Nicknamed Bluet due to her blue skin, Cussy Mary has been an outcast her whole life. Deep in Kentucky, Blue skinned people are looked down upon as tainted, unholy, second class citizens. Now 19, her coal mining father wants nothing more for her than to settle down with a husband and have a family like a decent woman should but she has found her place - as a Book Woman, riding the trails delivering books to the Hill folk, who can't or won't get an education otherwise. Through the books and magazines she delivers she is making a difference in the lives of her patrons, and they are making a difference in hers, giving her a sense of pride, an income, and most importantly, a community. But not everyone is accepting of her as a Blue, and she is increasingly more threatened by the local Preacher, who is determined to "save" her.
Before reading this book I had very limited knowledge of the Kentucky Blues so reading about them and their experiences was a real eye opener. Its so sad how humanity treats anyone they perceive as "other". Be aware that there are some potentially triggering occurrences in this book, sexual and physical assault, so take those into consideration before reading this one.
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
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