases, though, are the moments when Hunter’s writing is entirely inadequate for the subject matter at hand. Genek, describing the gulag, calls the nearest town “a total shitscape.” This is a low point for Hunter’s writing; elsewhere in the novel, it’s stronger. Still, the characters remain flat and unknowable, while the novel itself is predictable. At this point, more than half a century’s worth of fiction and film has been inspired by the Holocaust—a weighty and imposing tradition. Hunter, it seems, hasn’t been able to break free from her dependence on it.

Pub Date: Feb. 14, 2017

ISBN: 978-0-399-56308-9

Page Count: 416

Publisher: Viking

Review Posted Online: Nov. 21, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2016

RELIGIOUS FICTION | HISTORICAL FICTION

Hulu’s ‘We Were the Lucky Ones’ Adds To Cast

BOOK TO SCREEN

by Colm Tóibín ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2009

A fine and touching novel, persuasive proof of Tóibín’s ever-increasing skills and range.

This plaintive sixth novel from the Booker-nominated Irish author ( Mothers and Sons , 2008, etc.) is both akin to his earlier fiction and a somewhat surprising hybrid.

Tóibín’s treatment of the early adulthood of Eilis Lacey, a quiet girl from the town of Enniscorthy who accepts a kindly priest’s sponsorship to work and live in America, is characterized by a scrupulously precise domestic realism reminiscent of the sentimental bestsellers of Fannie Hurst, Edna Ferber and Betty Smith (in her beloved A Tree Grows in Brooklyn ). But as Eilis both falters and matures abroad, something more interesting takes shape. Tóibín fashions a compelling characterization of a woman caught between two worlds, unsure almost until the novel’s final page where her obligations and affections truly reside. Several deft episodes and set pieces bring Eilis to convincing life: her timid acts of submission, while still living at home, to her extroverted, vibrant older sister Rose; the ordeal of third-class passenger status aboard ship (surely seasickness has never been presented more graphically); her second-class status among postwar Brooklyn’s roiling motley populace, and at the women’s boarding house where she’s virtually a non-person; and the exuberant liberation sparked by her romance with handsome plumber Tony Fiorello, whose colorful family contrasts brashly with Eilis’s own dour and scattered one. Tóibín is adept at suggestive understatement, best displayed in lucid portrayals of cultural interaction and conflict in a fledgling America still defining itself; and notably in a beautiful account of Eilis’s first sexual experience with Tony (whom she’ll soon wed), revealed as the act of a girl who knows she must fully become a woman in order to shoulder the burdens descending on her. And descend they do, as a grievous family loss reshapes Eilis’s future (literally) again and again.

Pub Date: May 1, 2009

ISBN: 978-1-4391-3831-1

Page Count: 256

Publisher: Scribner

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2009

More by Colm Tóibín

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by Colm Tóibín

edited by Colm Tóibín

Colm Tóibín’s Sequel to ‘Brooklyn’ Coming in 2024

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Polly Castor

Fostering a new renaissance through creativity, authenticity, spirituality, and art, the book woman of troublesome creek (book review).

If you can get past heartbreaking bits early in the story, this novel is a wonderful slice of historical fiction. It blends the history of the blue people from the Kentucky hills with the history of the pack horse librarians, for a strong, touching story of racism, kindness, and the power of the written word.

Cussy Mary is a terrific character who doesn’t have an easy time of it, but will triumph in the end. Work is hard, food is scarce, and living conditions minimal. Her love of books, her genuine compassion for folks, and her true grit made the difference for her, like it can for anyone. She went out of her way to help others, and you love her for it.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a good depiction of the deep Kentucky hills in the 1930’s. I listened to it on audio, and thought that added to the story, with the dialect coming through in addition. You might want to give it a listen as well; I give this book 4 stars. There is a sequel to this book I look forward to reading soon, about the book woman’s daughter.

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[…] 2) The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek (my four star review here) […]

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The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek – Book Review

“What I wanted most was to be okay as a Blue. I never understood why other people thought my color, any color, needed fixing.”

