I am in awe of this novel. By far the best book I've read this year. I'm inclined to reach out to Ms. Pochoda and get a signed copy, that's how much this book has impacted me as a reader. It's not that it's full of lessons or guides, or anything that is going to change anyone's life for every reader, but there are parts that moved me, that I can't shake, so the impact is real. And yes I mean, there are those scenes that are likely present that will change readers, and yes, there were some parts that had some pretty big impactful moments for me, but the writing. The writing is out of control beautiful. The characters of Florida, Dios, Kace, & Lobos are exquisitely rendered. The story is amazingly tactful and well-constructed. The scenes of a COVID lockdown country are immaculately drawn up. It's a novel that is just an amazing thing to hold in my hands.

I suppose I would compare this novel and Pochoda's writing to that of MFS or S.A. Cosby. It's grit-lit, but Westcoast. It's Southern noir but set on the other side of the country. The way these characters are written is flawless. The opening and ending scenes are so emotionally strong I literally set my coy down and uttered the word "wow". That doesn't happen very often. I would love to go into detail on the story, but I won't. You have to experience it. But, it's about two women who are early released from prison. It's about secrets. It's about finding who you are, who you were, and who you want to be. It's about strong women taking it to the man and it's a book that I won't soon forget. Well done Ms. Pochoda. This book is a triumph.

I really enjoyed Sing Her Down. Two women are released early from incarceration due to the pandemic. I liked the gritty setting of LA during the pandemic. I loved the multiple points of view, it kept the story moving along. It was thrilling and a good insight into the problems with the criminal justice system.

Dios and Florida are inmates at a women's correctional facility in Arizona. Former cell mates, the two women have a dark history that makes Florida want to avoid Dios as much as possible. When they are both given early release during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dios tracks Florida to the streets of Los Angeles, obsessed with making Florida own up to the darkness inside her.

Gritty and immersive, Sing Her Down is a feminist Western that hums with atmosphere and an almost overwhelming sense of disquiet. Ivy Pochoda's prose is steeped in the noir tradition, darkly observant and richly detailed. The setting of this novel -- the desolate streets of pandemic-era Los Angeles, businesses shuttered and streets littered with disposable masks; the urban warrens occupied by the undomiciled -- is so vivid and adds a surreal element that works well as a backdrop for the violence of the narrative.

The story is told from four perspectives: Florida's and (briefly) Dios's, as well as another inmate named Kase and Detective Lobos, who is pursuing Florida and Dios. Through these four complex, compelling characters, Ivy Pochoda explores how women respond to -- and how they instigate -- violent situations, and it's gripping and fascinating. I do wonder, though, how different this book would have been if more narrative space was given to Dios. She's by far the most intriguing character, and without more context for her behavior, it was sometimes difficult to understand the reasoning behind her actions.

Touching on larger themes such as the effect of the pandemic on marginalized populations and the failings of the criminal justice system, Pochoda weaves an intimate, sinuous portrait of a dangerous cat-and-mouse game between two deeply flawed, desperate women that gripped me from the beginning and didn't let go until its devastating, inevitable conclusion. The audio version is well-read by a full cast, which made this an even more immersive reading experience. The narrators' haunting interpretations brought Pochoda's prose fully to life. Thank you to MCD x FSG Originals, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the advance reading opportunity.

I had to dnf this one. The writing style was frenetic and made me feel such anxiety. This could have been due to the nature of the story. I will have read another one to see if that is the case. This was definitely not for me.

4.5⭐

Diana Diosmary “Dios” Sandoval and Florence “Florida” Baum are inmates in a women’s correctional facility in Arizona. As the pandemic rages on, both of their sentences are commuted and they are released on parole. Florida and Dios have a history – something that ties them to a violent event in the prison and Dios has knowledge of secrets about Florida’s arrest and her actual role in the crime that landed her in prison – secrets that Florida is desperate to protect. Dios holds this knowledge over Florida’s head and is fixated on proving that Florida, who comes from an affluent background and hopes to leave her time in prison behind her, is no less a violent criminal than Dios believes she is. After they are released from prison, Dios stalks Florida, refusing to back down as Florida struggles to gain control of her life.

Sing Her Down by Ivy Pochoda is a dark, gritty and immersive novel that I could not put down. I finished it in a single day! The narrative is shared from the perspectives of four women – Dios, Florida and Kase, another prisoner who was incarcerated with Dios and Florida, who shares her unique perspectives on the psyche of women whose lives are plagued by crime and violence. We also meet Detective Lobos, surrounded by violence in her work life and dealing with her troubled marriage,who crosses paths with Dios and Florida and tries to gain some insight into these two women while pursuing them. Through flashbacks, we get to know more about Dios and Florida, their backstories and the events that led to their incarceration. The characterizations are superb and the author does a superb job of giving us a glimpse into the innermost thoughts of these characters all of whom are plagued by their own demons. The setting of the story changes from Arizona to Los Angeles and the author describes each of these settings with vivid imagery that only adds to the atmosphere of the novel.

With its exceptional writing, consistent pacing, complex characters and gripping narrative, this novel reeled me in from the very first page. This is a thought-provoking story and these women and their stories will stay with me.This is my first Ivy Pochoda novel and it surely won’t be my last!

However, I should point out that this is not a light or easy read. There are disturbing scenes of prison violence and the story does venture into dark territory.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the digital review copy of this novel, I was fortunate to also receive the ALC of this novel from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio which made for an exceptional immersion reading experience. The phenomenal full-cast audio narration by Frankie Corzo, Kimberly M. Wetherell, Sophie Amoss, and Victoria Villarreal made these characters and the story come alive. I would definitely recommend both the book and /or the audiobook.

