This is my first book by Victor LaValle. Hmmm. The premise of this story is very compelling. It’s a horror/historical fiction novel centering women homesteaders in 1915(ish) Montana. I knew nothing about this slice of US history, so it was interesting.

The novel gets off to a strong start, with our main character Adelaide traveling from California to Montana after a life-changing event happens. The thing is, Adelaide is traveling with an incredibly heavy, very mysterious trunk. Tbh, we all know what’s in that trunk. The reveals slowly unfold in the beginning half of the novel in a way I found enjoyable. It adheres to classic horror tropes, with chilling realizations and some gory scenes. I enjoy these things about the horror genre, so I was into it. The Mudges are another creepy aspect of the book, at least in the beginning.

The second half of the book is what lost me. The pacing completely changes, and we’re introduced to a slew of new characters that were somehow supposed to care about/be suspicious of? Sure, Mrs. Reed was vaguely introduced in the beginning half, but then she disappears until she’s suddenly a main villain character. Huh?! And the side-story about Sam and Grace was kind of random and underdeveloped. I feel like it was only included to get certain characters together in one room. Weird. All the other action, “reveals,” and plot “twists,” were so incoherent that I just stopped caring.

I am satisfied with the very, very end (aka like literally the last chapter that wraps everything up), but I found the character development and thematic explorations lacking. It just seemed odd that Adelaide had kept this big huge secret her whole life and then suddenly was just going around telling her besties? Also, I felt like Adelaide met Grace, Bertie, and Fiona, and they were all suddenly friends. While that’s totally possible, the writing didn’t convince me.

I relished each and every word within the pages of this book, finding immense enjoyment in its content. The story commences with an explosive opening chapter, maintaining its momentum with a series of quick, fast-paced short chapters. Our central character, Adelaide Henry, embarks on a westward journey burdened by a profound secret. Set in the year 1915, the narrative masterfully immerses the reader in its richly detailed setting and thought-provoking themes. This atmospheric tale, coupled with its intricate cast of characters, with Adelaide at the forefront, weaves together to create a truly compelling narrative.

I hesitate to divulge further details, as this is an experience best savoured firsthand. Suffice it to say that this book offers a truly unique and captivating reading experience.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the mixed of genres of this one - historical fiction, horror, mystery, suspense, and supernatural. I was hooked by the first page, and I couldn't put it down because I just wanted to know what was in the trunk. The writing was atmospheric and the ending was satisfying. It was a such a unique read.

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