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Lone Women
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Horror (2023)Blue skies, empty land—and enough wide-open space to hide a horrifying secret. A woman with a past, a mysterious trunk, a town on the edge of nowhere, and an “absorbing, powerful” ( BuzzFeed ) new vision of the American West, from the award-winning author of The Changeling .
Adelaide Henry carries an enormous steamer trunk with her wherever she goes. It’s locked at all times. Because when the trunk opens, people around Adelaide start to disappear.
The year is 1915, and Adelaide is in trouble. Her secret sin killed her parents, forcing her to flee California in a hellfire rush and make her way to Montana as a homesteader. Dragging the trunk with her at every stop, she will become one of the “lone women” taking advantage of the government’s offer of free land for those who can tame it—except that Adelaide isn’t alone. And the secret she’s tried so desperately to lock away might be the only thing that will help her survive the harsh territory.
Crafted by a modern master of magical suspense, Lone Women blends shimmering prose, an unforgettable cast of adventurers who find horror and sisterhood in a brutal landscape, and a portrait of early-twentieth-century America like you’ve never seen. And at its heart is the gripping story of a woman desperate to bury her past—or redeem it.
Adelaide Henry carries an enormous steamer trunk with her wherever she goes. It’s locked at all times. Because when the trunk opens, people around Adelaide start to disappear.
The year is 1915, and Adelaide is in trouble. Her secret sin killed her parents, forcing her to flee California in a hellfire rush and make her way to Montana as a homesteader. Dragging the trunk with her at every stop, she will become one of the “lone women” taking advantage of the government’s offer of free land for those who can tame it—except that Adelaide isn’t alone. And the secret she’s tried so desperately to lock away might be the only thing that will help her survive the harsh territory.
Crafted by a modern master of magical suspense, Lone Women blends shimmering prose, an unforgettable cast of adventurers who find horror and sisterhood in a brutal landscape, and a portrait of early-twentieth-century America like you’ve never seen. And at its heart is the gripping story of a woman desperate to bury her past—or redeem it.
304 pages, Paperback
First published March 28, 2023
About the author
Victor LaValle
111 books3,219 followersVictor LaValle is the author of the short story collection Slapboxing with Jesus, four novels, The Ecstatic, Big Machine, The Devil in Silver, and The Changeling and two novellas, Lucretia and the Kroons and The Ballad of Black Tom. He is also the creator and writer of a comic book Victor LaValle's DESTROYER.
He has been the recipient of numerous awards including a Whiting Writers' Award, a United States Artists Ford Fellowship, a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Shirley Jackson Award, an American Book Award, and the key to Southeast Queens.
He was raised in Queens, New York. He now lives in Washington Heights with his wife and kids. He teaches at Columbia University.
He can be kind of hard to reach, but he still loves you.
He has been the recipient of numerous awards including a Whiting Writers' Award, a United States Artists Ford Fellowship, a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Shirley Jackson Award, an American Book Award, and the key to Southeast Queens.
He was raised in Queens, New York. He now lives in Washington Heights with his wife and kids. He teaches at Columbia University.
He can be kind of hard to reach, but he still loves you.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,046 reviews
July 3, 2024
This book has seared itself into the very fabric of my being, forever altering the way I perceive literature. Its curse is both a blessing and a burden, for I now find it nearly impossible to find satisfaction in any other book. It is an unparalleled masterpiece that exceeds all the hype and expectations placed upon it. I had anticipated enjoyment, but I never could have predicted the sheer depth of adoration that now consumes me.
The plot unravels like an intricately woven tapestry, with each thread carefully crafted to deliver maximum impact. The characters breathe with a vividness that is both awe-inspiring and haunting. And the twists, oh the twists—they are a masterclass in storytelling, leaving me breathless and utterly spellbound.
From the very first page, I was ensnared in its grip, unable to tear myself away. The tension builds relentlessly, chapter after chapter, until it reaches a crescendo that threatens to shatter my very soul. The complex and troubled characters, their struggles and flaws, are depicted with a brilliance that makes them feel achingly real. It is their imperfections that allow me to forge a deep connection, to see myself reflected in their haunting journeys.
Historical fiction has never held much allure for me, yet this book defies categorization. It seamlessly weaves together elements of horror, thriller, women's fiction, historical fiction, and even a touch of fantasy. It is a powerful exploration of feminism, set against the backdrop of early 20th-century Montana—a place where survival and resilience take center stage.
Adelaide Henry, the unconventional and enigmatic protagonist, is a force to be reckoned with. Trapped within societal expectations, she defies norms and seizes control of her own destiny. Her life takes a dramatic turn when she sets fire to her farmhouse, leaving behind the haunting remnants of her parents. With a secret tucked away in her trunk—a curse she bears—she sets forth to forge a new path in Montana, where she encounters a mysterious woman and her four blind sons.
Adelaide's struggle to conceal her secret becomes a gripping battle for survival, not just for herself, but for the town as well. As she peels back the layers of hypocrisy, inequality, and greed that taint the community, she realizes she may not be the only one grappling with a curse. Together with other resilient women, she must confront the monsters that lurk beneath the masks of humanity, fighting for their lives and the soul of the town.
My emotions are in tumult, swirling with an intensity that defies containment. To confine my praise to a mere five-star rating feels like an injustice to the sheer brilliance of this book. It is an exceptional work of art, one that demands to be read and cherished. Urgency permeates my recommendation—do not let this masterpiece slip through your fingers.
My deepest gratitude goes to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/One World for granting me the privilege of experiencing this truly FANTASTIC digital review copy. Their generosity in sharing such a treasure is immeasurable, and I am forever grateful for the opportunity to delve into its enchanting pages.
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The plot unravels like an intricately woven tapestry, with each thread carefully crafted to deliver maximum impact. The characters breathe with a vividness that is both awe-inspiring and haunting. And the twists, oh the twists—they are a masterclass in storytelling, leaving me breathless and utterly spellbound.
From the very first page, I was ensnared in its grip, unable to tear myself away. The tension builds relentlessly, chapter after chapter, until it reaches a crescendo that threatens to shatter my very soul. The complex and troubled characters, their struggles and flaws, are depicted with a brilliance that makes them feel achingly real. It is their imperfections that allow me to forge a deep connection, to see myself reflected in their haunting journeys.
Historical fiction has never held much allure for me, yet this book defies categorization. It seamlessly weaves together elements of horror, thriller, women's fiction, historical fiction, and even a touch of fantasy. It is a powerful exploration of feminism, set against the backdrop of early 20th-century Montana—a place where survival and resilience take center stage.
Adelaide Henry, the unconventional and enigmatic protagonist, is a force to be reckoned with. Trapped within societal expectations, she defies norms and seizes control of her own destiny. Her life takes a dramatic turn when she sets fire to her farmhouse, leaving behind the haunting remnants of her parents. With a secret tucked away in her trunk—a curse she bears—she sets forth to forge a new path in Montana, where she encounters a mysterious woman and her four blind sons.
Adelaide's struggle to conceal her secret becomes a gripping battle for survival, not just for herself, but for the town as well. As she peels back the layers of hypocrisy, inequality, and greed that taint the community, she realizes she may not be the only one grappling with a curse. Together with other resilient women, she must confront the monsters that lurk beneath the masks of humanity, fighting for their lives and the soul of the town.
My emotions are in tumult, swirling with an intensity that defies containment. To confine my praise to a mere five-star rating feels like an injustice to the sheer brilliance of this book. It is an exceptional work of art, one that demands to be read and cherished. Urgency permeates my recommendation—do not let this masterpiece slip through your fingers.
My deepest gratitude goes to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/One World for granting me the privilege of experiencing this truly FANTASTIC digital review copy. Their generosity in sharing such a treasure is immeasurable, and I am forever grateful for the opportunity to delve into its enchanting pages.
medium blog
March 24, 2023
Ok but WTF DID I JUST READ? 😳 Honestly, for the first 70% I just kept reading to find out what was in the trunk, but even after the unexpected reveal, I was compelled to finish. What an emotional ending! Highly recommended for those who like reading books that cannot be tied down to any single genre.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
March 18, 2023
Lone Women
by Victor LaValle is a standalone novel mainly set in and near Big Sandy, Montana. The author has managed to combine horror, mystery, suspense, historical fiction, and the supernatural in a western set in 1914-1915. Featuring thirty-one-year-old Adelaide Henry, the novel also sheds light on the little-known historical fact that single, widowed, divorced, or deserted women who where at least 21 could become homesteaders and through “proving” their claim, own their own land.
Adelaide flees her home town of Redondo, California with only one bag and a very heavy and locked steamer trunk. Arriving in Montana, she starts making improvements on her land and keeping her terrible secret. Distant neighbors call, but Adelaide isn’t alone. What is her hidden secret?
Adelaide is full of grief, worry, and uncertainty, but she also experiences anticipation and excitement. Will she truly be free for the first time in her life? I still don’t understand why she left her home with as little as she did. How did she think she would survive? Perhaps it was the shock of the events in California.
