I really enjoyed the novel until the end. It was very creepy and atmospheric. However, the ending ruined it. Still, I recommend this for fans of gothic horror.

3.5 stars for this haunting thriller and historical fiction piece about homesteading -- with a dark twist.

Adelaide Henry arrives in Montana with hopes of a fresh start. But she is literally and figuratively weighed down by a large steamer trunk. The contents weigh heavy on her heart and put everyone around her in immediate danger. And yet it is her cross to bear.

Despite the forced loneliness that comes with such baggage, Adelaide begins to make friends with some of the other women in town -- the other outcasts. And it is through these fragile alliances that she begins to forge a new path for herself -- and the secret she is hiding in that trunk.

Creepy and weird but compelling all the same. Not typically my favorite genre but I enjoyed the way this one played out!

Lone Women, Victor LaValle, author
In the early 1900’s, a lone black woman sets out from the California homestead of her parents, Eleanor and Glenville Henry, to homestead alone, to settle and work on land in Montana that the government would happily transfer to her, although she was a “Negro”, and a single woman, as long as she stayed for three years and improved it. The land had no creature comforts and the hardship she would face was something she could not imagine, but she left anyway, taking only a large and heavy steamer trunk. What was in the trunk? Did she pack items for survival? Was she prepared to live alone in the wilderness? Adelaide Henry was determined to leave, but not before destroying all evidence of her having lived in the farmhouse for 31 years. What would compel a woman living on a prosperous farm, producing Santa Rosa plums, to flee her home? What was she running from, or toward, and why?
Arriving in Big Sandy, Montana, after a long and arduous journey, via Seattle, still in possession of her heavy steamer trunk that was securely locked, she saw some of the townsfolk that had homesteaded there successfully. Mrs. Jerrine Reed was the head of the Busy Bees and the Suffragettes. She met every train. Fred Harndon, who worked for the Bear Paw Mountaineer writing the local news, was there too, looking for newsworthy copy. Still, no one paid much attention to her, so she felt relatively unbothered by her isolation and “difference”. As time passed, some residents came to her aid, or she would not have survived. She needed food and wood to heat her cabin. She had brought none.
On her trip to Montana, she met the Mudges, a mother and her four blind sons. They disappeared before the end of the journey, only to resurface later. She met Grace and her child, Sam. She met Bertie, the only other black woman, and Fiona, who lived with Bertie and was of Chinese background. She attended the Opera House of Mrs. Reed, the wealthiest family in town. These few people, plus a few others, will highlight all of life’s conflicts. They will be deftly introduced by the author, and all of the issues will be resolved one way or another, by LaValle, so that neither the horror or the happiness will seem unusual. He blends the commonplace with the bizarre, seamlessly.
The Mudges are evil. Bertie and Fiona’s relationship is suspect. Grace is a teacher, and a fearsome protector of her child. What happened to her husband? Her child is shunned. Why? Who is Elizabeth? There are many secrets revealed, exposing human frailties, human kindness and human cruelty. Vigilante justice exists. Do the townspeople have a moral compass or the appearance of superficial virtue? Who and what is the real monster? Man’s inhumanity to man was on full display in this remote hinterland, but so was the milk of human kindness.
By enlightening the reader on the history of women’s struggles, racial injustice, immigration issues and vigilante justice in the past, the author has also expertly introduced the same issues that still exist today. Those who march to the beat of another drummer or come from another place or look different than expected are often exposed to the foolishness of our rash judgment. Perhaps we need to step back and think a bi more, before we react and pass judgment.

I thoroughly enjoyed this Little House on the Prairie meets a Stephen King novel. It was definitely not what I was expecting but it was really really good.

Really enjoyed this title, and it was a diversion from the typical psychological horror novels I typically read. The characters were multifaceted and deep, the setting was vivid and unforgiving. The story told reimagines the story of conquering the American West from a rarely told perspective- that of the lone women; who homesteaded and claimed land as their own without the help of a man.

Read for Books & Brews at my library/work. Discussing tonight and look forward to hearing what patrons thought.

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.“

I am such a huge fan of Victor Lavalle he has such a great way of writing and Lone Women was amazing. Even though it was a quick read I enjoyed every page.

Secrets can be heavy burdens. They can also be deadly.

Lone Women by Victor LaValle is set in 1915 in frontier Montana. Like everyone out here, Adelaide Henry is desperate for a new life. Desperate to let go of the secret she’s been keeping for thirty-one years. She can’t let her guard down for even a moment, lest the locked steamer trunk she lugs with her everywhere come open. And anyone near it meet a bloody end. The land is trying to kill every single one of them, and it’s not the only thing that is.

LaValle does a great job mixing realistic historical fiction, contemporary sensibilities, and a classic monster story. I don’t think of the book as horror. It’s more complex than that. The vibe was just right for my gothic tastes, and the frightening aspects were more “fairy tale” than horror. Perfection. The villains may not even be who you think they are. Or, if you’re at all familiar with the American West, some of them might be exactly who you think they are.
Some of the dialogue didn’t seem entirely believable from a historical perspective. Still, those instances were rare and overshadowed by everything I loved about the book. It’s also possible that I’m completely wrong (I looked up some usage I thought was anachronistic and found that the author had done his research!). These moments, few as they were, and whether I’m correct or not, did pull me out of the story. Even so, I tore through it! The chapters are very brief, making for quick reading. I really hope LaValle writes a sequel. I’d be first in line to find out what happens next.

