Title: The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek
Author: Kim Michele Richardson
Page Count: 309
Series: The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, Book 1
Publishing Date/Publisher: May 7, 2019 by Sourcebooks Landmark
Format: Hardcover
Review: I first want to start off by saying that the history this book is based on is absolutely fascinating. I had heard of the blue people of Kentucky, but I had never really looked into them too extensively. I had not heard of the Pack Horse Library Project, so that was particularly fascinating to learn about. The author combined the two histories in a unique way that I could appreciate. The story held my interest for the most part, but I would not describe it as unputdownable. Although there is a great deal of conflict spread throughout the story, it oddly doesn’t feel like it. Some of the resolutions felt too tidy, and some traumas are moved past altogether too quickly. I also did not understand the romantic angle. It was clear from the moment a handsome bachelor was introduced that he would become Cussy’s love interest, but there was no relationship building leading up to the professions of love. They actually interact hardly at all throughout the whole story and his easy acceptance of her unusual skin color from their very first encounter did not make a lot of sense in the context of the story. Blue people were reviled and exiled by the community that he grew up in, so you would think that there would be a little social conditioning he would need to shed in order to develop a romantic relationship with her. A lot of readers loved this book, but there was just something missing for me that prevents me from rating it over 3 stars. It is very possible I just did not really connect with the author’s style of storytelling. There is an overall lack of character development, which is something I place a lot of value on as a reader.
Reader: Bekah
Rating: 3 Stars
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