This was a good read. In fact, I wasn't wholly ready for it to end. Atmospheric, and mysterious.I definitely recommend this one.

Montana in 1914. Adelaide carries a huge steamer trunk with her as she travels to Montana, always making sure it is locked. What is in the trunk is what killed her parents and will kill again if it gets out.

Yes, that is correct, this is historical fiction with some fantasy/paranormal added and it works beautifully! I loved every character in this story and can’t wait to see what comes next for this author!

She is headed to Montana to stake her claim and make it her home. She has to live out the winter and get some crops in. But hatred towards women and people of color is not new and people in the west were not a friendly group to outsiders. As she guards her shameful secret, she meets other lone women and they band together. I loved it!

If this is Mr. LaValle’s style, I am here for it. Blending historical fiction and some horror just works for me. Excellent read.

NetGalley/March 21st, 2023 by One World

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I have heard of LaValle but yet to read his dark stories. This was a quick read that was such an interesting read into a slightly horror story but also about survival.

The characters are all interesting and well written. LaValle has taken a simple idea of the lone woman and shown how to survive.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Victor LaValle for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Lone Women coming out March 21, 2023. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

In 1915, Adelaide Henry leaves her home in California for Montana, a land that is still untamed and wild. She arrives in the small town with nothing but an enormous steamer trunk. It’s kept locked at all times because when the trunk opens, bad things start to happen. Her secret sin killed her parents. Desperate to start a new life, she will become one of the “lone women” in Montana. She will accept the government’s offer of free land for those who can work it. The only problem is that Adelaide isn’t alone. And the secret she’s tried to lock away might be the only thing that will help her survive the new, harsh territory. She gradually meets the townsfolk who she hopes she can one day call her friends. Will she be able to escape the horrors of her past and redeem herself? 

I received this from @OneWorldBooks and I was surprised they know me so well, haha. A horror historical fiction book set in Montana? This book was right up my alley! This was my first novel by LaValle and I loved it so much! I visited Montana for the first time last year and fell in love with the landscape. It’s beautiful country. I’m sure a lot of it was still like the 1800s in 1915. It was isolated and lonely. The few people in the town had to rely on each other to survive the harsh weather conditions.

I loved the writing. I thought it was beautiful and dark. It was mysterious. I kept wanting to know what would happen next. I loved Adelaide’s character. It takes a lot of bravery to move to a new place where you don’t know anyone. She wanted to do the right thing and I thought she really grew as a character. There were some darker themes, but I wouldn’t say it’s necessarily scary. I think it was more about making mistakes, letting go of the past, forgiveness and redemption.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys early 20th century historical fiction with horror elements.

In 1915 Adelaide leaves California and her dead parents. Her only possession is a trunk carrying a dark secret. She stakes a claim in Montana. She befriends other lone women, but she has to reckoning with her past. The tense mood and pacing made this horror story a wonderful read.

Loved it! The mix of horror and historical fiction was pure perfection. Not to mention Lavalle writes some truly badass women in this story who are determined not only to survive, but to thrive in an environment trying to destroy them.

The social commentary, moral dilemmas, and gruesome moments all come together to create an unforgettable story.

One of the best horror books I've read on the past few years and I can't wait to read it again.

Wonderful! A Gothic Western with well-developed POC characters. Creepy AF.

Perfect for fans of Stephen King, Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Mexican Gothic, The Daughter of Dr. Moreau), and -- this is going to sound like an odd one to throw in the mix, but go with me here -- Jane Eyre.

Victor LaValle's Montana is full of unsettling characters and ghost stories. "Big Sky Country" never felt more eerily claustrophobic (which suits this tale perfectly). I won't give any spoilers about what, exactly, is in Adelaide's trunk, but it kept the tension very taut, especially in the first third or so of the book. (I found myself flashing to Brad Pitt in Seven, going, "WHAT'S IN THE BOX, WHAT'S IN THE BOX" -- haha).

In addition to the fully-realized protagonist, Adelaide, LaValle deftly dips into the backstories of many of the other characters as well. I found this skillful and surprising, as the book is a slim 280 pages, and LaValle manages to deliver so much character development.

In any case, LONE WOMEN is a delightfully dark, page-turning tale, sharply-written as always by Victor LaValle. Recommend!