What a shocking first paragraph! It immediately pulled me into the story. The writing is vivid and atmospheric. Readers slowly learn Adelaide’s secret and experience the west with its good and bad. Neighbors tended to help neighbors in time of need. However, there is also racism and vigilantism. Diverse characters, secrets, death, loneliness, difficult socioeconomic conditions, theft, curiosity, vengeance, rage, freedom, the supernatural, and retribution are also weaved into the storyline. My main quibble is the uneven pacing.
I always expect to learn something new from a historical fiction novel, and this one delivered. Information about the lone women homesteaders wasn’t something that was taught in any of my classes, making this novel a good fit to read during women’s history month.
Overall, this was a compelling, shocking, unique, and dark story that also had some uplifting moments. I’m looking forward to reading more books by this author.
Random House Publishing Group - Random House, One World and Victor LaValle provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for March 28, 2023.
-----------------------------------------
My 4.05 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
Adelaide flees her home town of Redondo, California with only one bag and a very heavy and locked steamer trunk. Arriving in Montana, she starts making improvements on her land and keeping her terrible secret. Distant neighbors call, but Adelaide isn’t alone. What is her hidden secret?
Adelaide is full of grief, worry, and uncertainty, but she also experiences anticipation and excitement. Will she truly be free for the first time in her life? I still don’t understand why she left her home with as little as she did. How did she think she would survive? Perhaps it was the shock of the events in California.
What a shocking first paragraph! It immediately pulled me into the story. The writing is vivid and atmospheric. Readers slowly learn Adelaide’s secret and experience the west with its good and bad. Neighbors tended to help neighbors in time of need. However, there is also racism and vigilantism. Diverse characters, secrets, death, loneliness, difficult socioeconomic conditions, theft, curiosity, vengeance, rage, freedom, the supernatural, and retribution are also weaved into the storyline. My main quibble is the uneven pacing.
I always expect to learn something new from a historical fiction novel, and this one delivered. Information about the lone women homesteaders wasn’t something that was taught in any of my classes, making this novel a good fit to read during women’s history month.
Overall, this was a compelling, shocking, unique, and dark story that also had some uplifting moments. I’m looking forward to reading more books by this author.
Random House Publishing Group - Random House, One World and Victor LaValle provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for March 28, 2023.
-----------------------------------------
My 4.05 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
March 26, 2023
1 ⭐️
This was one of my most frustrating reads in a very long time. I don’t think I’ve ever read a story that is so unfocused, so lacking in direction as Lone Women. It is evident that LaValle did not plan out anything while writing this novel and did as the great philosophers called “go with the flow” and wrote as he went because I could not find an ounce of cohesiveness in this entire novel. The only way I feel any justice in completing a one star book is if I write a lengthy review explaining why a book was not worth my time and certainly not yours.
Lone Women and I got off on the wrong foot very early on when I noticed the author was using a gimmicky “secret” device/trope. Here, the reader is is not privy to information that the author keeps hinting at in order to add tension for a “big reveal.” This trope is so annoying and unoriginal. I know this is a trademark of the thriller/mystery genre but it is a lazy storytelling device nonetheless. Especially when 90% of the time the “secret” the author wants to keep hush hush is not even interesting or exciting.
If that would’ve been the worst offense of Lone Women, I could’ve forgiven it and then grown to enjoy whatever else the story had to offer, and that’s what I was hoping would be the case since I have liked other books from LaValle in the past. Little did I know that these gimmicky tropes being used are not even close to the worst parts of the book.
I don’t think you can talk about this book without talking about how utterly poor (really nonexistent) the character work is. By the end of this book, I I was likely introduced to well over a dozen characters (in a novel short of 300 pgs I should note) and could not muster up ANY feelings for anyone. So many useless, random, characters are introduced and subsequent random storylines that it is impossible to form interest in any of them bc you are juggling so many of them on top of what I would call the book’s “overarching storyline.” From Fiona’s dad’s missing grave to the cult-leader esque Mrs. Reed and the opera show, to the family known as the Mudges, it was simply too much. It’s critical to note that NONE of the storylines or characters are developed in any capacity. The motivations for characters are either nonexistent or extremely nebulous and involve A LOT of inference/guessing on the reader’s part. For example, The Mudges family motivations were not made clear at all. I eventually understood a little bit more about their motivations but for a majority of the story I didn’t understand the purpose of their characters or what they were doing in the story.
This may sound dramatic, but the feeling I got reading this book was akin to being in some weird trippy mental state, because several times things would be happening but with absolutely no context and you’d be completely unaware of the role a character has in the story or what their motivations were, and then you’d just have to move on and do it all again in the subsequent chapter which created the most befuddling reading experiences I’ve ever had. It was an utterly bizarre experience and not in a cool literary way. Just a lazy abysmal storytelling/writing way.
And to be frank, the main overarching storyline is quite honestly dumb…There was nothing “horrific” or scary about it. It made no sense and “reveals” kept happening but I didn’t care about any because the foundation of the story was nonsensical and so were the reveals. There was no underlying themes or allegorical purpose for the horror. The last time I willingly consumed a story where mythical monsters were the heart of the horror and nothing else I was probably thirteen. This is definitely not strong enough to sustain an adult horror novel.
To harp on a little bit more about the character work, none of the character relationships had any depth either. Grace, Sam, and Adelaide were a random ensemble that I did not feel any closeness between until maybe the end. It was a lot of telling me how close these people were and not ever showing me it in a meaningful way. Then, Bertie and Fiona were added to the mix and still I lacked any feelings or connections for ALL of these characters. We are given zero incentive to muster up any degree of feeling towards any of the characters bc their motivations are unclear, their background is unknown or very little is said about it, and their purpose in the story is fuzzy too. Any one of them could’ve died in the book and I wouldn’t have given a damn (with the exception of Sam since he’s a kid, so I’ll go easy on him). There were also random romantic subplots and sex scenes that, shocker, I also did not care for. And imma need male authors to stop writing wlw sex scenes, for no other reason than you want to sexualize your female characters real quick. Everything about these characters, their interactions with each other, and their relationships felt empty and mundane. A far cry from what I’ve witnessed in LaValle’s other works.
Going into this, I didn’t think LaValle would write one of the worst books I’ve read this year or just ever but life is weird like that and here we are. This book failed me on virtually every level and I could not think of anything worthy of admiration in it so I settled at 1⭐️. Seeing the ratings on this book so far though, it seems like I’m a “lone woman” in this opinion.
This was one of my most frustrating reads in a very long time. I don’t think I’ve ever read a story that is so unfocused, so lacking in direction as Lone Women. It is evident that LaValle did not plan out anything while writing this novel and did as the great philosophers called “go with the flow” and wrote as he went because I could not find an ounce of cohesiveness in this entire novel. The only way I feel any justice in completing a one star book is if I write a lengthy review explaining why a book was not worth my time and certainly not yours.
Lone Women and I got off on the wrong foot very early on when I noticed the author was using a gimmicky “secret” device/trope. Here, the reader is is not privy to information that the author keeps hinting at in order to add tension for a “big reveal.” This trope is so annoying and unoriginal. I know this is a trademark of the thriller/mystery genre but it is a lazy storytelling device nonetheless. Especially when 90% of the time the “secret” the author wants to keep hush hush is not even interesting or exciting.
If that would’ve been the worst offense of Lone Women, I could’ve forgiven it and then grown to enjoy whatever else the story had to offer, and that’s what I was hoping would be the case since I have liked other books from LaValle in the past. Little did I know that these gimmicky tropes being used are not even close to the worst parts of the book.
I don’t think you can talk about this book without talking about how utterly poor (really nonexistent) the character work is. By the end of this book, I I was likely introduced to well over a dozen characters (in a novel short of 300 pgs I should note) and could not muster up ANY feelings for anyone. So many useless, random, characters are introduced and subsequent random storylines that it is impossible to form interest in any of them bc you are juggling so many of them on top of what I would call the book’s “overarching storyline.” From Fiona’s dad’s missing grave to the cult-leader esque Mrs. Reed and the opera show, to the family known as the Mudges, it was simply too much. It’s critical to note that NONE of the storylines or characters are developed in any capacity. The motivations for characters are either nonexistent or extremely nebulous and involve A LOT of inference/guessing on the reader’s part. For example, The Mudges family motivations were not made clear at all. I eventually understood a little bit more about their motivations but for a majority of the story I didn’t understand the purpose of their characters or what they were doing in the story.
This may sound dramatic, but the feeling I got reading this book was akin to being in some weird trippy mental state, because several times things would be happening but with absolutely no context and you’d be completely unaware of the role a character has in the story or what their motivations were, and then you’d just have to move on and do it all again in the subsequent chapter which created the most befuddling reading experiences I’ve ever had. It was an utterly bizarre experience and not in a cool literary way. Just a lazy abysmal storytelling/writing way.
And to be frank, the main overarching storyline is quite honestly dumb…There was nothing “horrific” or scary about it. It made no sense and “reveals” kept happening but I didn’t care about any because the foundation of the story was nonsensical and so were the reveals. There was no underlying themes or allegorical purpose for the horror. The last time I willingly consumed a story where mythical monsters were the heart of the horror and nothing else I was probably thirteen. This is definitely not strong enough to sustain an adult horror novel.
