πβπ π΅πππ πππππ ππ ππππ’ππππ πππ πΆππππ. Kim Michele Richardson. 2019.
Historical fiction. Appalachian fiction. Womenβs fiction.
A young woman with a genetic disorder that turns her skin blue braves the harsh hills of 1930s Kentucky as a traveling packhorse librarian, fighting deep-seated prejudice to bring the magic of books to isolated Appalachian communities.
This story is told from a single point of view. It follows the emotional journey of a nineteen-year-old woman struggling to serve her community and bring joy to the poor in a hard land controlled by hard people who are determined to maintain a culture of white supremacy. Extensive use of the regional vernacular in the dialogue creates an authentic backwoods atmosphere.
The vibe in this novel is hardscrabble and raw. Deep poverty and ignorance prevail. But some, including the protagonist, place their hope in the uplifting magic of literacyβthe idea that being able to read and write can raise the poor out of poverty.
As I reached the 80% mark in this story, I was convinced that the storyβs arc was bending toward a happily-ever-after ending. But I was wrong. In the real world, colored people living under white supremacy donβt often get happy endings. And this is historical fictionβ not genre Romance.
AUTHORS – I write short book reviews that focus on voice and vibe. They are useful to querying authors searching for comp titles. There are more like this on my website.