This is a blindingly good novel with an eerie slow pace and phenomenal female characters.

We follow a group of women in this atmospheric novel, but mainly a woman named Adelaide Henry. Along with her trunk she always keeps locked and in sight, she is traveling to Montana where she seeks a plot of land and a fresh start. Inside this mysterious trunk, though, is a secret burden she drags around with her all the time. A deadly secret.

She meets a handful of other women in this town and they ultimately must band together to protect themselves from evil. And I absolutely loved every minute.

This was a quiet but incredibly suspenseful read, with great writing and characters that I felt a strong connection to.

Thank you to the author, One World- Random House Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this page-turner!

Unexpected, that’s the first word that comes to mind when I think of “Lone Women.” It has a plot like something I’ve never encountered, and it hooks you right from the get go – the scene opens on dead bodies and arson. This book is equal parts historical fiction, dark fantasy, suspense and horror.

Adelaide Henry, a Black woman in 1914, has a trunk full of secrets, her “curse”. She leaves her family farm in California after a tragedy to homestead in Montana with the intention of starting over and “proving up” (enjoyed learning all about this, I had no idea!) She comes alone (well, almost alone) with no supplies and zero preparations for the long, cold winter ahead. She meets lots of people along the way; some that have her best interest at heart and some that want to inflict harm. Her chest of secrets haunts her and then, unexpectedly, her curse saves her life. Lots of twists and turns that you didn’t see coming, especially the big one at about 75% through, and this is where you learn why she didn’t leave that damn trunk in California to burn.

I’ll say I wasn’t the biggest fan of the ending. I don’t know what I wanted to happen, but if felt rushed in a way. Everything just fell together too perfectly. Another thing that irked me was the way the characters spoke. It didn’t seem true to the early 1900s, it felt more like modern day conversation.

That aside, great read. This is the kind of book you stay up past your bedtime to finish!

Although horror is not my usual genre, I quite enjoyed this historical/western/horror mash-up. There's nothing too scary or gory in this story of a young Black woman with a family curse she's desperate to keep secret, just an unrelenting sense of unease and danger. The book starts with a bang as Adelaide flees her family home in California with a suspiciously heavy steamer trunk, leaving her parents' brutally murdered bodies behind to burn in the fire she has set. She is headed for Montana to try to earn a plot of land for herself by successfully homesteading. But Adelaide has a secret curse, one that she is bringing with her, and it will affect everyone she comes in contact with. LaValle's writing is very atmospheric and there were some really interesting, strong characters in this book. He effortlessly blends history with the supernatural, and the ending was especially satisfying. Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, and One World for a digital review copy.

I didn’t read much about this book before beginning and boy was that a wild ride. Is it historical? Is it fantasy? Is it horror? It kept me on the edge of my seat and kept moving quickly.

Go in blind and you’ll thank yourself later.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Penguin Random House, for the opportunity to read this novel before it hit shelves. "Lone Women" by Victor LaValle tells the story of Adelaide Henry, an African American woman, who decides to move west (or east in her case) for the Manifest Destiny idea of the American Dream during 1914.

I don't normally read westerns, but this one caught my attention. A story of a woman of color trying to create a homestead in the harsh Montana landscape was a new, fresh take on the traditional western of cowboys and indigenous people. The fact that the synopsis teased a supernatural element really drew me in. Overall, It was an okay novel for me, just mediocre. I enjoyed the glimpse into the little known history of lone women homesteaders, especially the untold stories of women of color. I enjoyed that the author made the story female centric (unlike most novels written about the time.) I also deeply respected that the author touched upon the racism that prevailed in a desolate terrain when community was the only way to survive.

My issues with the novel stem from the length, the pace, and the side stories that felt like filler. The beginning of the novel hooks you in right away, but that intensity slowly fizzles as the story meanders to other lesser character's story which have no bearing on the main plot. I wanted to know more about Adelaide and her day to day struggle to survive physically and emotionally through her ordeal. There was also the introduction of random characters that didn't make sense and didn't add anything to the story- I'm looking at you, Carlota and Francisco. Some of the character development was ridiculous and unrealistic (especially Joab's personality.) The use of some random curse words and anachronistic phrases would jar me out of the story instantly. Ultimately, I found my way slogging through this novel just to get to the end- it was more of a chore than a pleasure to read. I had to give it 3.5 stars.

