“Can’t be angry and smart at the same time. Now, nothing wrong in having the anger, but the two rarely work together. Let’s be smart, darling daughter.”–Kim Michele Richardson, The Book Woman’s Daughter
Kim Michele Richardson’s sequel to her acclaimed, “The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek,” is impactful, resonant, and a wonderful extension of the original story. Honey Lovett and her family have been hiding from the law her entire life, but when the law finds them and both her parents are imprisoned, Honey must fight to retain her freedom and find a way to help her parents. She begins delivering books along the route that was once her mother’s and like her mother, learns of the healing and connecting power of books.
This is a beautiful and difficult story. It forces us to confront our history and the treatment of the marginalized. It also shows the resilience, determination, and heroism of ordinary women who made extraordinary impacts on their communities and the world. Kudos to Richardson for another first rate and powerful novel.
Content Advisory: Domestic abuse, forced sterilization, racism, sexual assault