I love a story that focuses on women persevering against all the odds, and that is certainly what I got with <i>Lone Women<\i>. I mean, it doesn’t get more difficult than having to start a new life from scratch in Montana with winter around the corner as a single African American woman at the turn of the 20th century all while (quite literally) harboring a very deadly secret. Good God, it could not get any worse. I was super excited to dig into this mix of horror and historical fiction, particularly with the heavy dash of girl power peppered within. However, it wasn’t until about the halfway mark that I felt the story picked up, which was super disappointing. The first half focused a lot on Adelaide, the main character, fighting to survive in an unkind environment, and after a while it got kind of monotonous. Yet for all the book harped on about the difficulties of surviving in this harsh place, we don’t really get to see how she gets to stand on her own feet, making her homestead livable and permanent. Instead, we just get pages of how freezing it is and how lucky she’s about to run out of the potatoes her neighbor brought her. Another issue I had was that the depiction of the characters in the time and place the book was set in did not feel accurate — regional dialects, unique phrases, and period-accurate mannerisms and behaviors seemed to be missing, and as a result the historical fiction aspect of the book fell flat for me. In terms of the horror aspect of the book, it took a while for the backstory behind the main character’s “burden” to be explained and the suspense leading up to the reveal was a bit anticlimactic, in my opinion. I also felt pretty confused about the origin of the “curse” and what the two random people in the cabin who slipped the main character something had to do with anything. Really, where this book shined is the friendships Adelaide developed and her own character growth over the course of the book. Everything else was kind of meh.

Another great book from Victor LaValle that seamlessly blends horror and social commentary. Really the only reason this didn't get five stars from me is because I started to get bogged down in all the different POVs by the end of it but I am notoriously bad at following more than like 2 or 3 different POVs in any given novel so that's definitely something that's more on me. Would definitely recommend if you've read any of his stuff in the past or if you're just looking for a new horror book with an original plot!

“Lone Women is the gripping story of a woman desperate to bury her past—and a portrait of early twentieth-century America like you’ve never seen.” [excerpt from Penguin Random House]

What a strange, interesting read which continues to only get weirder as you go deeper into the story. An atmospheric tale full of dark twists and turns, this is historical fantasy fiction at its best. With a varied cast of characters, and jarring, tense storyline, it’s a gothic horror ride from the first page. What a stunning intro to LaValle’s writing.

Lone Women is set to be published 21 March 2023.

I have loved everything that Victor has written. This is probably one of my favorites. He has such a brilliant voice at storytelling.

I received an invite to read this and I am so glad. I can't recall another book that had the suspense that caused my heart to race. I think Revival was the last book that affected me like this. It wasn't the horror in a supernatural sense, it was the depravity of people and how humans really are the true monsters. With compelling and diverse cast of characters, a layered story and some interesting turns, Lone Women should be on. your radar.
This one is going to stick with me.

I read this one on an invite otherwise I probably would not have picked up, but BOY OH BOY am I glad I did! I wasn’t half way through before I added some other lavalle books to my TBR pile. Great pacing, great characters. My college days of analyzing an authors work trying to figure out the hidden meaning are long past, but the whole time I was reading I felt like I was reading something that had deeper meaning and a lesson behind it. The only reason it got 4 stars was because it did leave me a little lost in the beginning but it was worth it to find my way.

I have loved this author's work for a while, but was totally blown away by this newest work! I loved this book. It grabbed me from the first with what has got to be one of the most incredible beginnings I have ever read. The writing is just masterful, as the author unrolls the suspense and and the creepiness in a spectacular display of history and horror. I really felt that I was there and was fascinated by all these characters. The ending was note perfect and unexpected. This is simply a fantastic novel and I was so pleased to read it. I will enjoy recommending it to all my library patrons.

There were really high hopes for this book after reading the synopsis, but that ending...

I have to say one thing about this author before I jump into the story itself. LaValle has a wonderful smooth way of putting words on paper and I found the flow of this read really easy to follow.

My grip with this book is the story itself. I loved the mystery in the beginning. Adelaide's parents are dead. Did she do it? Or does she know who did? And what's with the heavy trunk she's hauling around like its full of gold?

As the story progresses, the mystery behind the trunk is finally revealed. A murderous creature kept hidden from the world by its keeper, Adelaide. Then the whole thing fell apart...

The mystery was gone, the story stalled and a bombshell of a climax that made absolutely no sense dropped. It was like the author did a 180 and completely scrapped their storyline to start over.

If it wasn't for the excellent writing, I don't think I would have finished this book.

Interesting story telling the tale of a woman trying to run from her past. Taking place in Montana in 1915 this is a mash-up of horror and the wild American west. Wonderful writing with a slue of unforgettable
characters. a very entertaining read.

As I began reading this, I told a friend I was reading a book about a Black woman homesteading, alone, in Montana in 1915, and that I was delighted with the theme. I was only part-way into the book, and already thinking it was a great story, a unique look at an unknown segment of history. As I kept reading, I gave short updates on the progress of my reading and of the story, and little-by-little, my updates got weirder and weirder. This is a wild ride of a book. I would have been happy with the homesteading story, would have welcomed a whole book about just that - women. alone, surviving the harsh elements of prairie life - but what comes along with that story is just as satisfying, is told with such skill, and is doled out with perfect pacing. There is much to unpack in this story, and it is one that stays with you well after the last page is turned.