Lone Women is one of those books that will stay with you for days after you read it. I have to admit, as a regular sci-fi/fantasy/horror reader, both the premise and the author drew me in, but by the end, I wanted more in this world, even if it was just average, run-of-the-mill Montana homesteading stuff!

LaValle builds the backdrop of late 1800s Montana so well that it’s easy to visualize the new life that Adelaide has sought out after leaving her California home if flames.

This story definitely has a horror mystery at its heart, but it’s much more. It’s about finding your place, your community, and the people who understand and are there for you. It’s also a good reminder that the real monsters are the people who do monstrous things, etc., etc. But also, it’s funny in parts, and the characters are so well drawn. I loved this book. Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC.

Easy 4.5 stars, rounding up to 5.

4.5 mysterious western stars

This book is difficult for me to categorize, it’s definitely historical fiction and has mystery elements. It’s also labeled as horror, which usually doesn’t work for me. However, this book managed to check all my boxes and the horror elements were integral to the story. There is a great setting, terrific characters, and great writing.

Adelaide Henry leaves California behind with just a satchel and a steamer trunk. She’s 31 and still lived with her farming parents until they decided to confront a huge family secret. Now she’s headed west, lured to Montana by homesteading offers.

It’s 1914 and she finds that she’s not the only one making a new life. She befriends a few neighbors and works on making a homestead while a windy and snowy winter looms. All the while, she keeps the steamer trunk locked so that the secret stays locked away as well.

There are some shady characters in town, and we get to know some of them. As odd things begin happening, the town turns against Adelaide. This one builds to a chilling conclusion and ended very differently than I thought it would. I liked rooting for the lone women in the American West. I am glad that I went outside my usual comfort zone to read this one.

Okay so prior to reading I didn't realize this was not my usual genre. That being said the book description sounded like something I would enjoy. There was a LOT to unpack with this book. The beginning is a woman leaving her home in flames. And honestly from there things just get bizarre. The book kept me interested enough to finish but I can't say I liked the book. Again not my normal genre so please take that into account if you think you may enjoy this book.

The writing was done well, I just didn't enjoy the story. It seemed too much for me I guess. There were topics that seemed out of place for story set in 1915. (Again my opinion) I felt like the author was trying to cover too many topics at once.

Thank you to One World and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

I received this from Netgalley.com.

"Blending historical fiction, shimmering prose, and inventive horror", this is my first read by this author and it won't be my last.

This story keeps the reader off balance and is one of those 'I can't go to sleep until just one more chapter' kind of books. Totally engrossing, hoping for the best outcome but not truly comprehending the full scope of the characters and their situation.

4.25☆

I think I expected this book to be more “historical fiction” than the fantasy it obviously was, but it was well written and worth the read regardless. Basic story summary is a young woman, Adelaide, is on the run with a big ass trunk full of calamity. Things happen, bad and good, characters are added and subtracted, often in a violent fashion. The ending was not a disappointment. As previously mentioned, this book was billed as historical fiction/horror and Mr. LaValle definitely has an interesting way with words and I appreciated the dialogue; it was quite contemporary which made it more relatable to current day readers, although it probably wasn’t especially authentic. Oh well. The story was interesting and entertaining enough to keep me reading to the end and even to seek out more works by this author. I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Interesting story of the trials and tribulations encountered by women trying to settle in Montana. A woman loses her parents and gives up their farm to buy a claim on a patch of land in Montana. She takes a very large and heavy trunk with her. And a secret.

Victor LaValle weaves a compelling narrative around the idea of homesteaders. He fills the early 20th century Montana landscape with characters that westerns don't always focus on, but who tamed the land all the same. Lone Women gives us historical horror in the vein of Alma Katsu, mixing authentic frontier characters with supernatural chills. Pull up a seat, prepare to invest yourself, and whatever you do, don't open the steamer trunk.