To harp on a little bit more about the character work, none of the character relationships had any depth either. Grace, Sam, and Adelaide were a random ensemble that I did not feel any closeness between until maybe the end. It was a lot of telling me how close these people were and not ever showing me it in a meaningful way. Then, Bertie and Fiona were added to the mix and still I lacked any feelings or connections for ALL of these characters. We are given zero incentive to muster up any degree of feeling towards any of the characters bc their motivations are unclear, their background is unknown or very little is said about it, and their purpose in the story is fuzzy too. Any one of them could’ve died in the book and I wouldn’t have given a damn (with the exception of Sam since he’s a kid, so I’ll go easy on him). There were also random romantic subplots and sex scenes that, shocker, I also did not care for. And imma need male authors to stop writing wlw sex scenes, for no other reason than you want to sexualize your female characters real quick. Everything about these characters, their interactions with each other, and their relationships felt empty and mundane. A far cry from what I’ve witnessed in LaValle’s other works.
Going into this, I didn’t think LaValle would write one of the worst books I’ve read this year or just ever but life is weird like that and here we are. This book failed me on virtually every level and I could not think of anything worthy of admiration in it so I settled at 1⭐️. Seeing the ratings on this book so far though, it seems like I’m a “lone woman” in this opinion.
July 15, 2023
Sometimes You Create the Monster
I was unprepared. I picked up the book at the last minute, sadly unfamiliar with the author, but there had been some positive feedback floating around. It came with the horror label attached and I was frankly a little worn out with some recent over-the-top experiences in the genre.
““Wanna fly, you got to give up the **** that weighs you down.”—Toni Morrison, Song of Solomon
“Lone Women” opens with Adelaide burning down her house– along with the corpses of her mother and father. She is a black woman headed alone into the badlands of Montana, aiming to homestead on a piece of property just outside the remote town of Big Sandy. The only thing she is taking with her is a large, heavy trunk… a thing of secrets.
Early on I almost forgot the horror tag. Adelaide is such a compelling figure in a challenging situation there seemed no need to rely on the crutch of a Michael Myers or Freddie Krueger monster. Little by little things start to change, however, and the secret burden Adelaide has been bearing her whole life is uncovered. We are finding monsters– old and new.
She runs across other lone women, women forging lives against the odds in a harsh male-dominated existence, and– although her life has been starkly isolated– she cannot resist the urge to confide in her new companions. These women are not the characters you read about when dusting off journals of our wild wild west. “But that’s only because history is simple. And the past? The past is complicated.”
The author, Victor LaValle, won the Shirley Jackson Award for best novella a few years back. The tone here is reminiscent of atmospheres Shirley Jackson conjured up, vibrations steadily increasing the feeling something is terribly wrong in this world. I thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful mix of historical fiction, western folklore, and… horror.
Sometimes you create the monster.
Thank you to One World, Random House, and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. #LoneWomen #OneWorldBooks #RandomHouse
I was unprepared. I picked up the book at the last minute, sadly unfamiliar with the author, but there had been some positive feedback floating around. It came with the horror label attached and I was frankly a little worn out with some recent over-the-top experiences in the genre.
““Wanna fly, you got to give up the **** that weighs you down.”—Toni Morrison, Song of Solomon
“Lone Women” opens with Adelaide burning down her house– along with the corpses of her mother and father. She is a black woman headed alone into the badlands of Montana, aiming to homestead on a piece of property just outside the remote town of Big Sandy. The only thing she is taking with her is a large, heavy trunk… a thing of secrets.
Early on I almost forgot the horror tag. Adelaide is such a compelling figure in a challenging situation there seemed no need to rely on the crutch of a Michael Myers or Freddie Krueger monster. Little by little things start to change, however, and the secret burden Adelaide has been bearing her whole life is uncovered. We are finding monsters– old and new.
She runs across other lone women, women forging lives against the odds in a harsh male-dominated existence, and– although her life has been starkly isolated– she cannot resist the urge to confide in her new companions. These women are not the characters you read about when dusting off journals of our wild wild west. “But that’s only because history is simple. And the past? The past is complicated.”
The author, Victor LaValle, won the Shirley Jackson Award for best novella a few years back. The tone here is reminiscent of atmospheres Shirley Jackson conjured up, vibrations steadily increasing the feeling something is terribly wrong in this world. I thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful mix of historical fiction, western folklore, and… horror.
Sometimes you create the monster.
Thank you to One World, Random House, and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. #LoneWomen #OneWorldBooks #RandomHouse
March 9, 2023
this was SO DAMN GOOD WHAT
February 5, 2024
Amazing!!!
Emotional, moving, unexpected, sometimes brutal- this is my second Lavalle book, and I think it’s solidified him as a new fav.
Adelaide is on the run, fleeing from her family home in California to the Montana wilderness to start a new life. The story is about her struggle to survive the elements and her dark past, with only a mysterious, very heavy chest as company.
This was not AT ALL what I was expecting, and I loved it so much. Some of my favorite books are ones that catch me by surprise, and this one just completely blew me away. I don’t want to spoil why, but if you have m trusted any of my recs before, trust me on this. ITS SO GOOD!!!
This reading year is off to an amazing start!!
Emotional, moving, unexpected, sometimes brutal- this is my second Lavalle book, and I think it’s solidified him as a new fav.
Adelaide is on the run, fleeing from her family home in California to the Montana wilderness to start a new life. The story is about her struggle to survive the elements and her dark past, with only a mysterious, very heavy chest as company.
This was not AT ALL what I was expecting, and I loved it so much. Some of my favorite books are ones that catch me by surprise, and this one just completely blew me away. I don’t want to spoil why, but if you have m trusted any of my recs before, trust me on this. ITS SO GOOD!!!
This reading year is off to an amazing start!!
April 14, 2023
LONE WOMEN by Victor LaValle (The Ballad of Black Tom)
Release Date: March 28th, 2023
General Genre: Historical fiction, Dark Fantasy, Adult Supernatural Horror
Subgenre/Themes: LBGTQIA representation, family secrets, friendship, community, homesteading, the female experience, strong women, outsiders & outcasts, loneliness
Writing Style: 3 Parts, short chapters, fast pace, character-driven, multiple POV
What You Need to Know: You don't need to know *anything* going into this book. I'm afraid that early reviews will spoil some fun discoveries for you so try to avoid those at all costs. The synopsis is really good at protecting reading discovery while explaining this is a story about a woman forced to flee her home, and her past, and make a new life for herself. The only problem is that some family secrets cannot be kept in the dark.
My Reading Experience: Holy hell this is an entertaining and unexpected story. I'm giving loud (extra LOUD) praises to Victor LaValle for the short chapters that kept the pace at a fast clip. As I sit here writing this, I'm realizing how many storylines LaValle managed to work into this overarching narrative. The main character, Adelaide Henry is the primary focus and all the side stories orbit around her but LaValle does an excellent job of weaving new characters into her journey creating multiple central characters to invest in and they're all interesting, complicated, strong women...hence that title, Lone Women.
My favorite aspect of this story is the historical setting. The beginning set up with Adelaide traveling out to Montana by herself to homestead on a piece of property was absorbing. I loved all the details of her journey to get out there and how horrifying that would be for me personally. Spending the night in a dark building with no electricity, nobody to help share the load, all alone in a new place with strange sounds and the fear of the unknown. This all felt very real to me.
Coupled with this tension is Adelaide's steamer trunk. Man, I've never been so curious and desperate for answers!
As new characters move in and out of the narrative, especially in Part II, there was a temptation for me to feel impatient. This happens to me sometimes when I favor one storyline over newly introduced ones, but all of the subplots become important to get us where we're going in Part III so I'm glad I forced my impatient reader's brain into submission and just sat back to enjoy the ride. It was well worth it.
Final Recommendation: I highly recommend this book to horror fans who enjoy horror sub-genre fusion, strong female protagonists, and short, buzzy chapters that keep you glued to the pages. I never wanted to put this down--it made me resent all the life obstacles that made me set it aside.
Comps: The Hunger by Alma Katsu, The Night Sister by Jennifer McMahon, Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Release Date: March 28th, 2023
General Genre: Historical fiction, Dark Fantasy, Adult Supernatural Horror
Subgenre/Themes: LBGTQIA representation, family secrets, friendship, community, homesteading, the female experience, strong women, outsiders & outcasts, loneliness
Writing Style: 3 Parts, short chapters, fast pace, character-driven, multiple POV
What You Need to Know: You don't need to know *anything* going into this book. I'm afraid that early reviews will spoil some fun discoveries for you so try to avoid those at all costs. The synopsis is really good at protecting reading discovery while explaining this is a story about a woman forced to flee her home, and her past, and make a new life for herself. The only problem is that some family secrets cannot be kept in the dark.