Being raised in a family with lots of medical people I have always been interested in medical anomalies including the blue Fugates of the hills of Kentucky. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson brought the saga of the blue people together with the story of the historical Pack Horse Library Project of Kentucky in a way that far surpassed my expectations!

This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks.

Author: Kim Michele Richardson
Published: May 7, 2019
Type: Fiction
Genre: I would call it historical fiction as it is Inspired by the true and historical blue-skinned people of Kentucky and the brave and dedicated Kentucky Pack Horse library service.
I purchased my paperback copy from Barnes and Noble

My Thoughts about The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

Let me first say that although this book is fiction it is based on extremely well researched facts.

Have you heard about a group of Kentucky mountain people from the past with a rare genetic disorder that caused their skin to be blue? They had a genetic condition called methemoglobinemia. It all began when a man from France named Martin Fugate came to Troublesome Creek, Kentucky in the 1820’s and married Elizabeth Smith. Unbeknownst to them they both carried a recessive gene for the condition and 4 of their 7 children were blue. Due to the isolated conditions of the area there was some intermarriage through the generations which led to more blue people in the area.

Ok, enough of the history lesson, let’s talk about the book.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek was a “couldn’t put it down” read for me. It is set in the impoverished hills of Kentucky in the 1930’s. Cussy Carter is 19 years old and she is one of the last living blue people in the area. Her mother has passed away and she lives with her ailing coal miner father who is determined to see Cussy married before he dies so that she has someone to protect her.

Cussy, who is called Bluet by the mountain people, is a part of the historical Pack Horse Library Project of Kentucky. She has become a librarian and rides her mule through the often treacherous mountains in order to deliver books to the hill people of Eastern Kentucky.

I had never heard of the Pack Horse Library Project and this led me into a fascinating google search. The mountains of Kentucky suffered terrible hardships during and after the depression. In the book and in real life some of the mountain people were starving and many suffered and died from a condition caused by malnutrition called Pellegra.

This Pack Horse Library project was part of FDR’s New Deal. The librarians, mostly women, were hired to carry books to isolated cabins, rural school houses and homebound coalminers. Many of their routes were terribly rough and these librarians carried books along creek beds, up and down rugged mountains and along fence lines during all seasons to deliver books and magazines to the mountain people. Often they would stay and read to those who were illiterate. The hill people called them the book women.

Cussy is an immediately likeable character. She is strong, kind, and determined. Every day she faces bigotry and discrimination from the local people because of the color of her skin. However, her love of words and books sustains her as does her desire to bring knowledge and ideas to the mountain people. She sees that their minds and souls are as hungry as their bodies. I always enjoy fictional characters who love books and I adored Cussy.

This book isn’t always easy to read. It will anger you, upset you, and move you. In addition to prejudice Cussy is also the victim of a disastrous first marriage arranged by her father, she is often alone and lonely, and her library routes were dangerous both because of the topography and the people. A medical doctor convinces Cussy to allow him to study her condition in return for protection and food. His research proves to be extraordinarily difficult for the young woman as well as a turning point in her acceptance of herself.

This is a great depiction of a specific time and place, and people. It reflects the worst things, such as racism, jealousy, cruelty, and unrelenting poverty as well as the best things, nature, kindness, the value of books. and the joy in accepting people as they are.

This book isn’t perfect. I love accents and always notice dialect when it is used in a book. I found the dialect in this one to be a bit erratic. I didn’t love the ending. However, even with its flaws I feel that this book is an example of historical fiction at its best and I definitely recommend The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek!

Official Blurb from Good Reads

In 1936, tucked deep into the woods of Troublesome Creek, KY, lives blue-skinned 19-year-old Cussy Carter, the last living female of the rare Blue People ancestry.

The lonely young Appalachian woman joins the historical Pack Horse Library Project of Kentucky and becomes a librarian, riding across slippery creek beds and up treacherous mountains on her faithful mule to deliver books and other reading material to the impoverished hill people of Eastern Kentucky.

Along her dangerous route, Cussy, known to the mountain folk as Bluet, confronts those suspicious of her damselfly-blue skin and the government’s new book program. She befriends hardscrabble and complex fellow Kentuckians, and is fiercely determined to bring comfort and joy, instill literacy, and give to those who have nothing, a bookly respite, a fleeting retreat to faraway lands.