Read this book if you like historical fiction; horror or fantasy; strong women; diverse characters; and satisfying endings that are exactly what they should be.

Lone Women is a fresh take on a classic monster story. So enjoyable. FIVE STARS!

Thank you, NetGalley and OneWorldBooks, for the review copy. (https://linktr.ee/oneworldbooks)

#Fiction #Horror #LiteraryFiction #Gothic #FairyTale #Monster #Fantasy #HistoricalFiction #LoneWomen #NetGalley #FiveStarReview

Not many books address the lives of single women who attempted to lay claim on land in the unsettled west. Challenges of climate, the need to make a living and the problems that arise with the unattached men are some of the issues that confronted these women. Victor LaValle explores all of these problems along with the homophobia and racism that was rampant then (now as well!!) Using the horror genre as metaphor for all of these issues he has written a gripping, fascinating tale. This reader was captivated.

OMG! This was a book that just when you thought you knew what was going on, hit you with another twist. I would've liked the twists to have been sprinkled throughout the book instead of in the last 10-15%. I do think the novel did a great job of answering all those questions but, it was still a lot for just a few short chapters to hold. The writing was great, I loved that eventually the narrator gave us different viewpoints of women, and that the story was engaging. It was one of those that drew you in and wouldn't let you go. Regardless I adored this book and am so glad that I gave it a chance.

I loved this book! I will definitely recommend it. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Lone Women starts off with a bang. When we meet Adelaide, she is running from her past, the death of her family, and she is going to try to make a go of it, alone, in Montana. I was invested from the beginning. Yes, in Adelaide, but also in finding out what she was keeping in the massive trunk she brought along. Along the way, we meet a variety of characters, although none are very fleshed out. I would have liked to learn more about a few of the characyers, especially Sam and his mom, Grace. This book surprised me. It didn't really fit into any one genre, which I liked more than I thought I would. It was a relatively short book, but it definitely packed a punch.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the e-ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

No two novels by Victor LaValle are alike. They are a supreme reading experience and Lone Women is no exception to the rule. Lone Women is probably one of my favorites by this author. Set in Montana is a plus for me as I've always wanted to visit that state. Highly recommended and I can't wait to see what he writes next.

This was just a fantastic book. If you are a fan of atmospheric writing, horror, or historical fiction, then you should 100% check this book out. Victor LaValle is a master at writing horror that makes your skin crawl and gives you nightmares. You will not stop thinking about this book for a long time after.

am not a horror reader—not even a little bit—so this book was a big risk for me, and I’m glad I took the plunge. Lavalle mixes Southern Gothic, classic Western, and magical suspense to great effect while exploring the impacts of Western expansion and women’s history. The book opens as Adelaide Henry flees her burning California home where her dead parents remain inside, for the cold, harsh land of Montana. She carries with her a heavy, locked steamer trunk that emits an occasional rumble, but what’s in the trunk may prove to be even tamer than the demons she finds in her new home town.

In my opinion, this book was marketed wrong. I went in thinking this was historical horror, but the horror element was lacking. It was more historical fiction with creepy/paranormal elements. Part 1 had me intrigued because I wanted to know what was going on. By Part 2, I was bored. Part 3 was just following the characters & I was still disinterested until the last few chapters & that is what saved this book for me.
Received an ARC courtesy of NetGalley.

Headed out West with a trunk full of secrets? YES PLEASE!

The beginning of the American West is my favorite time period to travel to in fictional reading. The secret hiding in the trunk is what sealed the deal for me to dive in.

I can’t believe how thankful I am to have taken the jump! Lone Women was beyond worth it!

It was suspenseful, engaging, detailed, and an emotional read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and can’t wait to hear what my friends think too!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read and review

ARC provided by Random House Publishing Group - Random House, One World via NetGalley.

In Lone Women, Victor Lavalle tackles themes adjacent to those of his previous work The Changeling: familial and racial horror, but this time with a historical western twist and a female lead. This book has much of what I enjoyed in The Changeling, but is definitely doing its own thing story-wise, and is more cohesive in its plot/worldbuilding.

Lavalle is the master of writing expertly-paced 1- to 2-page chapters that keep you reading. You think, “I’ll just read one more before I set the book down!” but you end up reading like 10 more chapters before you actually put it down.

A lone black woman moving to the Montana frontier to homestead is kind of the perfect horror setup in itself, but Lavalle heightens the stakes with a mysterious and sinister backstory for protagonist Adelaide Henry: a supernatural family secret and burden that she brings with her as she flees from the wreckage of her family’s farm in California’s Lucerne Valley.

There are so many great little visceral moments of horror or creeping unease that will stay with me from this book. I wouldn’t say I found it outright scary but the atmosphere was consistently very palpable and well done. I also found the characters and relationships compelling, and appreciated the way that other characters’ perspectives shed different light on the meaning of Adelaide’s supernatural burden.

I am loving this western style horror books that are coming out recently. KEEP THEM COMING. My first Victor LaValle book and definitely not my last!!!

This was a unique book, which I appreciated. The pacing was difficult at times, and it just wasn't holding my interest evenly throughout the book. It started off strong and I did like the end.