My Reading Experience: Holy hell this is an entertaining and unexpected story. I'm giving loud (extra LOUD) praises to Victor LaValle for the short chapters that kept the pace at a fast clip. As I sit here writing this, I'm realizing how many storylines LaValle managed to work into this overarching narrative. The main character, Adelaide Henry is the primary focus and all the side stories orbit around her but LaValle does an excellent job of weaving new characters into her journey creating multiple central characters to invest in and they're all interesting, complicated, strong women...hence that title, Lone Women.
My favorite aspect of this story is the historical setting. The beginning set up with Adelaide traveling out to Montana by herself to homestead on a piece of property was absorbing. I loved all the details of her journey to get out there and how horrifying that would be for me personally. Spending the night in a dark building with no electricity, nobody to help share the load, all alone in a new place with strange sounds and the fear of the unknown. This all felt very real to me.
Coupled with this tension is Adelaide's steamer trunk. Man, I've never been so curious and desperate for answers!
As new characters move in and out of the narrative, especially in Part II, there was a temptation for me to feel impatient. This happens to me sometimes when I favor one storyline over newly introduced ones, but all of the subplots become important to get us where we're going in Part III so I'm glad I forced my impatient reader's brain into submission and just sat back to enjoy the ride. It was well worth it.
Final Recommendation: I highly recommend this book to horror fans who enjoy horror sub-genre fusion, strong female protagonists, and short, buzzy chapters that keep you glued to the pages. I never wanted to put this down--it made me resent all the life obstacles that made me set it aside.
Comps: The Hunger by Alma Katsu, The Night Sister by Jennifer McMahon, Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
March 5, 2023
"A Woman is a Mule."
Adelaide Henry, and her enormous steamer trunk, has made her way to Montana from California. She left behind her dead parents and her old life behind. She is looking for a new start. She is one of the "lone women" who benefit from the government's offer to free land for those who can cultivate it. Adelaide isn't alone. She has brought the trunk with her. A trunk which must always remain locked in order to keep herself and everyone she meets safe.
Oh, la la, this was a nice blending of historical fiction, horror, western, and mystery. This book crept up on me from the very first page. I was fully invested in the plot and wanting to know what was in Adelaide's trunk. Be careful what you wish for fellow readers! Go in as blind as you can.
I enjoyed most of the characters in this book. There are also a fair number of characters who are unlikeable, and I enjoyed booing and hissing at them. This book also had me reflecting on who the real monsters were in this book.
I found this book to be creepy, dark, atmospheric and oh so good! This book played out like a movie in my mind. The descriptions were lush, vivid and set the mood of this book. I would not be surprised if this book was made into a movie.
Hats off to Victor LaValle for creating a unique, compelling and dark tale.
#LoneWomen #NetGalley #VictorLaValle
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Random House, One World and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Adelaide Henry, and her enormous steamer trunk, has made her way to Montana from California. She left behind her dead parents and her old life behind. She is looking for a new start. She is one of the "lone women" who benefit from the government's offer to free land for those who can cultivate it. Adelaide isn't alone. She has brought the trunk with her. A trunk which must always remain locked in order to keep herself and everyone she meets safe.
Oh, la la, this was a nice blending of historical fiction, horror, western, and mystery. This book crept up on me from the very first page. I was fully invested in the plot and wanting to know what was in Adelaide's trunk. Be careful what you wish for fellow readers! Go in as blind as you can.
I enjoyed most of the characters in this book. There are also a fair number of characters who are unlikeable, and I enjoyed booing and hissing at them. This book also had me reflecting on who the real monsters were in this book.
I found this book to be creepy, dark, atmospheric and oh so good! This book played out like a movie in my mind. The descriptions were lush, vivid and set the mood of this book. I would not be surprised if this book was made into a movie.
Hats off to Victor LaValle for creating a unique, compelling and dark tale.
#LoneWomen #NetGalley #VictorLaValle
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Random House, One World and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
December 16, 2023
12 Challenge
Recommended by Sarah Beth
I was introduced to Victor's work first by watching The Changeling. After a hefty wait at the library, I read The Changeling as well. While the first half captivated me, I started to become confused in the second. The opposite was the case here.
I would like to preface that three stars isn't a bad rating. I find I'm spare with my four and five stars. As you know, I'm all about BIPOC and women representation, but the American West is an area that doesn't really interest me. Unless it's Ben Barnes naked in Westworld. Maybe a description for another time.
In the early 1900s, Adelaide flees California, making her way to Montana with a mysterious locked trunk. I thought of Frankenstein's Monster. I thought of Alastor Moody. I thought of a lot of things. Those weren't what I got. Admittedly, I was spoiled by some reviews, and the reveal didn't end up being as shocking as I'd hoped. I don't want to call this a love story in the traditional sense, because it's not, but in the end, it's a bit of a self-love story to Adelaide, and from Adelaide. We possibly need more of these in the world.
Recommended by Sarah Beth
I was introduced to Victor's work first by watching The Changeling. After a hefty wait at the library, I read The Changeling as well. While the first half captivated me, I started to become confused in the second. The opposite was the case here.
I would like to preface that three stars isn't a bad rating. I find I'm spare with my four and five stars. As you know, I'm all about BIPOC and women representation, but the American West is an area that doesn't really interest me. Unless it's Ben Barnes naked in Westworld. Maybe a description for another time.
In the early 1900s, Adelaide flees California, making her way to Montana with a mysterious locked trunk. I thought of Frankenstein's Monster. I thought of Alastor Moody. I thought of a lot of things. Those weren't what I got. Admittedly, I was spoiled by some reviews, and the reveal didn't end up being as shocking as I'd hoped. I don't want to call this a love story in the traditional sense, because it's not, but in the end, it's a bit of a self-love story to Adelaide, and from Adelaide. We possibly need more of these in the world.
July 17, 2023
Lone Women is one unique and captivating reading experience. Victor LaValle dishes out some violent, metaphorical thrills that left me surprisingly thrilled with everything I was left to think about after reading it.
“You kept too many secrets,” Adelaide says to her parents. “Look what it cost you.”
The story hooked me right from the start when Adelaide flees her black farming community in Southern California after her parents are mysteriously killed, creating plenty of suspense to keep me turning the pages. She travels with a locked steamer trunk carrying the burden of horrifying secrets. Adelaide travels to Montana to seek solace as one of the “lone women” who have taken up the government’s offer of free land. She soon discovers that she is not the only one with secrets, and the unforgiving land becomes a backdrop for unforgettable characters and a strong story of sisterhood.
“There are two kinds of people: those who live with shame, and those who die from it.”
“That shit wears you down,” she tells us. “The reward for sacrifice is simply more sacrifices.”
My Two Cents
LaValle blends elements of suspense, a feminist Western horror with some history-creating a profound understanding of how complicated the past is while connecting that with the human psyche and exploring themes of family, shame, burden, race, gender, and power.
“History is simple, but the past is complicated” ~Victor LaValle.
There is plenty of physical violence with Adelaide’s murderous family secret and the townspeople but the story’s psychological horror elements drive the story.
LaValle creates three diverse independent lone women while exploring race and gender but doesn’t fall into gender norms or stereotypes. I was hesitant about reading a book written by a man about strong, vulnerable women. However, LaValle sought feedback from women, including his wife, who advised him not to victimize the women and showed him when a woman would be vulnerable in a way a man might not see.
“One of the things I wanted to get across,” LaValle says, “is that the tenor of a lot of old westerns is, ‘Look how bold and brave these white men with the law and the government and guns all on their side were.’ And I wanted to say, ‘That’s not brave. What’s brave is to go out there when you know all those things are allied against you.’ I was astounded by the bravery of these women.”
LaValle takes that “soothe the savage beast” trope and creates a thrilling metaphorical monster, creating plenty of suspense and tension that drives the story forward while giving us plenty to think about with the family’s shame and burden when hiding secrets from the past.
Lone Women demands to be read slowly, savored, and contemplated. At times, I lost patience with the pacing and almost gave up, but all the praise from across the book community on the internet kept me curious as to why. I am glad I did hang in there because I would have missed out on some profound themes of family burden and shame that stood out for me, compelling characters that I will remember, and masterful storytelling that will have me thinking about for quite some time.
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
“You kept too many secrets,” Adelaide says to her parents. “Look what it cost you.”
The story hooked me right from the start when Adelaide flees her black farming community in Southern California after her parents are mysteriously killed, creating plenty of suspense to keep me turning the pages. She travels with a locked steamer trunk carrying the burden of horrifying secrets. Adelaide travels to Montana to seek solace as one of the “lone women” who have taken up the government’s offer of free land. She soon discovers that she is not the only one with secrets, and the unforgiving land becomes a backdrop for unforgettable characters and a strong story of sisterhood.
“There are two kinds of people: those who live with shame, and those who die from it.”
“That shit wears you down,” she tells us. “The reward for sacrifice is simply more sacrifices.”
My Two Cents
LaValle blends elements of suspense, a feminist Western horror with some history-creating a profound understanding of how complicated the past is while connecting that with the human psyche and exploring themes of family, shame, burden, race, gender, and power.