Inspired by the true and historical blue-skinned people of Kentucky and the brave and dedicated Kentucky Pack Horse library service, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek showcases a bold and unique tale of the Packhorse Librarians in literary novels—a story of fierce strength and one woman’s belief that books can carry us anywhere—even back home.

the mountains of Kentucky. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek.

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The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek: A Novel Kindle Edition

RECOMMENDED BY DOLLY PARTON IN PEOPLE MAGAZINE! A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A USA TODAY BESTSELLER A LOS ANGELES TIMES BESTSELLER A PBS BOOK PICK

The bestselling historical fiction novel from Kim Michele Richardson, this is a novel following Cussy Mary, a packhorse librarian and her quest to bring books to the Appalachian community she loves, perfect for readers of William Kent Kreuger and Lisa Wingate. The perfect addition to your next book club!

The hardscrabble folks of Troublesome Creek have to scrap for everything—everything except books, that is. Thanks to Roosevelt's Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project, Troublesome's got its very own traveling librarian, Cussy Mary Carter.

Cussy's not only a book woman, however, she's also the last of her kind, her skin a shade of blue unlike most anyone else. Not everyone is keen on Cussy's family or the Library Project, and a Blue is often blamed for any whiff of trouble. If Cussy wants to bring the joy of books to the hill folks, she's going to have to confront prejudice as old as the Appalachias and suspicion as deep as the holler.

Inspired by the true blue-skinned people of Kentucky and the brave and dedicated Kentucky Pack Horse library service of the 1930s, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a story of raw courage, fierce strength, and one woman's belief that books can carry us anywhere—even back home.

Look for The Book Woman's Daughter , the next novel from Kim Michele Richardson coming in May 2022.

Other Bestselling Historical Fiction from Sourcebooks Landmark: The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict The Engineer's Wife by Tracey Enerson Wood Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris

Book 1 of 2 The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek
Print length 313 pages
Language English
Sticky notes On Kindle Scribe
Publisher Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication date May 7, 2019
File size 5410 KB
Page Flip Enabled
Word Wise Enabled
Enhanced typesetting Enabled
See all details

In This Series
By Kim Michele Richardson
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Historical Fiction
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The NYT, Los Angeles Times, and USA Today bestseller! (image of book)

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From the back cover.

Bluet is the last of the Kentucky Blues —real-life people born with blue skin in the dusty hills of Troublesome Creek. In 1936, nearly twenty years old and blue-skinned, Bluet has used up her last chance for “respectability” and a marriage bed. Instead, she joins the historical Pack Horse Library Project and becomes a librarian, riding up treacherous mountains on a mule to deliver books and other reading materials to the poor hill communities.

Along her dangerous route, Bluet confronts many who are distrustful of her blue skin. Not everyone is so keen on Bluet’s family or the library project, and the impoverished country folk are quick to blame a Blue for any trouble in their small town.

About the Author

Product details.

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07LGD67ZZ
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sourcebooks Landmark (May 7, 2019)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 7, 2019
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 5410 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 313 pages
#26 in Southern Fiction
#48 in U.S. Historical Fiction
#93 in Small Town & Rural Fiction (Kindle Store)

About the author

Kim michele richardson.

NEW YORK TIMES, LOS ANGELES TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling author, Kim Michele Richardson has written five works of historical fiction, and a bestselling memoir. Her critically acclaimed, award-winning novel, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek was a Dolly Recommended Read, a 2019 LibraryReads Best Book, a 2019 Forbes Best Historical Novel, 2020 PBS Readers Choice, an Oprah's Buzziest Books pick and a Women’s National Book Association Great Group Reads selection. It was inspired by the real life "blue people" of Kentucky, and the fierce, brave Packhorse Librarians who used the power of literacy to overcome bigotry, and fear during the Great Depression.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is taught widely in high schools and college classrooms and has been adopted as a Common Read selection by states, cities, and colleges across the country and abroad, as well as translated into over a dozen languages. Kim Michele’s fifth novel, a stand-alone and sequel to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is an instant NYT and USA TODAY bestseller and also has become a Common Read in many states. Her next work is a children's picture book titled Junia: The Book Mule of Troublesome Creek, and will be available spring of 2024.