A little bit historical fiction, a little bit fantasy/fiction - came together into a great tale!

In 1915, Adelaide’s parents are dead and she flees to escape her home with nothing but a travel bag and a heavy steamer trunk. She makes her way to Montana where she’s made a claim on land - if she can make her land productive in 3 years, she will own it outright (pretty wild concept! It would have been interesting to live in those times.)

But, Adelaide’s curse has come with her to Montana. Just when she starts to settle in and make friends - will it all be ruined?

Thank you to @netgalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

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I opened the novel with no expectations beyond what the synopsis offered. I'd read Victor LaValle’s earlier works and for the most part I have enjoyed them; however, I REALLY got into this one and can confidently rank this one as my personal favorite of his offerings. It’s difficult to describe why - this is part historical fiction, part family drama (biological and blended/adopted), with a smattering of “horror” which I would categorize more as suspenseful magical realism because there isn’t anything overtly terrifying depicted in the novel. In essence, it worked for me – it has the right elements in the right doses written with expert storytelling and pacing! It kept me turning pages to see how things were going to play out.

Adelaide Henry at aged 31 is recently orphaned under tragic circumstances; she hurriedly flees California to Montana to begin anew as a homesteader with a few dollars, a padlocked steamer trunk, dreams of a new life. Her mother repeatedly told her “a woman is a mule,” and growing up laboring alongside them for decades, she’s no stranger to hard work; nonetheless Montana proves difficult as winter sets in. Upon arrival, the homestead is not as described in the contract. Fear sets in as her finances are dwindling, food and heating supplies are scarce, and additional otherworldly challenges prove even more daunting when the contents of the steamer trunk are revealed. However, hope saves and a friendship is born the day when her widowed neighbor and son, Sam, visit with much needed supplies.

This is the Wild, Wild West in early twentieth century America – the mining boom is over, abandoned ghost towns litter the landscape; these are desperate times for desperate people. Adelaide is both befriended and betrayed at various points by both likable and despicable characters – she meets all sorts, each with a story that mirrors America’s formation. The strength of the book is the friendship that she finds with other lone women – single, independent women who are born disadvantaged and often ostracized through no fault of their own (i.e. based on their sex, physical build, sexual orientation, race, socio-economic status, refusal to marry, etc.). Women who are determined to survive in an unforgiving landscape and in an even harsher world. Women who have to minimize their talents, swallow their pride, tamp down rage and suppress their anger – willingly subjugate themselves to the laws of the land and social mores that were born from racism, discrimination, sexism, etc. This book explores themes of redemption, forgiveness, and fortitude. I really enjoyed my time with it!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an opportunity to review.

The opportunity to escape your troubles and past in the wilderness of the American West has an alluring appeal, though life on a homestead may prove equally challenging in Lone Women by Victor LaValle.

Thirty-one-year-old Adelaide Henry leaves the family farm she’s called home her entire life with a heavy, and locked, steamer trunk in tow after her parents’ deaths and heads toward the prospect of becoming a homesteader in Montana on her own. Lugging the trunk along with her, Adelaide carries the burden of her family curse and being known as “queer folk” while embarking on her desired fresh start, but as she begins her new life in the harsh Montana environment, she recognizes that she’ll need to form connections with others to survive, which is something that she’s not accustomed to. Befriending her closest neighbors, Grace and her child Sam, Adelaide is gradually introduced to the other hardy people of Big Sandy, the closest town; but when what’s been hidden away in her trunk escapes and wreaks havoc, alongside other nefarious scavenging operations endangering people, Adelaide realizes that the secret she’s hidden away for so long might just be the thing that will save her, and the other lone women like her, if she can finally accept and embrace it fully.

An interesting mix of historical fiction depicting the hard life and experiences in the American West in the early 1900s, magical realism through the depiction and exploration of what’s referred to as a demon, and the experiences of women who are viewed as “other” by their communities for a variety of reasons, which provides a diverse character representations, a broader story filled with secrets, struggles, and survival of these strong women braving these challenges quickly unfolds. There’s a murky quality to the description of the creature that lends it an air of nebulous mystery that allows for shifting to match with the perspectives and imaginations of those who encounter it, yet it does feel a bit frustrating at times to not have an overly clear picture of what it is exactly that’s eliciting such a sense of fear. The narrative is primarily focused on Adelaide and the building tension that her secret provides, but there are chapters, with increasing frequency particularly in the latter half of the novel, that focus more closely on others who intersect with her life, which when first introduced feel a bit disconnected but truly help develop and round out the story once the connection is made clear.

Overall, I’d give it a 4 out of 5 stars.

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.