The Book Woman's Daughter: A Novel

Honey Lovett was a 16 year old girl who lived alone in Kentucky since her parents have been sent to prison for miscegenation (interracial marriage). Her mother was blue as a result of a genetic mutation (methemaglobinemia) and her father was not. The book opens with the possibility of Honey being sent to a children's workhouse (prison) until she is 21 because she is a minor without a guardian. An elderly friend of her mother's, who was a packhorse librarian, offers to keep Honey until she is of age or is married. Retta loves hearing the Bible read to her and Honey lovingly reads it to her regularly. Unfortunately, she dies early in the book, and Honey is left alone again. When Honey secures a job as a packhorse librarian, she hand her mule, Junia, follow her mother's route and we meet some of the characters from the first book in the series.A new friend, Pearl, who is a forest fire lookout, becomes a confidant for Honey, and gives her another perspective on the lives of women. Along the way, we meet a frontier nurse, a female coal miner and a battered wife who all enrich the story and inspire Honey with their resiliency, while pointing out the violence and bias toward women at the time. It also gave Honey some females to bond with during the time when she was alone.In addition to these rich characters, the author introduces some stereotypical male characters - the corrupt sheriff, the courageous attorney, the male bullies, and the prejudiced mysogynists. I thought that the good characters were a little too good and the bad/evil characters were a little too evil although the author did make the issues of domestic violence, racism, sexism, and cruelty through their introduction into the book.I thought that Honey's fight for legal emancipation was great - and a wonderful alternative to marrying a man who she knew would never respect or love her.Once again Kim Michele Richardson follows up her extensive research into the packhorse librarians with a believable story, strong female characters and a sense of life in the Southern hills in the 1930s. I listened to this book (as I did the first Bookwoman book) and enjoyed the narrator and the story.

Another late review that does not reflect upon the quality of the read."The Book Woman's Daughter" is a sequel to "The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek," in which we meet Cussy Mary, a Kentucky backwoods woman, who is a "Blue," one who lives w/ congenital methemoglobinemia, which gives the skin a dark hue. We were also introduced to the Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project, a WPA project that delivered reading materials to backwoods households and schools, improving literacy. Cussy Mary is historically the last of the "Blues," and encounters legal problems for miscegenation - marrying outside her "race."In "The Book Woman's Daughter," the story continues, introducing us to Cussy Mary's daughter, Honey. The only sign that Honey is a "Blue" is that her hands and feet turn dark when she is stressed or nervous. Therefore, she wears gloves at all times. Honey is supposed to live w an elderly woman as her guardian when her parents are sent to prison for interracial marriage, but the woman is far too ill to care for her. Honey is determined not to get sent to the State Reform School, which is the recommendation of state social services unless she can declare herself emancipated. How unfair! Hard to believe that the state felt that a 16-year-old should be incarcerated until age 21 when she hadn't done anything wrong except be born!Therefore, in order to "fly under the radar," Honey moves into her mother's old backwoods cabin and joins the Pack Horse Library, which has been reconstituted. Honey's lawyer, the local doctor, and a girl who becomes a firewatcher all become Honey's friends and advocates as she pursues emancipation in order to live her own life.The story of the library and the backwoods folks and their lives are once again compelling, and often hearbreaking. The firewatcher's part of the story is also entertaining and informative, as the misogyny endured by these trailblazing women was fierce -- and dangerous, as we find out.I enjoyed the descriptions of Appalachia awakening in springtime, of the food, and the brave women in extraordinary circumstances. Many times, the storyline felt jarring, as the lives of the Appalachians felt from the 1850's, but this book was set in the 1950's.Even though technically a sequel, "The Book Woman's Daughter" can be read as a stand-alone. 5 stars.

Highly recommend this well written novel. I would put it in the historical fiction genre.Honey must survive alone in Eastern Kentucky as another generation as book woman. Her parents are in prison for breaking the law of miscegenation. Honey and the strong women in her life are able to exact revenge on the bullies who rule in the area. She is able to go to court and gain her emancipation.I hope there are more books that carry on this story.

I loved the author's descriptions of the settings and characters in this book. They carried me to another time and place. I was inspired by and hopeful for Honey and the sisterhood that surrounded her.

Loved this follow up to bookwoman of troublesome creek. Follows cusdys daughter Honey who has to travel on ger trusty steed back to troublesome and become a packhorse librarian. With all her own hardships which she must deal with along the way.

Good story, but a bit repetitive if you have read the first book

Enjoyed this follow up to the book woman, sad to read how bad women were treated in those days but how great were the librarians who took reading materials to the poor and underprivileged.