“History is simple, but the past is complicated” ~Victor LaValle.
There is plenty of physical violence with Adelaide’s murderous family secret and the townspeople but the story’s psychological horror elements drive the story.
LaValle creates three diverse independent lone women while exploring race and gender but doesn’t fall into gender norms or stereotypes. I was hesitant about reading a book written by a man about strong, vulnerable women. However, LaValle sought feedback from women, including his wife, who advised him not to victimize the women and showed him when a woman would be vulnerable in a way a man might not see.
“One of the things I wanted to get across,” LaValle says, “is that the tenor of a lot of old westerns is, ‘Look how bold and brave these white men with the law and the government and guns all on their side were.’ And I wanted to say, ‘That’s not brave. What’s brave is to go out there when you know all those things are allied against you.’ I was astounded by the bravery of these women.”
LaValle takes that “soothe the savage beast” trope and creates a thrilling metaphorical monster, creating plenty of suspense and tension that drives the story forward while giving us plenty to think about with the family’s shame and burden when hiding secrets from the past.
Lone Women demands to be read slowly, savored, and contemplated. At times, I lost patience with the pacing and almost gave up, but all the praise from across the book community on the internet kept me curious as to why. I am glad I did hang in there because I would have missed out on some profound themes of family burden and shame that stood out for me, compelling characters that I will remember, and masterful storytelling that will have me thinking about for quite some time.
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
April 14, 2023
Victor LaValle is such a good storyteller!
Lone Women is a character driven tale about several women and their secrets as they survive early 1900s Montana. This is my third book from this author and I definitely consider him one of my favorites. I honestly liked everything about it.
Lone Women is a character driven tale about several women and their secrets as they survive early 1900s Montana. This is my third book from this author and I definitely consider him one of my favorites. I honestly liked everything about it.
January 31, 2023
Adelaide Henry, thirty-one years old, methodically douses gasoline over the furniture and fixtures in the home she shared with her parents. After all is said and done, she blamed her parents Glenville and Eleanor for everything that has caused her to set fire to the home she grew up in.
Waiting outside is Adelaide’s driver who is to transport her to her new homestead in Montana. Before leaving, Adelaide bids farewell to her parents lying in their bed covered with blood stained bedsheets and a good dose of fuel. Striking the match, Adelaide casually lights the bedsheets before exiting the house — taking with her a large and very heavy steamer trunk…
The characters in Lone Women are varied and diverse with the primary character being somewhat developed. The other characters provided the needed window dressing to flesh out the storyline. Even so, something was missing as I didn’t feel anything toward any of the players.
Lone Women started off with a bang. But after a while, the pacing slowed to a trot. There are a number of hills and valleys in this novel that got a little tiresome. But the plot twists sprinkled throughout the novel kept me forging on, only to be disappointed by the big and bizarre reveal. After that, it was too late to quit and the finale just left me empty with more questions than answers. Two okay stars.
I received a digital ARC from One World (Random House Publishing) through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
Waiting outside is Adelaide’s driver who is to transport her to her new homestead in Montana. Before leaving, Adelaide bids farewell to her parents lying in their bed covered with blood stained bedsheets and a good dose of fuel. Striking the match, Adelaide casually lights the bedsheets before exiting the house — taking with her a large and very heavy steamer trunk…
The characters in Lone Women are varied and diverse with the primary character being somewhat developed. The other characters provided the needed window dressing to flesh out the storyline. Even so, something was missing as I didn’t feel anything toward any of the players.
Lone Women started off with a bang. But after a while, the pacing slowed to a trot. There are a number of hills and valleys in this novel that got a little tiresome. But the plot twists sprinkled throughout the novel kept me forging on, only to be disappointed by the big and bizarre reveal. After that, it was too late to quit and the finale just left me empty with more questions than answers. Two okay stars.
I received a digital ARC from One World (Random House Publishing) through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
March 3, 2023
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for an egalley in exchange for an honest review
There are two kinds of people in this world:those who live with shame and those who die from it. On Tuesday, Adelaide Henry would've called herself the former, but by Wednesday she wasn't as sure.
Those first lines were all it took to get me hooked onto this story. How do I describe a book that had the feeling of historical fiction mixed with horror and suspense and western and literary fiction?
Quite simply, Lone Women might just be the best book of 2023. I love a book with strong female characters and this book had so many-Adelaide, Grace, Bertie, Fiona, Mrs.Reed etc. They were all unapologetic about who they were and I loved that!
Yeah, I was very impressed with this book.
Goodreads review published 03/03/23
Expected Publication Date 28/03/23
#LoneWomen #NetGalley.
There are two kinds of people in this world:those who live with shame and those who die from it. On Tuesday, Adelaide Henry would've called herself the former, but by Wednesday she wasn't as sure.
Those first lines were all it took to get me hooked onto this story. How do I describe a book that had the feeling of historical fiction mixed with horror and suspense and western and literary fiction?
Quite simply, Lone Women might just be the best book of 2023. I love a book with strong female characters and this book had so many-Adelaide, Grace, Bertie, Fiona, Mrs.Reed etc. They were all unapologetic about who they were and I loved that!
Yeah, I was very impressed with this book.
Goodreads review published 03/03/23
Expected Publication Date 28/03/23
#LoneWomen #NetGalley.
March 20, 2024
Wow! The story, the unexpected setting, the reveal—just wow. Victor LaValle has a method of storytelling where he pulls you into an otherwise ordinary world, with only hints of the horror lurking beneath. But once that horror reveals itself, there’s no going back—and you’re eager for more. This tale of a young Black woman on the run, who ends up in Montana in the early 1900s, and the secret she drags along with her, is engrossing and chilling from start to end.
March 27, 2023
“On Tuesday, Adelaide Henry had been a farmer. On Wednesday, she became a fugitive.”
Because I had the privilege of reading this book early, I had the pleasure of going into the story blind. So I’ll try to show the same courtesy and tell you how amazing this book is without giving too much of the plot away.
•
The year is 1914 and Adelaide Henry is a 31 year old Black woman who’s left her family farm in California to homestead in Montana. The book opens with a shocking scene of destruction and our heroine is running from all she knows to escape her past. With her, she keeps an enormous trunk that she must guard at all times, because if opened, folks around her seem to go missing.
•
Lone Women exceeded so many of my expectations! This was a book I hated putting down and was excited to pick back up after a long work day. It’s an intersection of various genres—horror, historical fiction, western—and is an excellent display of author Victor LaValle’s story building talent. In fact, this might be my new favorite of his (January was apparently the month of 5 star reads for me!) The book moves quickly, the story is experienced from multiple perspectives as we’re given a compelling cast of characters, and there are plenty of plot twists! If you’re not convinced on this yet, pick this book up simply to root for a Black woman seeking redemption and determined to survive the harsh northwestern wilderness of early twentieth century America.
Because I had the privilege of reading this book early, I had the pleasure of going into the story blind. So I’ll try to show the same courtesy and tell you how amazing this book is without giving too much of the plot away.
•
The year is 1914 and Adelaide Henry is a 31 year old Black woman who’s left her family farm in California to homestead in Montana. The book opens with a shocking scene of destruction and our heroine is running from all she knows to escape her past. With her, she keeps an enormous trunk that she must guard at all times, because if opened, folks around her seem to go missing.
•
Lone Women exceeded so many of my expectations! This was a book I hated putting down and was excited to pick back up after a long work day. It’s an intersection of various genres—horror, historical fiction, western—and is an excellent display of author Victor LaValle’s story building talent. In fact, this might be my new favorite of his (January was apparently the month of 5 star reads for me!) The book moves quickly, the story is experienced from multiple perspectives as we’re given a compelling cast of characters, and there are plenty of plot twists! If you’re not convinced on this yet, pick this book up simply to root for a Black woman seeking redemption and determined to survive the harsh northwestern wilderness of early twentieth century America.
October 18, 2023
Reread: This book is just as good as I thought it was the first time!
_________________________
This is a hard one to talk about without spoilers but if you are at all intrigued by the idea of a horror/western novel about a woman running from her past and carrying a mysterious steamer trunk. A trunk that when opened, tends to result in people dying... Or if you like the idea of a novel that centers women and uses horror to tackle issues like race, misogyny, and homophobia in brilliantly nuanced ways, then you need to pick up Lone Women.
1915 Adelaide Turner is running from her past to homestead in rural Montana. But she's carrying part of that past along with her in the form of a mysterious steamer trunk. Running to a place where she will be one of only two Black women. There is so much I could say about this novel but I really don't want to spoil it. Suffice to say I think it is brilliantly crafted with a strong sense of place, nuanced characterization, and layers upon layers of themes that can be minutely examined, but aren't necessary to enjoy the story. I clearly need to read more from LaValle. I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
Content warnings for violence, gore, death, murder, gun violence, homophobia, racism, transphobia, violence toward children, abuse, neglect, etc.
_________________________
This is a hard one to talk about without spoilers but if you are at all intrigued by the idea of a horror/western novel about a woman running from her past and carrying a mysterious steamer trunk. A trunk that when opened, tends to result in people dying... Or if you like the idea of a novel that centers women and uses horror to tackle issues like race, misogyny, and homophobia in brilliantly nuanced ways, then you need to pick up Lone Women.