Kim Michele lives with her family in Kentucky and is also the founder of Shy Rabbit.

To learn more visit

www.kimmichelerichardson.com

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Series: Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

#bookreview the book woman’s daughter by kim michele richardson @sourcebooks @sbkslandmark #thebookwomansdaughter #kimmichelerichardson #bookmarkedbylandmark.

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek !

Bestselling historical fiction author Kim Michele Richardson is back with the perfect book club read following Honey Mary Angeline Lovett, the daughter of the beloved Troublesome book woman, who must fight for her own independence with the help of the women who guide her and the books that set her free.

In the ruggedness of the beautiful Kentucky mountains, Honey Lovett has always known that the old ways can make a hard life harder. As the daughter of the famed blue-skinned, Troublesome Creek packhorse librarian, Honey and her family have been hiding from the law all her life. But when her mother and father are imprisoned, Honey realizes she must fight to stay free, or risk being sent away for good.

Picking up her mother’s old packhorse library route, Honey begins to deliver books to the remote hollers of Appalachia. Honey is looking to prove that she doesn’t need anyone telling her how to survive. But the route can be treacherous, and some folks aren’t as keen to let a woman pave her own way.

If Honey wants to bring the freedom books provide to the families who need it most, she’s going to have to fight for her place, and along the way, learn that the extraordinary women who run the hills and hollers can make all the difference in the world.

Raw, atmospheric, and insightful!

The Book Woman’s Daughter is an incredibly descriptive, moving novel that takes us to small-town Kentucky in 1953 and into the life of sixteen-year-old Honey Lovett, a young girl stricken with methemoglobinemia who, after her parents are arrested for miscegenation, takes up her mother’s old job as Pack Horse Librarian transporting books to the houses located in the hills outside Troublesome Creek in order to keep herself safe and out of the hands of the authorities from Knott County who would like nothing better than to lock her up in the Kentucky House of Reform until she’s twenty-one.

The prose is vivid and expressive. The characters are spirited, vulnerable, independent, and driven. And the plot is a heart-tugging, compelling tale of life, love, loss, family, friendship, poverty, misogyny, prejudice, racism, community, courage, desperation, self-preservation, survival, and emancipation.

Overall, The Book Woman’s Daughter is a rich, gritty, absorbing tale by Richardson that transports you to another time and place and immerses you so thoroughly into the feelings, lives, and personalities of the characters you can’t help but be enthralled and invested from start to finish.

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

About Kim Michele Richardson

The NEW YORK TIMES, LOS ANGELES TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling author, Kim Michele Richardson has written five works of historical fiction, and a bestselling memoir, The Unbreakable Child. Her latest critically acclaimed novel, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek was recommended by Dolly Parton in People’s Magazine and has earned a 2020 PBS Readers Choice, 2019 LibraryReads Best Book, Indie Next, SIBA, Forbes Best Historical Novel, Book-A-Million Best Fiction, and is an Oprah's Buzziest Books pick and a Women’s National Book Association Great Group Reads selection. It was inspired by the real life, remarkable "blue people" of Kentucky, and the fierce, brave Packhorse Librarians who used the power of literacy to overcome bigotry and fear during the Great Depression. The novel is taught widely in high schools and college classrooms. Her forthcoming fifth novel, The Book Woman’s Daughter is both a stand-alone and sequel to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek and will be published May 3, 2022. Kim Michele lives with her family in Kentucky and is the founder of Shy Rabbit.

Photo by Leigh Photography.

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The Book Woman Of Troublesome Creek Book Review

Book review by Dinh.

I was very keen on reading The Book Woman Of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson after reading the blurb on the back. I have never heard about the blue-skinned people of Kentucky nor Roosevelt’s Kentucky Pack Horse Library program and was intrigued!

My interest was also piqued by the controversy surrounding The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek and Jojo Moyes’ book The Giver of Stars . Some claiming that there was ‘plagiarism’ going on. I am not sure what all the fuss was about but facts are that Moyes book came out only five months after Richardson’s. Both books are set in Kentucky and about the Pack Horse Librarians. The story line between the two books are not at all similar.

