Westering Women and The Giver of Stars

WESTERING WOMEN by Sandra Dallas is a work of historical fiction written by one of my favorite authors. In this latest work, she relates the story of Maggie and Mary, two women who befriend each other and decide to join a wagon train in the 1850’s, travelling west as prospective brides. They, like many of the other women on the train, are escaping difficult situations, including spousal abuse, betrayal by men, and families who would not help them. Readers will develop affection for the many characters Dallas introduces, including the two ministers who run the wagon train and women like Dora, Penn, Sadie, and Winny – who with Maggie and Mary learn to set up camp, navigate across the plains, and drive the oxen.  Along the way, they also learn each other’s secrets and build a strong emotional bond as they face many physical challenges together, including Indian visits, disease and an unexpected pregnancy, plus swift flowing rivers and a dangerous desert that need to be crossed. As Maggie reflects, “There was no choice.  Either they would work together or they would never make it to the gold diggings.” In my opinion, Dallas is at her best when she writes about strong women and the bonds of friendship they develop (look especially for The Persian Pickle Club, Alice’s Tulips, or The Diary of Mattie Spencer). 

THE GIVER OF STARS by Jojo Moyes is another work of historical fiction about strong women. The setting for this new novel from the best-selling author is primarily 1930s rural Kentucky.  That is where Alice Wright, an unconventional English socialite, moves with her new husband and her father-in-law, who manages the local mine. Feeling stifled and out of place, Alice volunteers to work with the Kentucky Packhorse Librarians – delivering books and magazines to the rural residents. She joins Margery, another independent spirit, and other young women, establishing connections with local residents, even as labor strife grows and her father-in-law’s opposition to her work turns more vindictive.  This novel also contains a romance for Alice and another for Margery, adding to the appeal for Moyes’ many fans. If you like historical fiction, I encourage you to also look for The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek – a novel which was published last Spring – and contains a unique story about the same library delivery service.