1915 Adelaide Turner is running from her past to homestead in rural Montana. But she's carrying part of that past along with her in the form of a mysterious steamer trunk. Running to a place where she will be one of only two Black women. There is so much I could say about this novel but I really don't want to spoil it. Suffice to say I think it is brilliantly crafted with a strong sense of place, nuanced characterization, and layers upon layers of themes that can be minutely examined, but aren't necessary to enjoy the story. I clearly need to read more from LaValle. I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
Content warnings for violence, gore, death, murder, gun violence, homophobia, racism, transphobia, violence toward children, abuse, neglect, etc.
May 3, 2023
Such a great start!
But what a nose dive!
I totally lost interest after 20%.
I did enjoy the writing (which deserves higher ratings) but not the storytelling.
I felt nothing! Not a bit of a thrill!
The horror element is practically inexistent and the ending was bizarre and unsatisfying.
Perhaps I should have read it under influence (some alcohol perhaps?).
Anyways… never mind my experience.
My friends loved this book.
October 29, 2022
This is historical fiction at its horrific best!
In the 1900s while still settling the United States, there was a practice of “homesteading” where if you could live on a parcel and make it successful and productive, after 3 years that would become your own.
Adelaide Henry is running from her childhood home with nothing but a steamer trunk, escaping the fire she’s set and the horrors within, and headed to stake her claim on a parcel in Montana. Though locked with a heavy padlock, Adelaide is reluctant to let the trunk out of her sight. She’s headed to be a “lone woman” in a state that allows single women to try to stake a claim. But Montana is very different from California, and Adelaide is very different from everyone else settling in Montana. Adelaide has a horrific secret. One that causes death to those around her. Sometimes the devil you know refuses to let you go, and family history and secrets remain cumbersome chains around your neck.
Victor Lavalle has created a tense, atmospheric, historic romp through the early 1900s settlement adventure, but twisting his tale with horror filled images and creating terror filled moments with devils you will never see coming.
This is a fast paced, un-put-down-able adventure that will throw you through curves and spine tingling moments sure to please readers of multiple genres.
This was my first LaValle novel, and definitely will not be my last. Highly recommended for readers of historical fiction, fantasy, thrillers, horror and anyone who just loves a well written story! Not one to miss when released in March of 2023.
Thank you so much to #NetGalley, #RandomHousePublishingGroup, and of course #VictorLaValle, for extending this amazing ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.
Happy reading my friends! 😊
In the 1900s while still settling the United States, there was a practice of “homesteading” where if you could live on a parcel and make it successful and productive, after 3 years that would become your own.
Adelaide Henry is running from her childhood home with nothing but a steamer trunk, escaping the fire she’s set and the horrors within, and headed to stake her claim on a parcel in Montana. Though locked with a heavy padlock, Adelaide is reluctant to let the trunk out of her sight. She’s headed to be a “lone woman” in a state that allows single women to try to stake a claim. But Montana is very different from California, and Adelaide is very different from everyone else settling in Montana. Adelaide has a horrific secret. One that causes death to those around her. Sometimes the devil you know refuses to let you go, and family history and secrets remain cumbersome chains around your neck.
Victor Lavalle has created a tense, atmospheric, historic romp through the early 1900s settlement adventure, but twisting his tale with horror filled images and creating terror filled moments with devils you will never see coming.
This is a fast paced, un-put-down-able adventure that will throw you through curves and spine tingling moments sure to please readers of multiple genres.
This was my first LaValle novel, and definitely will not be my last. Highly recommended for readers of historical fiction, fantasy, thrillers, horror and anyone who just loves a well written story! Not one to miss when released in March of 2023.
Thank you so much to #NetGalley, #RandomHousePublishingGroup, and of course #VictorLaValle, for extending this amazing ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.
Happy reading my friends! 😊
March 1, 2023
I wanted to finish Victor LaValle's upcoming historical fiction horror novel, LONE WOMEN, in February, but between Jury Duty (which was SUCH a disruption in my life) and work being unnecessarily chaotic lately, I guess it'll be my first March review! That being said, I savored every single word in this book and I am sure it'll be in my top reads of the year. This book won't be for everyone, but I will try to explain that in my review (without giving any spoilers).
LONE WOMEN starts off with an explosive chapter (one of my FAVORITE starts to a book ever), and continues with quick, fast-paced short chapters. Our protagonist, Adelaid Henry is fleeing West with a dark secret. Taking place in 1910s, the story is so immersive when it comes to setting and themes. The author did an incredible job setting this for readers and you'll forget that we are in 2023. Honestly, go into the book without reading too many reviews, because the suspense with this book will be twisty and chilling. As Adelaide ventures West, she meets many new people that become ingrained her life, but she worries that the secret hiding in her steamer trunk will end up ruining everything.
SORRY folks, I can't really tell you anything more without ruining your experience. LONE WOMEN weaves in different metaphors and themes, specifically LGBTQ+ representation, family drama, women's rights and feminism. Mexican Gothic meets Western historical fiction horror, LONE WOMEN was an experience I'll never forget.
LONE WOMEN starts off with an explosive chapter (one of my FAVORITE starts to a book ever), and continues with quick, fast-paced short chapters. Our protagonist, Adelaid Henry is fleeing West with a dark secret. Taking place in 1910s, the story is so immersive when it comes to setting and themes. The author did an incredible job setting this for readers and you'll forget that we are in 2023. Honestly, go into the book without reading too many reviews, because the suspense with this book will be twisty and chilling. As Adelaide ventures West, she meets many new people that become ingrained her life, but she worries that the secret hiding in her steamer trunk will end up ruining everything.
SORRY folks, I can't really tell you anything more without ruining your experience. LONE WOMEN weaves in different metaphors and themes, specifically LGBTQ+ representation, family drama, women's rights and feminism. Mexican Gothic meets Western historical fiction horror, LONE WOMEN was an experience I'll never forget.
December 1, 2023
Lone Women took an intriguing concept (the horror of being a lone Black woman on the desolate frontier at the turn of the century), made it overly complicated by adding too many characters and storylines, revealed the most intriguing mystery far too soon, and then let it all fall apart in the second half.
I was hooked from the first chapter but quickly began to lose interest once LaValle revealed what was in the trunk. There were far too many diverging storylines that didn’t get satisfying conclusions; the thematic content felt muddled, the chapters were extremely short (a pet peeve of mine), the desolate and lonely landscape was so full of people that I constantly forgot it was meant to be desolate and lonely at all, and worst of all, for me, the characters felt flat and underdeveloped.
Still, I didn’t hate this novel, nor am I upset I spent my time on it. There was some lovely writing, the exploration of family dynamics, responsibility, and secrets was intriguing (if somewhat kneecapped by the trunk reveal), and I loved Sam.
This wasn’t the book for me, but I am very curious to read more of LaValle’s work.
Trigger/Content Warnings: Violence, Blood, Murder, Racism, Transphobia, Child Murder, Loss of Parents, Animal Death, Gore, Confinement, Neglect
Video review here: https://youtu.be/dVOamSxBvnk
You can find me on...
Youtube | Instagram | TikTok
You can join our book club over on Patreon...
PBB Book Club
I was hooked from the first chapter but quickly began to lose interest once LaValle revealed what was in the trunk. There were far too many diverging storylines that didn’t get satisfying conclusions; the thematic content felt muddled, the chapters were extremely short (a pet peeve of mine), the desolate and lonely landscape was so full of people that I constantly forgot it was meant to be desolate and lonely at all, and worst of all, for me, the characters felt flat and underdeveloped.
Still, I didn’t hate this novel, nor am I upset I spent my time on it. There was some lovely writing, the exploration of family dynamics, responsibility, and secrets was intriguing (if somewhat kneecapped by the trunk reveal), and I loved Sam.
This wasn’t the book for me, but I am very curious to read more of LaValle’s work.
Trigger/Content Warnings: Violence, Blood, Murder, Racism, Transphobia, Child Murder, Loss of Parents, Animal Death, Gore, Confinement, Neglect
Video review here: https://youtu.be/dVOamSxBvnk
You can find me on...
Youtube | Instagram | TikTok
You can join our book club over on Patreon...
PBB Book Club
November 20, 2022
This book is a real master class of horror, made me want to take notes. I enjoyed every minute of reading it. Carefully plotted, with secrets kept around every corner just waiting to be revealed, it's also deeply tied to a unique time and place. You'll feel the cold winds of 1914 Montana while you read.
Adelaide has one very big secret, this we know from the beginning, as she flees her home with hardly anything except one very large, very heavy, very locked trunk. It must not be opened, that is clear, but its contents are a mystery to us. She is running away, from what it's not entirely clear, to build a new life for herself as a homesteader in Montana. She has read that a woman by herself can get her own claim there and build a life. Because she's alone and a woman and Black, this feels like her one shot.
