The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

Fascinating historical fiction combining the blue-skinned people of Kentucky and the Pack Horse librarians of the Depression, who traveled through the backwoods of Appalachia to deliver books to its poor and isolated residents. Cussy Mary, also known as Bluet, is brave, generous, loyal and hard-working. She takes her role as the titular Book Woman of Troublesome Creek very seriously, and tries to find the right book for each patron. Because of her blue skin she is subject to fear, prejudice, abuse, and violence from the townspeople, but most of the hillfolk who rely on her book deliveries treat her with respect and gratitude.

This isn't an easy book to read; Cussy Mary's story includes poverty, hunger, illness and death several times over (including the death of young children), and even members of the healing profession treat her as subhuman in their attempts to understand the reason for her unusual skin color. There is an understated love story and a glimpse of happiness, but even that is marred by ugliness. The book ends rather abruptly and although it is a hopeful ending, I'm subtracting a star for the author's insistence on leaving the reunion of Cussy Mary and her true love off the page. Still, this is a unique story and a “footnote in history” that deserves to be better known.

ARC received from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.