Going in I was expecting Richardson’s book to be good. Reviews were great and it was recommend quite a bit.

So did the book meet my expectations? Yes, it went above my expectation! Definitely well worth the read!

Here’s what I loved about it:

What a great story!

I love that the author took a little piece of history that is not widely known – the Pack Horse Librarians – and made that part of the story.

In addition to the history of the Pack Horse Librarian, the author added another dimension- the blue skinned people of Kentucky – to make this an amazing story.

This unique storyline with the historic setting was just awesome.

These two nuggets had my full attention right off the bat!

Author’s Style

Richardson does a great job in making the book feel authentic. You can tell that Richardson did a lot of research because of the tone, language and facts are proof of it.

Written in first person’s voice, the voice of Cussy Mary the main character, was a great choice. We get to witness first hand all the hardship and anxiety Cussy goes through and cannot help but to fall in love with her for her persistence to continue despite all the adversity she faces.

The author won me over with not only the factual information in this book, but with her wonderful story telling. I was pulled in right from the first page and kept reading past the author’s note. I loved the map and photos at the end!

Furthermore, I enjoyed tremendously the various themes in the book. Prejudice and discrimination were the forefront themes but there was also love and friendship.

Moreover, I enjoyed the side story of the coal mining community. Life in the 1930s was hard and living in Appalachians during that time was harsh.

Lastly, the author does a great job in pulling your emotions. It was emotive through out the book.

Find Kim Michele Richardson: Website | Facebook | Instagram

The characters in the book were superb. Cussy Mary was my favorite character!

Cussy Mary Carter – I admire Cussy for her determination to persevere despite the racial discrimination and hardship she goes through. She is kind and makes an impact on the patrons she serves. Her kindness shines through when she makes a deal with Doc to continue the testing of her blood but get food so she can help feed the children at the school.

I did enjoy the ending but I found that it just ended abruptly. I was hoping for a bit more on what happened next.

My Final Thoughts

I loved The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek ! This was a fantastic historical fiction that will remain with you after the book is done.

Don’t miss out on this one! Beautifully written, historically accurate and based on the real life of the blue skinned people of Kentucky, this book will pull you in.

It’s well worth the read!

Get the book here . Or listen to the audio book for free with an Audible trial .

Belong to a book club? Check out The Book Woman Of Troublesome Creek book club discussion questions!

2 thoughts on “ The Book Woman Of Troublesome Creek Book Review ”

Awesome Dinh! I always know where to go when I’m picking out my next good read. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek sounds like another good one & can’t wait to dig in. You do such an awesome job with your book reviews I think it’s time you should write your own 🙂 I have a feeling it would be great!!

Hi Jeremy! Thanks for the nice compliment about my reviews. I love to read books but I’m not a creator. Writing a book is very challenging!

I hope you enjoy Book Woman of Troublesome Creek!

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek Book Club Questions & Discussion Guide

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek combines fascinating historical events, compelling characters, and social dynamics. Set in rural Kentucky in 1936, the book follows Cussy Carter as she works as a book woman, traveling through the mountains and bringing reading materials to the impoverished people of Eastern Kentucky. She faces discrimination and exclusion as one of Kentucky’s Blue people , who have a blue tint to their skin due to a genetic condition.

There’s so much to discuss here and you can use our book club questions for The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek to dive into the complex situations in Cussy’s life. This discussion guide for The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek will help your group explore the variety of social themes in this book, like poverty, discrimination, and exploitation. There’s also plenty to discuss with the story’s romance, adventure, and family relationships.

Check out the selected reviews, do you agree with them? What about the synopsis, was it accurate?

Keep scrolling after the discussion guide because we’ve also included 3 readalike books for The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek to add to your reading pile.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek book club questions

(This article contains affiliate links. This means that if you choose to purchase, I’ll make a small commission.)

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek Synopsis

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek , Kim Michele Richardson

The hardscrabble folks of Troublesome Creek have to scrap for everything—everything except books, that is. Thanks to Roosevelt’s Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project, Troublesome’s got its very own traveling librarian, Cussy Mary Carter.