Part of why this book works so well is that Adelaide is under threat from every direction. There is the massive feat of simply surviving, something she is not entirely ready for from her life on a warm California farm where she had the aid of both her parents and a community. And then there is surviving as a woman, alone. Miles from any aid, with no one able to see or hear you, any knock at the door could be the last one you hear. Every new person you meet could be a friend or could be biding their time before they rob you. Adelaide is strong and she is vigilant, but with the weight of her secret already on her, she can only do so much.
LaValle is not content to have just one plot here, to have one threat overtake the others. Instead they all jostle for position and the book shifts from being one thing to another as Adelaide's circumstances change. To me, the best horror novels are the ones where you don't know what will happen next and that was almost always true in this book.
Unlike most stories of the time, this is a book that acknowledges (and centers) the existence of marginalized people. Even in this kind of world where a person can find more acceptance than they could elsewhere, that acceptance is always subject to convenience. Was happy to see queer characters in this book, tho a very quick note that it does include misgendering (which you'd expect of the time, obviously). There was one scene where I had a couple notes, but otherwise this does a great job of building a more expansive, more honest view of a historical place and time.
You really can't go wrong with LaValle. He's done it again.
Adelaide has one very big secret, this we know from the beginning, as she flees her home with hardly anything except one very large, very heavy, very locked trunk. It must not be opened, that is clear, but its contents are a mystery to us. She is running away, from what it's not entirely clear, to build a new life for herself as a homesteader in Montana. She has read that a woman by herself can get her own claim there and build a life. Because she's alone and a woman and Black, this feels like her one shot.
Part of why this book works so well is that Adelaide is under threat from every direction. There is the massive feat of simply surviving, something she is not entirely ready for from her life on a warm California farm where she had the aid of both her parents and a community. And then there is surviving as a woman, alone. Miles from any aid, with no one able to see or hear you, any knock at the door could be the last one you hear. Every new person you meet could be a friend or could be biding their time before they rob you. Adelaide is strong and she is vigilant, but with the weight of her secret already on her, she can only do so much.
LaValle is not content to have just one plot here, to have one threat overtake the others. Instead they all jostle for position and the book shifts from being one thing to another as Adelaide's circumstances change. To me, the best horror novels are the ones where you don't know what will happen next and that was almost always true in this book.
Unlike most stories of the time, this is a book that acknowledges (and centers) the existence of marginalized people. Even in this kind of world where a person can find more acceptance than they could elsewhere, that acceptance is always subject to convenience. Was happy to see queer characters in this book, tho a very quick note that it does include misgendering (which you'd expect of the time, obviously). There was one scene where I had a couple notes, but otherwise this does a great job of building a more expansive, more honest view of a historical place and time.
You really can't go wrong with LaValle. He's done it again.
July 27, 2023
I’m so disappointed!
At once, Lone Women is two things: An earnest tale of a single black woman homesteading in 1915 Montana and a mysterious creature feature. These plots do battle with one another rather than find balance.
A reveal about the supernatural threat midway through was quite interesting. It worked to bolster the theme of desired independence in the homesteading plot, and for a brief pace the plotlines were in semi-harmony. But then a second reveal came along and undid the first.
This second reveal relied on too much of a coincidence for a tiny Wild West Montana town that it was almost comical. It also confused me as to what exactly the supernatural threat was allegorically. Family secrets? Being held back? Generational trauma? The circumstances of the two reveals were so different that the theming became inconsistent.
The story also struggled to convey the passage of time. Adelaide arrives at her plot of land just before winter, unable to start planting and with limited supplies. It would seem her time in Montana could be tracked by her desperation and dwindling resources, but she somehow remained fed, watered, and rested for the book’s entire duration. Dances happen. A hookup happens. Horses are purchased. Robbery happens. A meeting at the town opera house happens. What time elapses between each event goes unspecified.
There was no urgency, not even after the supernatural threat was unleashed upon the West.
Amidst all this, there was a cast of thousands — not literally, but far too many characters for a relatively short book. I suppose it worked to populate the area of Montana Adelaide landed in, but it disrupted the desolate atmosphere author Victor LaValle initially established. The POV jumped to too many characters unrelated to the pressing supernatural concern, dampening any semblance of horror and mystery.
Regardless, the language of LaValle’s work was great; I enjoyed the way he built his sentences, even if they were utilized toward an underwhelming result. He did wonderful character work, particularly on main character Adelaide, but again, there were too many doggone characters.
While I don’t regret reading Lone Women, I worry that I’ll forget reading it as time goes on.
At once, Lone Women is two things: An earnest tale of a single black woman homesteading in 1915 Montana and a mysterious creature feature. These plots do battle with one another rather than find balance.
A reveal about the supernatural threat midway through was quite interesting. It worked to bolster the theme of desired independence in the homesteading plot, and for a brief pace the plotlines were in semi-harmony. But then a second reveal came along and undid the first.
This second reveal relied on too much of a coincidence for a tiny Wild West Montana town that it was almost comical. It also confused me as to what exactly the supernatural threat was allegorically. Family secrets? Being held back? Generational trauma? The circumstances of the two reveals were so different that the theming became inconsistent.
The story also struggled to convey the passage of time. Adelaide arrives at her plot of land just before winter, unable to start planting and with limited supplies. It would seem her time in Montana could be tracked by her desperation and dwindling resources, but she somehow remained fed, watered, and rested for the book’s entire duration. Dances happen. A hookup happens. Horses are purchased. Robbery happens. A meeting at the town opera house happens. What time elapses between each event goes unspecified.
There was no urgency, not even after the supernatural threat was unleashed upon the West.
Amidst all this, there was a cast of thousands — not literally, but far too many characters for a relatively short book. I suppose it worked to populate the area of Montana Adelaide landed in, but it disrupted the desolate atmosphere author Victor LaValle initially established. The POV jumped to too many characters unrelated to the pressing supernatural concern, dampening any semblance of horror and mystery.
Regardless, the language of LaValle’s work was great; I enjoyed the way he built his sentences, even if they were utilized toward an underwhelming result. He did wonderful character work, particularly on main character Adelaide, but again, there were too many doggone characters.
While I don’t regret reading Lone Women, I worry that I’ll forget reading it as time goes on.
August 30, 2023
Updated: Still thinking about this 6 months later, so calling it 4.5 stars
This was my first Victor LaValle but it will not be my last! A page turning horror that kept me on my toes as it made so many bold moves, this has a lot going on thematically but still manages to entertain throughout. I think this would have been even better if it had limited its POVs, but still, very impressed and I think this will be a crowd pleaser
This was my first Victor LaValle but it will not be my last! A page turning horror that kept me on my toes as it made so many bold moves, this has a lot going on thematically but still manages to entertain throughout. I think this would have been even better if it had limited its POVs, but still, very impressed and I think this will be a crowd pleaser
April 15, 2023
4 shining stars - WTAF did I just read?? A horror, western, feminist, LGBTQ+, revenge fantasy?? While I’m not quite sure "what" to categorize it as, I really enjoyed the heck out of it! 🥂 to all the “Lone Women” everywhere!!
February 6, 2024
🖤💙🖤💙🖤💙🖤💙🖤💙🖤💙🖤💙🖤
Lone Women follows Adelaide Henry, who after the deaths of her parents, leaves her life in California behind to start again in the wide-open spaces of Montana.
It's 1915 and Adelaide is essentially fleeing from her previous life, leaving death and destruction behind her. At least that is what she is hoping.
In Montana, she'll be a lone homesteader. On her journey, she's conspicuously dragging with her an overweight steamer trunk. That's not suspicious at all...
This story is steeped with mystery from the very first pages. A tragedy occurred on the Henry farm and Adelaide is on the run, but you have no idea what happened.
Adelaide is rushed and confused, she's full of anticipation and doubt about her chosen path. Can she actually do this? It won't be easy. The landscape is brutal, unforgiving.
Will she even be able to survive her first month on her own, let alone a lifetime? She feels ill-prepared.
Something is going on with the trunk. She's so concerned about it. Double, triple-checking that it's securely locked; that no one goes near it. It gave me anxiety.
What is in the trunk!?!?
As the Reader you follow along as Adelaide stakes her claim in Montana and begins to figure out a path to survival. She makes friends and falls into an agreeable schedule.
She should know though, it won't stay uneventful forever. She should know better, that soon enough, you know what is gonna hit the fan and boy, does it ever.
In addition, to Adelaide's own secrets and demons, she also has to contend with those of others. It seems like a lot of people came to Montana running from something.
These homesteaders are essentially forging their own society. There's going to be some good actors and some bad. In time, Adelaide runs into them all.
I enjoyed this as a story of female rage, power, will and spirit. Adelaide is such an interesting main character to follow. I loved watching as the truth of her life slowly unfolded.
There were some interesting developments towards the end that I'm not quite sure what to make of yet. I feel like I could read this story a few times and pick up different points every time. LaValle packed a lot in and I'm sure a bit of it has gone over my head.
The dark elements in this were really well done, but I enjoyed them most in contrast to everything else. I liked how they added such an odd layer to the overarching plot. It made everything seem more perilous.
