The Giver of Stars

Three months prior to the prologue, it’s a hot September in the small town of Baileyville. The town’s inhabitants assemble for a town meeting. Alice Van Cleve, an Englishwoman who recently married one of the richest men in town, Bennett Van Cleve, attends in her soiled house clothing, a forgetful fluke that upsets Bennett. Some of the townsfolk eye Alice dismissively. She has yet to make friends, despite Bennett imploring her to do so. Alice defense herself by saying, “I’m English, Bennett. We’re not built to be … hospitable” (11). The small-town routine of church and meetings bores Alice, who thought marriage would be more like the glitz and glamour of New York. As Alice eyes the room, she receives a cold look from Peggy Foreman, a woman who formerly pursued Bennett’s affection.

Mrs. Brady, a middle-aged woman described as “well upholstered,” begins discussing a new endeavor by Mrs. Roosevelt known as a mobile library. The endeavor seeks to encourage literacy despite the devastating effects of the Depression. Mrs. Roosevelt is keen on mobile libraries popping up across the country, and Mrs. Brady, via the wishes of Kentucky’s head library services member, Mrs. Nofcier, wants Baileyville to do its part. While Mrs. Brady speaks, Alice thinks about a picture of Bennett on their credenza at home and wishes he would look at her again with the same joy he has in the picture. She then recalls their meeting and their honeymoon.

Alice’s parents always disliked her unruly behavior; she always got into trouble back home. When Mr. George Van Cleve, her now father-in-law, and Bennett arrived at a church function while on a European vacation, everyone thought it best that Bennett and Alice’s attraction end in marriage. It also helped that Bennett’s family had money. Her parents shipped her off, and she said goodbye to her brother Gideon. Although Alice felt alive for the first time while traveling to America, when she arrived, she noticed that Mr. Van Cleve was always around—even in Bennett’s and her sleeping quarters, which impacted their sex life. As she began her life in Kentucky, Alice’s dreams soon deflated.

Though the Van Cleves own the second largest house in town, Mr. Van Cleve rules the nest and is always present. Moreover, Alice finds Kentucky life just as monotonous as life in England. After only six months of marriage, and she and Bennett seem like strangers.

Alice snaps out of her recollections to the sounds of heated dispute. The townsfolk, mostly men, voice their concerns about a library that might spread filth in town. In the midst of the commotion, a confident, composed woman named Margery O’Hare cuts down some of the men’s jabs, which intrigues Alice. Though another man mentions that the O’Hares are trouble, Mrs. Brady introduces Margery—and then Beth Pinker—as the two current librarians. Fred Guisler then stands and offers his support. He has given the library the use of his old milk barn. Mrs. Brady asks for more volunteers, even offering her daughter Isabelle’s (Izzy’s) assistance. Amid all the commotion, Alice volunteers, shocking everyone, even herself. Though the Van Cleves scoff at this, voicing that she’s a foreigner who doesn’t know the roads, Margery agrees to show her around.

Alice begins working at the WPA Pack Horse Library. When she arrives on her first day, she’s almost run down by a thoroughbred. Fred comes to her aid, jokingly referring to her as “the English bride” (27). As Alice takes in her surroundings, including Fred, a harried Beth, and then a dry-humored Margery, she again considers how her parents think she’s too impulsive and wonders if they’re right. Margery then gives her a mule to ride, Spirit, and before Alice can change her mind, the two set off to deliver books.

Though Alice’s mule tests her, and the road is rough, she takes in her surroundings with newfound wonder. “As they slowed she realized she was smiling broadly, without thinking about it. It was a striking sensation, like someone suddenly able to exercise a lost limb” (31). Alice finds beauty in the mountains, and Margery echoes her sentiment by stating that she prefers the comfort of the mountains to people. Margery intermittently chats about her family, the townsfolk, and the library’s progress. She then warns Alice to begin learning how to read people. The key to staying safe is knowing when to fight and when to leave.

Later that day, Alice fields questions at dinner about the library from Mr. Van Cleve. He warns her about hanging out with Margery, and tells her the story of Margery’s moonshiner father, Frank. Frank was a horrible person, and Mr. Van Cleve believes that Margery is no better. Though he doesn’t think the library is a good idea, Alice astutely compares the library service to the same charity work that Mr. Van Cleve’s late wife Dolores approved of, thus ending the conversation. She silently seethes at Bennett’s passive behavior.

Alice soon delights in working with Margery. Alice finds Margery amusing—and liberating—because she acts like a man, without a care in the world. She learns that Fred is in his late 30s and has inherited 800 acres of land. He breeds and breaks horses, and he helps out with the library any way he can.

Alice and Margery ride to Jim Horner’s house one morning. He had warned them not to deliver books to him. His wife died recently, and he doesn’t have time to read. His two daughters, who now help with chores, don’t have time, either. To Alice’s horror, Margery converses with Jim, seemingly unafraid despite the shotgun in his hand, and finally leaves books by the gate. She tells him they’ll return and pick them up later. As Alice and Margery leave, Margery shocks Alice by telling her that their visit was a success, adding that Jim shot her hat off the last time she stopped by.

Mrs. Brady finally brings her daughter, Isabelle, to help at the library. A leather-and-metal brace encases Isabelle’s leg, though Alice tries not to look at it. Nonplussed, Isabelle tries reasoning with the women: Not only does she not want to help, she says she can’t ride a horse because of her disability. Margery, however, is unfazed. The group arranges a start date for Isabelle, where she’ll receive lessons on a gentle horse named Patch.

Alice, covered in purple bruises from riding, returns home. She’s greeted by her husband, who takes offense when she tries kissing him: “You smell awfully of horse, these days” (47). Alice, still elated from the day, attempts to shrug the insult off. Though Bennett’s overbearing father is away, and Alice suggests spending time together, Bennett has made plans with his friends and makes it clear that Alice can’t come. When he finally tries kissing her, she backs away and runs into the house, crying. Alice wishes she had someone to talk to about the distance between her and Bennett—they don’t talk about the tension between them.

The following day, Isabelle arrives for lessons. After a dubious start, Alice suggests that she ride without her leg brace and, though unsure, Isabelle agrees. The three women then set out to deliver books to a schoolhouse. They’re greeted by Mrs. Beidecker and over 40 eager children. The kids wave to them when they leave, and Isabelle smiles. Later, Isabelle asks Alice to call her Izzy. She admits that she smiled because it was the first time she’d been in a school without anyone making fun of her leg, which had become disabled after a bout with polio.

When Izzy leaves for the day, Margery and Alice converse about their love of the mountains. For both women, mountains instill a sense of freedom. Their conversation soon stalls, however, when Bennett arrives. He wants to take Alice on a picnic, and his father has given permission. Despite Alice’s hesitation at leaving Margery with all the work, she delightedly rushes off with Bennett once Margery assures her it’s alright. On her way home, Margery admits to herself that the traveling library might not last too long.

When she makes it home, she notices her front door unlatched. She enters with a shotgun, demanding to know who’s there, and she’s greeted by Sven Gustavsson, her partner. They eventually begin talking about marriage; although he wants to marry, Margery doesn’t. Her tough stance on the pointlessness of marriage does nothing to hide her true feelings for him. When Sven embraces her, she kisses him passionately and they make love.

Alice attempts to talk to Bennett about their marriage troubles during their picnic, but he wants to enjoy the beautiful moment instead. When she thinks he might finally say something important, he only speaks lazily of a cardinal she’d queried about earlier.