Cussy’s not only a book woman, however, she’s also the last of her kind, her skin a shade of blue unlike most anyone else. Not everyone is keen on Cussy’s family or the Library Project, and a Blue is often blamed for any whiff of trouble. If Cussy wants to bring the joy of books to the hill folks, she’s going to have to confront prejudice as old as the Appalachias and suspicion as deep as the holler.

Inspired by the true blue-skinned people of Kentucky and the brave and dedicated Kentucky Pack Horse library service of the 1930s, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a story of raw courage, fierce strength, and one woman’s belief that books can carry us anywhere—even back home.

10 Book Club Questions for The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

“I liked my sensibility just fine. I liked my freedom a lot – loved the solitude these last seven months had given me – and I lived for the joy of bringing books and reading materials to the hill folk who were desperate for my visits, the printed word that brought a hopeful world into their dreary lives and dark hollows. It was necessary. And for the first time in my life, I felt necessary.” Being a book woman is clearly much more than just a job for Cussy. How does this job help her deal with the difficult circumstances of her own life?
What do you think of Doc? Was he trying to help the blue people, exploit them, or somewhere in between?
There are many heartbreaking events in this book, which one was the most difficult for you?
This book includes many cultural traditions, such as the courting candle, the pie bake, the natural remedies, and others. Did you learn anything new about Kentucky culture of this period?
“Their hunger for books could teach them of a better life free of the hunger, but without food they’d never live long enough or have the strength to find it.” Cussy’s visits allowed the reader to see many different kinds of poverty in this region. How did it make you feel?
“‘There’s nothing wrong with your color, being you,” he said firmly. “Nothing wrong with what the good Lord gives us in His world, Cussy Mary.’ He didn’t know, couldn’t know, the load I’d carried as a Blue, the scorn and hatred and gruesome marriage. How dare Pa call me vain and now Jackson. How dare he too? “Nothing wrong—” Jackson repeated. I stepped back and shot out a shaky hand. “No, Jackson Lovett, you’re wrong. There is nothing wrong with your color in your world, a world that wants only whiteness.” Cussy marveled at her opportunity to get rid of her blue skin, even with the high price she paid. The reactions of people around her were not what she thought they would be. Why is that? Would you have taken the medicine?
Willie Moffet was so ashamed of his blue baby that he would rather kill himself and the child rather than be faced with his blue heritage. But his wife is not bothered by the blue at all. What does this say to you about the shame, fear, and racism towards the Blue people?
The Blue people experienced a similar kind of racism that African American and other people of color experienced in their communities. If the Blue people would be able to make their blue skin disappear, would they still be discriminated against? Would they still be considered people of color? What does this say about the ideas behind racism?
In addition to racism, Cussy also had to live in the confines of a sexist society. How did being a woman during this time period make her life more difficult?
There is a sequel to this book, “The Book Woman’s Daughter” that continues on with the lives of Cussy, Jackson, and Honey. What do you think their lives will be like? Will their lives improve, or will they struggle with the same discrimination?

Selected Reviews for The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

“This is a story with a fantastic depiction of time and place, and people. An example of historical fiction at its best reflecting the worst things in life such as the racism that existed then…and some of the best things, the kindness of people, the importance and value of the written word, the joy that Cussy Mary got out of seeing the joy she brought to them when she delivered a book…”

“…Although I enjoyed learning about this very rare genetic condition that causes skin to have a blue hue and about the mobile libraries on mule back bringing old books and magazines to rural Appalachia, I thought the story was overly sweet and predictable, the writing clichéd and the characters insufficiently complex.”

“Katie Schorr was the narrator of the audiobook I listened to and I thought her voice suited the story. I couldn’t help but think of the bookmobile that used to visit my home when I was a child. I can’t remember the librarian’s name, but I remember her face and her kindness, and the way the bookmobile door folded back, a gateway to a multitude of worlds. Richardson’s story makes me want to pay homage to those dear ladies and to all who know the importance of getting a book into a child’s hands.”

“A fictional tale inspired by real people and events steeped in Appalachian lore and history which earned my appreciation with some reservations. Sometimes a bit too melodramatic and sentimental with hateful characters a bit over the top. Then again, the rants and racial slurs directed at others seen on the news lately make me think maybe not.”

