I enjoyed this book a lot. It combined historical fiction and a mystery. It is even based on a true story. Mattie, a young woman, desires to educate herself in a time that women just don't do that. She has an outstanding role model in her teacher and a very good friend, Weaver, as guides and mentors. I like how Donnelly uses words that the reader might not know and ties them in with the characters learning as well. Every other chapter or so is titled with Mattie's word of the day. I also enjoyed reading about Weaver and Mattie's word duels. They pick a word, then each has to think of synonym for that word. They would go back and forth until one of them couldn't name a synonym.I don't know that any YAs have read this book. I think it is well written, however, I don't think it has much appeal for teen readers unless they have a special interest in historical fiction.Quotesp. 68 The Fulton Chain Floating Library is only a tiny room, an overeager closet, really, belowdecks in Charlie Eckler's pickle boat. It is nothing like the proper library the have in Old Forge, but it has its own element of surprise. Mr. Eckler uses the room to store his wares, and when he finally gets around to moving a chest of tea or a sack of cornmeal, you never knew what you might find. And once and a while, the main library in Herkimer sends up a new book or two. It's nice to get your hands on a new book before everyone else does. While the pages are still clean and white and the spine hasn't been snapped. While it still smells like words and not Mrs. Higby's violet water or Weaver's mamma's fried chicken or my aunt Josie's liniment.What a great description! I love the way she describes the new books.p. 93 I have read so many books, and not one of them tells the truth about babies. Dickens doesn't. Oliver's mother just dies in childbirth and that's that. Bronte doesn't. Catherine Earnshaw just has her daughter and that's that. There's no blood, no sweat, no pain, no fear, no heat, no stink.Writers are damned liars. Every single one of them. Mattie's friend, Minnie is having a baby. I can definately relate to Mattie's description of child birth. I think the last sentence sums up nicely why I question sometimes whether or not I want to go through the labor!