I just finished reading Lone Women and all I can think to say is, WOW! I very rarely read books in the horror genre, but this one slowly pulled me in before it grabbed me by the throat, shook me, and didn't let go. This is a story of destruction and survival, with the land and the weather being two of the most cruel and deadly adversaries. But, something even more deadly is lurking close by and treachery and danger hide around every corner.

In 1915, at the age of 31, Adelaide Henry leaves California under mysterious circumstances with one small travel bag, a large, heavy, curious steamer trunk, and a lot of secrets. She travels by wagon, ship, and train to begin a new life and settle outside a small town in Montana. Strange things begin to happen on those wide-open plains, and it is anything BUT Little House on the Prairie!

This book was not what I expected, but I enjoyed it, nonetheless. Fans of the horror genre will be sure to find this story gripping and compelling.

My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing - One World for giving me the opportunity to read and review a digital ARC of this book. I will be posting this review immediately to my Goodreads account and to Amazon and Barnes & Noble closer to the publication date.

Having read three books by VIctor LaValle before picking up LONE WOMEN, I had some idea of what I might find within these pages. But, as always, he continues to surprise.

LONE WOMEN is about the stories we tell each other, the histories we forget, and the folks who live on the outskirts of society. As I've come to expect, Victor LaValle creates sense of place with such ease, you can almost feel the gale force winds and see the big open sky of Montana. Adelaide, our main character, is running away from her former life, and bringing her "curse" along with her. In order to move forward, there are some secrets that need to be told, some burdens, lifted.

I hesitate to get much more specific because I find that LaValle's books are best enjoyed if one just goes along for the ride. I will say, he's never afraid to get weird, and for that, I will continue to read what he puts out.

This is a fantastic historical horror fiction.
This may be my first by this author but it won't be my last.

thank you to net galley for the chance to read and review this page turner!

This book is fantastic. I actually liked Adelaide & those who befriend her. For some reason most of the books I've read lately have unlikeable main characters.

It has mystery, supernatural elements, murder, corruption, family, community, brutal land, history, tenacity...

This book is very women focused & I appreciate it. They are written well. There are multiple characters under the lgbtq+ umbrella. There's a precious neurodivergent boy.

I cackled a few times. This book has my kind of humor. Paraphrasing: "I must have been BLIND!" & "I've wanted to do this my whole life, but it wasn't allowed."

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

Sweeping, fast moving, spooky, heart warming. I enjoyed this book quite a bit and look forward to reading even more of the authors work!

Loved this so much! Shame is such a powerful emotion.

Already a Victor LaValle fan after reading The Ballad of Black Tom, but this new book is so good I'll be preordering all future LaValle books.

The story is part historical fiction, part horror. I loved both aspects and thought both were evenly balanced. Not too much horror and not too much historical fiction that gets bogged down into the minutiae the reader forgets the main story. But the creepy bits are creepy!

The writing is smooth, minimalist, and gets to the point. Not much waxing poetic about the landscape or detours into side storylines that go nowhere. Every scene and situation is there to build up to or place the ending into context.

The characters are hard and rugged, as you'd expect from pioneer women. But there's a shared pain that bonds. Something readers will empathize with and keep them reading, wanting more.

One word of caution: The opening page will grip you, but from 2% through 30%, you may wonder why you picked up this book. The story builds slowly. STICK WITH IT! Because at 31% your socks will be blown off, and you won't put it down until you finish.

I received a copy from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Story: 5 stars
Character Development: 4 stars
Writing: 4 stars

Review Copy

LONE WOMEN is how the west was won. By strong women, by women on their own, by women of color. This is the story of Adelaide Henry, who in 1915 left the family farm in Southern California to homestead in Montana.

That's all you get. That may seem pretty lame, but trust me, this ain't Little House on the Prairie. It's as far from it as you can get. Victor LaValle wrote like a demon a penned a story that was exceptional.

Part horror, part fantasy, part historical fiction, a bit paranormal thrown in LONE WOMEN should be pre-ordered and read cover to cover the second it's received.

I can't wait for his next book! He is awesome. An incredibly gifted writer. Five shooting stars for LONE WOMEN.