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3 Books like The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

If you simply love librarians (and who doesn’t), then be sure to check out our whole list of books featuring librarians . It features a wide range of genres. If you are keen to read more about the pack horse librarian project, we have a list of 10 books about librarians on horseback that will feed that particular itch.

If you like the whole meta thing with books that feature bookish topics, we have a whole list of books featuring books and manuscripts as the main narrative driver.

If you are also keen to explore more about how race and color are a social construct, then you may want to read Caste (by Isobel Wilkerson) or listen to Born a Crime (Trevor Noah).

If you are keen to read more fiction set during The Depression, check out our guides for The Four Winds and West With Giraffes .

The Heretic’s Daughter , Kathleen Kent

If you are interested in another tale of strong women persevering through a difficult part of American history, The Heretic’s Daughter is a great next read. This book follows a young Sarah Carrier as her family suffers through the hardships of smallpox, farming, and small minded people, only to have their family ripped apart during the Salem witch trials. Based on Kent’s own ancestor Martha Carrier, this book is powerful in its prose, emotion, and historical research.

The Giver of Stars , Jojo Moyes

If you can’t get enough of traveling librarians, The Giver of Stars is the perfect choice. This story follows a set of 5 women who join the same packhorse librarian program in Kentucky. The women navigate the dangerous terrain, bring hope and education to isolated people, and experience love and friendship through rich and fulfilling storytelling.

The Four Winds , Kristin Hannah Set in Texas during the depression, “The Four Winds” follows Elsa Martinelli as she endures brutal hardships, family difficulties, poverty, and faces decisions that will make or break her future. This book follows historical events of the same time period as Troublesome Creek , and is told via another strong woman navigating the challenges thrust upon her by the time period and her position in life.

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Book Reviews by a Chick Who Reads Everything

I read every kind of book from the absolute serious to the downright silly.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek Book Review

As someone who has worked in libraries for many years, I will always get my hands on books about librarians. There are plenty of titles about this line of work, so they have to find some way to stand out from the rest. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson does just that with a story that incorporates the Blue Fugates and the real-life Pack Horse Library Project of Kentucky.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is about 19-year-old Cussy Carter – the last living female of the Blue People ancestry – who lives in Kentucky. In 1936, the lonely young Appalachian woman joins the historical Pack Horse Library Project of Kentucky and becomes a librarian. She rides across slippery creek beds and up treacherous mountains with her faithful mule Junia to deliver books and other reading material to those most in need in Eastern Kentucky. To the mountain folk, Cussy is known as “Bluet.” She confronts those suspicious of her blue skin and of the unique government program. Also, she befriends a cast of colorful (no pun intended) characters. Cussy is determined to bring comfort and joy, instill literacy, and give those who have nothing something that will take them to faraway lands.

Before I get into this review, I want to say that I’m fully aware that The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes has similar plot elements to this one. I have read that novel, so stay tuned for a review of that in two weeks.

This book is loosely based on the Blue Fugates – a family who were known to carry a genetic trait that led to the blood disorder methemoglobinemia, causing skin to appear blue. I never knew about this family nor about the aforementioned condition. The novel briefly divulges into their medical history. When the doctor takes Cussy to Lexington, he peforms experiments on her. He then gives her a pill that turns her skin white even though it has some queasy side effects. However, it’s more focused on how Cussy deals with prejudice and how she proves she’s a worthy member of society despite the unusual skin color. Richardson provides more backstory about the Fugates and the discrimination that they likely faced in the afterword.

I found it interesting that when Cussy takes the pill, she still gets stigmatized by the people of Troublesome Creek. I thought they would be intrigued by and more accepting of someone of color who has the ability to turn themselves white. I guess that was just Hollywood, just look at Rita Hayworth .

