My first reading from Victor LaValle, and not my last.
Honestly, for me, the story of women making a way for themselves, homesteading in a land that barely tolerates men, would have been plenty. But then LaValle throws in the secret that Adelaide is dragging along with her, a "creature" she keeps locked in a suitcase, and you had my interest peaked.
I'll have to say that the "secret" didn't quite live up to my hopes, but the story more than made up for anything lacking.
Hardship, privation, going it alone on the frontier...all plot points for a great story, and LaValle mines it for gold with every page.
An excellent read.
My thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book before publication, even if I did get behind on my review.

I loved this one!!! The setting itself was as haunting and creepy as some of the actual horror aspects of the novel. Brilliant character development and a brilliant way of accurately reflecting the difficulties of the time.

Victor LaValle is one of my favorite authors, and "Lone Women" did not disappoint. I love LaValle's writing, the atmospheric writing specifically, but the characters and development were also, as usual, amazing! Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for this eARC! Loved it!

It's 1915. Adelaide Henry rushes from California to Montana with an enormous and heavy trunk. Here, she hopes to settle a homestead as a lone woman and survive on her own. But the wind, lack of food and loneliness affect her. Eventually, she makes a friend or two. Unfortunately, she may pay a tremendous price as she conceals a secret that's determined to escape and might destroy her and the entire town.
Pretty much no one is as they seem in this book, which I love! I liked reading and finding surprise after surprise. The complexity of the characters also gave the book depth, which I like.
The paranormal element isn't my cup of tea. And I am still not sure if Adelaide's secret is real or not. I'm still pondering that days after I finished the book, which is a sign that the book is good!
I didn't care for the profanity sprinkled throughout the book or the sexual scene.
Also, some of the content was unrealistic. For example, Adelaide moves to a homestead but takes no food, seeds or farming equipment. How does she expect to survive? And in one scene, she has no food for herself but finds food for a neighbor's horse. Likewise, no one works (or at least there are no descriptions of work), but everyone has food to share. These details didn't make sense to me.
Adelaide is a strong, determined and responsbile woman, and she's surrounded by similar folks. I like that part of the story.

As a fan of Westerns, Gothic horror, female-driven narratives, and historical fiction, this one really checked ALL the boxes for me. The mystery behind "what's in the box???" is a satisfying one, and the cast are three-dimensional and compelling. Great job on the finer details/atmosphere of the setting, too, and plenty of thorny scenes to delight folks who like to shiver. A solid recommendation to all the horror fans I meet!

Great book! It had all the fears of growing up. Make a choice. Turn the page or close the book. Enter the darkness if you wish!

I didn't realize Lone Women was a historical horror book. I'm not too much into horror books. This was just okay for me.

Unfortunately I was unable to download this book before the archive date, so I'm not able to leave a review. I look forward to reading and reviewing books by this author in the future.

A haunting blend of horror and historical fiction follows Adelaide Henry, a homesteader in 1915 Montana, whose mysterious trunk makes people vanish. Dark secrets meet frontier survival in this gripping tale. Perfect for fans of Gothic Westerns and supernatural historical fiction.

This book was just not for me. I could not get into it at all, while others seemed to enjoy, so I think it’s just a me thing. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced copy for review.

Adelaide Henry is making her way to Montana as a homesteader in 1915. She carries a big steamer trunk with her wherever she goes, but it is kept locked at all times, and carries a sinister secret. The Montana landscape is harsh, and the people she encounters are harsher. Lone Women is a story of secrets, horror, and friendship.

I really enjoyed this one - it's a great combination of historical fiction, supernatural horror, suspense, and action. Adelaide is a wonderful, complex, and fierce lead. The historical backdrop adds tremendously to the plot and to the characters' various escapades and tragedies. Check trigger warnings on this one as it contains violence and death; with the time period comes antiquated attitudes towards women, homosexuality, and people of color.

This is a really quiet, slow book, but the way that works to tell the story is so wonderfully executed. There’s. A perfect slow build to the mystery of what’s in the trunk Adelaide takes with her from California to Montana, the revelations of her history and what happened to her parents, it worked so well. I also love all the side characters and the nuance of their stories. I love the way LaValle took the history of Lone Women and brought it to more people’s knowledge. I also really appreciate all the different experiences we see in the story, and how while history might like to erase certain stories, that doesn’t mean the stories don’t exist. All in all this was an excellent experience and I really love LaValle’s storytelling.

I love historical horror, and I'm so glad I got the chance to finally read Lone Women because it's a great entry to a specific subgenre I love. I've also really enjoyed Victor Lavalle's stuff in the past. I'm kicking myself for taking so long to get this one.

I really enjoyed the richness of the setting and the historical detail. The story was engrossing. Adelaide was a deeply interesting protagonist, and the side characters (the other "lone women" and Sam, the child of one of said women) were just as engaging to read about. The ending was so incredibly satisfying. I really don't like identity as a plot twist (Sam is revealed to be trans to add to the peril and trauma in the final act, and I loved him as trans rep, but I hated that it was revealed as a plot twist), but otherwise I think most of what's going on is really well done and tactfully handled. I also loved that characters got to have interests that felt very true to them and true to history, like The Tenant of Wildfell Hall or true stories about ghost towns.

Fellow fans of historical horror should definitely be checking this one out!

