When Adelaide Henry left her home for Montana although it appeared she was alone she was not. She was bringing the family curse with her. When getting a wagon train to her lot that was given to her by the government Miss Moore and her four blind boys were with her but after the first night Adelaide woke to see the lock on her trunk was open and Miss Moore and the boys were gone. Adelaide knew it was her Latin wife to 10 to the trunk but she never thought her curse would become a blessing but in doing so would also become a curse for many others and when word gets around in gossip starts all fingers point to Adeline. Will Adelaide be run out of town or is it worse hung? This is the best summary because there is so much more to the story but I don’t want to give too much away because I only read the beginning of summaries so as not to note too many details and like it that way so I hate to give too many in my reviews just know if you love historical fiction with the dance of paranormal then you’ll Love Lone Women by Victor LaValle are usually wait until a week before the release date and read the book but I could not wait with this one and I’m glad I did and it is so good and there’s so many positive social aspects to the book such as women being represented from the place of power they also have LGBTQ aspects in the book it’s just a great book I loved it! I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review

I’m not sure what I was expecting when I started Lone Women, but this story was extraordinary.

At the start of the book we meet Adelaide who is leaving for California from Montana. She has just lit her home on fire with her dead parents inside and she is carrying a steamer trunk with something mysterious and heavy inside.

The first quarter/third of the book is riddled with suspense about what is inside the steamer trunk. Turns out it’s a demon.

As Adelaide “settles” into life in Montana we are introduced to other characters. Some are bad guys and some are other lone women trying to make the best of the harsh Montana homestead life.

Meanwhile the demon has escaped the trunk, surprisingly enough releasing Adelaide of her burden while simultaneously cursing the town.

While the middle of the book kind of drags the end of the book picks up pace as all of the random characters come together for a not very surprising ending. After finishing the book I have a lot more questions than answers, the main one being what did I just read?

This book was not for me.

This books sure was interesting! It is one of those books where it just gives enough away each time to make you want to keep reading and trying to figure out where it is all heading. Inquire enjoyed it and can't wait to see what else this author has to offer.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Random House Publishing Group- One World for an advanced copy of this book about a women, a mysterious trunk and a West that is both real, mythic and infinitely strange.

People go west for a lot of reasons. Land, gold, opportunity, chasing something, or fleeing something. Maybe they just wanted to be alone with their thoughts, with their secrets or with their fears. The west is not just a location, but a state of mind. Of new beginnings, or dealing with what we carry with us, be it on our souls or in a very heavy trunk. Victor LaValle in Lone Women has written novel that combines the ideas from westerns, horror, fantasy, mythic tales, with history and so much more creating something that is one of the most unique and beautiful stories I have read in quite a long time.

Adelaide Henry is leaving her parents home in California, moving to Montana, with a very large piece of luggage, $154 dollars in cash, scratches on her hands and the smell of gasoline in the air. Adelaide has hired a cart for the hours long trip, driven by a very unpleasant man who complains most of the trip about Adelaide's trunk and its weight, the strangeness of her family and how they kept to themselves so much, and how they are the talk of the area. Adelaide only thinks of killing the man twice, but she really has to make her ship, for Montana is offering deals on land to even black people like Adelaide, and she would like to start life anew, with only the box that she carries, a box that tries never to lose sight of.

This is the kind of book that is best not to know anything about. The story unfolds carefully, giving away its plot and secrets slowly and carefully, with some hints, and a lot of fantastic writing. Adelaide Henry is a fascinating character, with depth and mystery, but one who even considering the era of 1914 is sure of herself, her place, and what she will do to keep herself safe. LaValle is a writer with a rare gift, one who can turn a phrase, or write a scene so strong that a reader has to read it again. Or even break it down to see how it worked the way it did. I honestly had few ideas where this story was going. Right from the opening the reader is just sucked in, and just sent on a ride. One of the better books I have read in a while.

For fans of this author of course. LaValle only seems to get better. A writer who can work both in short and long form, with different styles and exceptional ideas. This is a book for a person who wants to get lost, for a time, and come out at the end excited to read more, and exhausted from the journey.

"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 a bracing 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."

What's in the trunk Adelaide? WHAT'S IN THE TRUNK!?!

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!