In the meantime, I knew about the Pack Horse Library Project of Kentucky and how the Franklin Delano Roosevelt administration set it up prior to reading this book. Not only did they allow the less fortunate to obtain books and other reading materials, but they also provided jobs for women in the area. Richardson constantly stresses how scarce the books were since a. People in Kentucky didn’t take the Works Progress Administration seriously and/or held it in disdain and b. It was the Great Depression. This adds more of Cussy’s urgency to obtain novels for her patrons like a boy who is severely malnourished. Like with the Blue Fugates, the back of the novel explains more of the history of this highly unique program, which is always necessary whenever an obscure event or organization is discussed in historical fiction.

With this background information, Richardson does a good job with incorporating them into the plot without shoehorning them. She usually does this with Cussy remembering something like how the miners negotiated in the past and previous lynchings of blue people for petty crimes while she’s in a situation where those circumstances apply. With the library stuff, Richardson shows readers the obstacles that the Pack Horse Librarians had to go through, especially the terrains they pass through and the scarcity of physical reading materials.

Since The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek deals with books, I love how it incorporates various classic titles into the story. My favorite is when the malnourished boy reads Peter Pan to his family as he sadly lays dying. I don’t need to explain the correlation, do I?

I will automatically like any main character that’s a librarian, but Cussy is more than that. She’s willing to do anything for her patrons even if that means traveling through the toughest terrain that Eastern Kentucky has to offer. And yet, she’s a gentle and empathetic soul. Some of my favorite scenes in the novel involve her kindly recommending books that they could read and use. She’s willing to defend others, but she’s not as capable of doing that for herself. The book can be a little too melodramatic in showing her struggles (ie her getting raped by her now-dead husband, attacked by his perverted priest cousin, and her clothes stripped by nuns in the Lexington hospital), but it retains the emphasis on her survival as opposed to her suffering. She’s a passive character, but she slowly realizes her own worth and gradually sets boundaries and fights for herself.

Majority of the other characters tend to be shallow, as in they are either really nice (like the patrons) or mean (like Harriet and Eula at the Library Center) to Cussy, yet they are some characters that are more in the gray matter. The sheriff doesn’t like the Fraziers because of how slimy and cruel they can be even though he’s related to them. At the same time, he’s willing to uphold the law even when the law in question feels unnecessary and outdated. Doc, as mentioned earlier, is fascinated by Cussy and her dad’s blue skin. This is to the point that he goes to their house for checkups and to ask about the skin color. At one point, the Doc and Cussy’s dad agree to have Cussy undergo some experiments. At first, his main concern was to find the cause of the pigmentation, but after he gets to know Cussy more, he defends her humanity even against a black colleague. He also stands up for Cussy when the town was up in arms against the marriage between her and Jackson – a white guy – even if his argument was just, “There’s a pill that makes Cussy turn white!”

The most interesting character outside of Cussy is her dad Elijah. He’s a sick coal miner, who wants Cussy to be taken care of. Sometimes, he doesn’t realize right away that the people he trusts mistreat Cussy in various ways. These include Cussy’s first husband and to an extent, Doc. In addition, his tactics of ensuring Cussy a better life through marriage put him at odds with his daughter who simply wants to continue working as a librarian. Through these instances, Richardson makes it clear that Elijah has good intentions, but goes about it in ways that come off as terribly old-fashioned.

The only thing that I have to nitpick is how predictable it can be. I could see various plot points from miles away. These include Cussy showing off her white skin to her co-workers and Jackson showing up to propose to her while the courting candle is burning. But then again, these are nitpicks. There are other scenes that I didn’t see coming or didn’t go the way I expected it to.

In summary, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson is a book that stands out because of its inclusion of the Blue Fugates and the Pack Horse Library Project. Even though it can be melodramatic and predictable at various points, I was emotionally invested in Cussy’s journey for acceptance and to get more books for her patrons. I would recommend this to readers who want to read stories about the Blue Fugates, prejudice, racism, the Pack Horse Library Project (like The Giver of Stars ), Kentucky, and of course, librarians. I’m glad that novels like The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek appreciate libraries as much as I do.

Before I go, I want to everybody know this is my 149th review, which means the 150th one is coming up! To celebrate, I will add 50 more titles to my rankings of every title I’ve looked at next week, so keep an eye out! In case, one is not familiar with that series, take a look here .

Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates. Also feel free to email me here for any review suggestions, ideas, or new titles!

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