Lone Women is a great blend of historical fiction, horror, and suspense, set in the isolated and dangerous world of the early 1900s Montana. Our main character is a mysterious woman who journeys to Montana to escape a dark family secret. We follow Adelaide’s challenges on the frontier, which are not only physical but deeply psychological and supernatural.

The storytelling is atmospheric and rich with tension. He vividly captures the harsh realities and sense of isolation and danger that marked the lives of lone women homesteaders (a population I never even considered prior to reading this novel), while also weaving in horror elements. The juxtaposition of historical details with supernatural horror works remarkably well, and the suspense builds steadily. The characters are compelling and the author’s exploration of race, and gender was well executed.

The pacing can be questionable at times, with some sections dragging on, which does take away dome enjoyment from the reading experience. There were also some plot elements that felt murky, which would annoy readers who hate open endings and unanswered questions..

I recommend this novel to readers who love atmospheric horror and interesting historical settings.

This book had a great writing style, and I enjoyed learning something new in history. However, the 2nd and 3rd parts felt completely different from the first. When it was focused just on the main character, Adelaide, it was haunting, heartbreaking and I wanted to know more - about her past, her hardships, her trunk. And then the POVs started changing to too many characters and the story just felt disjointed and too much. It wasn't as compelling anymore even if the story provided more issues to think about. This book felt like it tried too hard to be something modern but make it historical fiction.

This book has received numerous accolades, being named a Best Book of the Year by the New York Times Book Review, Time, NPR, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Esquire, Vulture, Paste, Tor.com, Book Riot, Polygon, Chicago Public Library, Kirkus Reviews, and Library Journal. It was also a finalist for the LA Times Book Prize and Locus Award, and longlisted for the Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award.

While I wasn’t as captivated by the book as many others, I did appreciate it. The horror/western concept was intriguing, and I was completely immersed in the Montana landscape. I loved the sense of sisterhood among the women homesteading alone, striving to build their lives in such a vast and lonely environment. The mystery surrounding the trunk and its contents was particularly compelling.

The writing was exceptional, and the audiobook narrator, Joniece Abbott-Pratt, truly brought the story to life. The characters and their struggles felt quite authentic.

However, the horror aspect somewhat pulled me out of the story. It’s not that it was unrealistic, but I found myself more interested in the women’s lives, than the horror element.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone who appreciates a literary historical fiction story with a horror twist.

Thank you @netgalley and Random House / One World for an eARC of this book, which I have read and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Lone Women by Victor LaValle is a haunting and thought-provoking novel that deftly intertwines horror, historical fiction, and psychological exploration. Set in the rugged American West of the early 20th century, the narrative follows Adina, a young woman grappling with her traumatic past as she seeks a fresh start in a harsh and unforgiving landscape.

LaValle’s prose is both lyrical and immersive, drawing readers into the stark beauty of the Montana wilderness. He vividly portrays the challenges faced by women of the era, especially those who dare to defy societal expectations and carve their own paths. Adina is a richly developed character, embodying both resilience and vulnerability as she confronts her fears and the haunting secrets that shadow her journey.

A key strength of Lone Women lies in its exploration of themes such as isolation, identity, and the quest for autonomy. Adina’s journey transcends the physical; it is an emotional odyssey of self-discovery. As she confronts the demons of her past, LaValle delves into the intricate complexities of trauma and its profound impact on our lives and relationships.

The novel introduces elements of horror that add a chilling dimension to the story. The eerie atmosphere and unsettling events heighten the tension, prompting readers to question what is real and what stems from Adina’s troubled psyche. LaValle skillfully balances these elements, crafting a narrative that is both gripping and deeply resonant.

The pacing is expertly crafted, with a steady build-up of suspense that keeps readers engaged throughout. LaValle’s knack for intertwining introspective moments with thrilling plot developments ensures that the story remains compelling from beginning to end.

Lone Women is a powerful and evocative work that showcases Victor LaValle’s remarkable storytelling ability. It offers a thought-provoking examination of the human experience, particularly the challenges faced by women in a world that often seeks to silence their voices. This novel is essential reading for anyone who appreciates a richly layered narrative that combines historical depth with elements of horror and psychological insight. LaValle has crafted a haunting tale that lingers in the mind long after the final page is turned.

I feel like I have to start saying that this was a kind of horror I’ve never read before. Set in the early 20th century, the story follows a black woman who moves west to claim land under the Homestead Act, only to encounter supernatural forces that challenge her survival and sanity. The authors writing is rich and atmospheric, capturing both the harsh realities of frontier life and the eerie tension of the supernatural. The protagonist’s journey is compelling, and the novel’s exploration of race, trauma, and resilience adds depth to the narrative. The chest! The damn chest! Lol

Victor LaValle knocked it out the park with this one. The horror elements were incredible. I did not expect the fantasy twist, but I was absolutely here for it. Adelaide is a force to be reckoned with especially as a single Black woman trying to make it on her own in the isolated wilderness,.

I really loved this book. It reminded me of reading Little House on the Prairie and Sarah Plain and Tall as a kid since I don't often read stories involving homesteading or that time period. I loved The Ballad of Black Tom so I knew I needed to check this out as soon as I saw it.
While I definitely loved this book my only real complaint is that it almost didn't need the creature. The story was tense and scary enough without the supernatural element which is a wild thing for me to think as a fan of monsters and horror. But either way I found that part of the story intriguing and heartfelt. I'm very glad my library has added this to the collection and I definitely have recommended it to patrons.