I also liked how those same dark elements made me question Adelaide herself; her nature, whether I really knew her at all. It was definitely compelling. I had to keep reading because I had to know more.
Additionally, I found LaValle's writing style extremely fluid and easy to read. I feel he really succeeded in bringing a lush and historical atmosphere to this story.
In fact, the historical details were so well done, I felt like I was being transported to another time and place while reading. I was hungry, I was cold and I was scared once the sun went down. That's a great reading experience.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys creative Dark Fiction, or Historical Horror stories. Even though this is a relatively short-story, there's so much great content packed in here.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Tor Nightfire, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I had a ton of fun with this and look forward to reading more from LaValle!
Lone Women follows Adelaide Henry, who after the deaths of her parents, leaves her life in California behind to start again in the wide-open spaces of Montana.
It's 1915 and Adelaide is essentially fleeing from her previous life, leaving death and destruction behind her. At least that is what she is hoping.
In Montana, she'll be a lone homesteader. On her journey, she's conspicuously dragging with her an overweight steamer trunk. That's not suspicious at all...
This story is steeped with mystery from the very first pages. A tragedy occurred on the Henry farm and Adelaide is on the run, but you have no idea what happened.
Adelaide is rushed and confused, she's full of anticipation and doubt about her chosen path. Can she actually do this? It won't be easy. The landscape is brutal, unforgiving.
Will she even be able to survive her first month on her own, let alone a lifetime? She feels ill-prepared.
Something is going on with the trunk. She's so concerned about it. Double, triple-checking that it's securely locked; that no one goes near it. It gave me anxiety.
What is in the trunk!?!?
As the Reader you follow along as Adelaide stakes her claim in Montana and begins to figure out a path to survival. She makes friends and falls into an agreeable schedule.
She should know though, it won't stay uneventful forever. She should know better, that soon enough, you know what is gonna hit the fan and boy, does it ever.
In addition, to Adelaide's own secrets and demons, she also has to contend with those of others. It seems like a lot of people came to Montana running from something.
These homesteaders are essentially forging their own society. There's going to be some good actors and some bad. In time, Adelaide runs into them all.
I enjoyed this as a story of female rage, power, will and spirit. Adelaide is such an interesting main character to follow. I loved watching as the truth of her life slowly unfolded.
There were some interesting developments towards the end that I'm not quite sure what to make of yet. I feel like I could read this story a few times and pick up different points every time. LaValle packed a lot in and I'm sure a bit of it has gone over my head.
The dark elements in this were really well done, but I enjoyed them most in contrast to everything else. I liked how they added such an odd layer to the overarching plot. It made everything seem more perilous.
I also liked how those same dark elements made me question Adelaide herself; her nature, whether I really knew her at all. It was definitely compelling. I had to keep reading because I had to know more.
Additionally, I found LaValle's writing style extremely fluid and easy to read. I feel he really succeeded in bringing a lush and historical atmosphere to this story.
In fact, the historical details were so well done, I felt like I was being transported to another time and place while reading. I was hungry, I was cold and I was scared once the sun went down. That's a great reading experience.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys creative Dark Fiction, or Historical Horror stories. Even though this is a relatively short-story, there's so much great content packed in here.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Tor Nightfire, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I had a ton of fun with this and look forward to reading more from LaValle!
May 5, 2023
Have you ever had the opportunity to sit on a couch in front of a tv next to a man with a remote control in his hand? Imagine, if you will, that first you see a little bit of the history channel, only to have the program interrupted by his button pushing and suddenly, you’re in the midst of a horror film. No worries, though, as before you can figure out who the monster is or who the victim is, the screen changes and you’ve got a segment of Maury Povich followed by a brief moment in the evening news, a quick visit to check Cinemax, a check of the history channel, back to horror, wait - what is this? The shopping network? Is he going to … nope, back to horror - oh, no, not horror, the animal channel. Wait - is this sci-fi? Nope. It’s a western.
So.. yeah.. ummm… I finished the book. I don’t recommend. But, maybe, this might be your cup of tea. Heck, I know some kids that enjoy watching other kids play video games so, who knows?
So.. yeah.. ummm… I finished the book. I don’t recommend. But, maybe, this might be your cup of tea. Heck, I know some kids that enjoy watching other kids play video games so, who knows?
May 22, 2023
4.0 Stars
Victor LaValle is a fantastic writer. I love his simple, yet beautiful writing style. This is a solid story, but I full admit that I much prefer the Changling and The Devil in Silver.
This is a very slow burning character story, which relies heavily on the reader's attachment to the characters. I did not feel the strongest connection to the characters which hinder some of my love for this one.
That being said, even a weaker experience with a LaValle book is a good one. I would recommend this one to readers who enjoy a slower burning, atmospheric narrative.
Victor LaValle is a fantastic writer. I love his simple, yet beautiful writing style. This is a solid story, but I full admit that I much prefer the Changling and The Devil in Silver.
This is a very slow burning character story, which relies heavily on the reader's attachment to the characters. I did not feel the strongest connection to the characters which hinder some of my love for this one.
That being said, even a weaker experience with a LaValle book is a good one. I would recommend this one to readers who enjoy a slower burning, atmospheric narrative.
June 21, 2023
“What the hell kind of demon was named Elizabeth?”
Victor LaValle has done it again. Each book I have read of his has been a true experience, and this was no different.
Beautifully atmospheric. Montana certainly plays a part in the treacherous parts of this story.
I have been yearning for a readable horror-western and this truly hit the spot. Please leave any western horror recommendations from non-white-straight-male authors in the comments!
A haunting that you will think back on.
Victor LaValle has done it again. Each book I have read of his has been a true experience, and this was no different.
Beautifully atmospheric. Montana certainly plays a part in the treacherous parts of this story.
I have been yearning for a readable horror-western and this truly hit the spot. Please leave any western horror recommendations from non-white-straight-male authors in the comments!
A haunting that you will think back on.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2023
This started out SO STRONG....but wow did it become random and disjointed.
The first half of the book I was hooked, loving it, and couldn't put it down. I really liked Adelaide's character, and I felt immediately connected to her and invested.
I also enjoyed the writing (....for example "She had brought her burden with her. She knew how much it weighed.") and I loved the very short chapters. There was a heavy amount of mystery and tension that kept me guessing with the steamer trunk, Misses Mudge, and the curse thing!!!!
However, the second half of the book felt all over the place. I constantly thought I had missed details and was confused by what was going on or why the characters were doing what they were and I no longer felt interested in the story. It just wasn't flowing. Right after the first twist (within the first 100 pages), nothing else really hooked me as much and the story got really slow.
My biggest gripe with this book is that there are too many characters, and it should have only been told through Adelaide's POV. I had the same issue with Victor Lavalle's "The Ballad of Black Tom," where I didn't understand why he switched POV's from the leading protagonist to a side character.
Why spend up all this page time making the reader feel connected to them and then go off on these tangents. The tone of the book shifts right after we find out what's in the trunk, and there are too many characters that get introduced and all these strange side stories that confused me what the point was.
I just felt let down by this one.
(I also read this book for a vlog on my YouTube channel : https://youtu.be/p1Yaag8rfy0 )
SPOILER SECTION>>>>>
I'm confused about.....
So why did the one Mudge boy kill his brother? Didn't he kill the brother who was helping the Reed family but Mr Reed was fine with it???
Also what happened to grace and when they dressed Sam as a girl? So confused
Who is carolatta?
Did the one lady ever find her father to bury him? What did that have to do with anything though?
The first half of the book I was hooked, loving it, and couldn't put it down. I really liked Adelaide's character, and I felt immediately connected to her and invested.
I also enjoyed the writing (....for example "She had brought her burden with her. She knew how much it weighed.") and I loved the very short chapters. There was a heavy amount of mystery and tension that kept me guessing with the steamer trunk, Misses Mudge, and the curse thing!!!!
However, the second half of the book felt all over the place. I constantly thought I had missed details and was confused by what was going on or why the characters were doing what they were and I no longer felt interested in the story. It just wasn't flowing. Right after the first twist (within the first 100 pages), nothing else really hooked me as much and the story got really slow.
My biggest gripe with this book is that there are too many characters, and it should have only been told through Adelaide's POV. I had the same issue with Victor Lavalle's "The Ballad of Black Tom," where I didn't understand why he switched POV's from the leading protagonist to a side character.
Why spend up all this page time making the reader feel connected to them and then go off on these tangents. The tone of the book shifts right after we find out what's in the trunk, and there are too many characters that get introduced and all these strange side stories that confused me what the point was.
I just felt let down by this one.
(I also read this book for a vlog on my YouTube channel : https://youtu.be/p1Yaag8rfy0 )
SPOILER SECTION>>>>>
I'm confused about.....
So why did the one Mudge boy kill his brother? Didn't he kill the brother who was helping the Reed family but Mr Reed was fine with it???
Also what happened to grace and when they dressed Sam as a girl? So confused
Who is carolatta?
Did the one lady ever find her father to bury him? What did that have to do with anything though?
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