This novel is due to be released on May 23, 2023.

This powerful book begins in a women’s prison, where inmates Dios and Florida are about to be released early, due to the pandemic. This is a very dark and compelling story, told from different points of view. Pochoda’s writing is atmospheric and sensory, and being set in the early days of the pandemic made it feel that much more. Empathy for all women is clear in all of the writing. I will be reading more from this author. Recommended.

This is ‘a tale of violent women. A song for the ages with a surprise ending.’ Florence ‘Florida’ Baum and Diana Diosmary ‘Dios’ Sandoval are serving time in an Arizona prison for violent crimes. When Covid worsens in 2020 and starts killing prisoners, Baum and Sandoval are among those who fit the system's criteria for early release. They will be held in quarantine in a motel for two weeks and fed three meals a day. But when the food doesn’t come, the two each women leave the motel and both end up on a bus heading to California, violating their parole. But no matter where they travel, they are still the same people inside and carry their violent tendencies with them. Dios seems obsessed with Florida and follows her, egging her on. When the dead body of a young corrections officer is found on the bus, LA Detective Lobos and her partner are on the case.

This is an interesting study of violence within women. Florence is a pretty and wealthy young woman who had everything in life except attentive parents. At the age of nine, she became flirting with danger and came alive to the thrill of destructive behavior. Dios is beautiful and smart, a scholarship student who received a good education, but a rage has grown within her that is only too happy to burst free. Detective Lobos is trying to leave behind an abusive husband and marriage to start over. A small woman, she fears appearing weak to her partner. Will she be strong and smart enough to bring these two escapees in? Sooner or later, there will be a final showdown…and who will walk away?

Los Angeles during Covid is an interesting backdrop for this story, with so many businesses closed and homeless people living in tents and camps throughout the city. Discarded masks blow along the streets like tumbleweed. It gives the story a surreal feeling, almost apocalyptic.

Pochoda's writing style is excellent, even lyrical at times. This is not a gentle story so be aware that it is often violent and gritty. The comparison with No Country for Old Men is quite apt.

I received an arc of this novel from the author and publisher via NetGalley. Many thanks to them for the opportunity. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Although I really enjoyed Pochoda’s previous novel, These Women, this one sort of fell flat for me. This is the story of Florida and Dios, two women in an Arizona prison who are released early because of the overcrowded conditions due to Covid. Although they are supposed to quarantine for two weeks in a motel and then find a place to live (and check in regularly with a parole office), things definitely do not turn out as they are supposed to. Eventually, Lobos, a detective in LA working on a case involving the murder of a prison guard, enters the scene, but I found the portions of the novel involving Lobos to be misplaced and seemingly unnecessary because all really revolves around Florida and Dios. Additionally, although I generally liked the storyline, the novel as a whole seemed way too long and perhaps would have worked better as a novella. Nonetheless, I found it to be a decent read and look forward to Pochoda’s next work.

Billed as a western which it isn’t. Set during the pandemic and told from the perspective of four women. Among many plots a harsh realistic look at life in prison and life of the homeless on the streets of LA. If there is a western element, it is the final encounter between the two chief protagonists- Florence “ Florida” Baum and Diane Diosmary “Dios” Sandoval. Gritty , dark, with psychological mind games and all too true to life portrayals, it is at time confusing and must be read carefully but fully engrossing.

When do you become the thing you’ve kept at bay?

The answer to this question is at the heart of the latest novel by Ivy Pochoda. It is the story of Florence Baum, a young white woman from a wealthy LA family, serving time in a women’s prison in Arizona in the midst of the COVID 19 pandemic and now known as Florida. The tale is also that of Diana Diosmary Sandoval, called DIos, a young woman of color from an impoverished background who was able to secure a scholarship to an elite East Coast university but who was convicted of a violent crime and imprisoned as well. Two women from very different backgrounds who have ended up in the same place, who might be very much alike or completely different. Their stories are told in alternating voices and chapters, sometimes by Dios, others by Florida, and occasionally by a fellow cellmate Kace (who may or may not be completely reliable, as she continually hears the voices of dead people in her mind and eventually has to yell out what the voices are telling her). Are Florida and Dios victims of outside forces, imprisoned by a careless justice system, or might they be deeply angry and violent people who just happen to be women (or both)? They are definitely not friends, and not even allies….and while one of them believes them to be the same at heart, the other does not. During a power blackout, violence erupts inside the prison and another of the inmates. Tina, is brutally beaten and killed. Tina had been Florida’s roommate….did Florida kill her? Or was it Dios? Things between the two women grow increasingly tense…..and then they find that they have both been chosen for an early release and probation as part of the prison’s efforts to lighten the population and prevent the rampant spread of COVID. They will have to spend two weeks in quarantine in a nearby hotel, and then can make plans to settle elsewhere for the rest of their probation. These are not women who are good at following rules, though, and soon one of them hits the road headed for the West Coast. The other follows on her heels, and violence is along for the ride.
At the beginning of the book, Kace tells the reader of a mural on a wall in LA , which all who view it swear has figures on it that move, that tells the end of the story of Florida and Dios….Dios standing at the end of a street with Florida marching towards her. A modern day High Noon, in an urban and feminist way. Between that beginning and the end of the novel, the reader learns slowly and in layers who each of these women are, what set them on the track to their criminal convictions, and why they are bound together. There is also the lawman, or in this case the law woman Detective Lobos, who is on their trail to bring them back into custody and stop the violent crimes they leave in their wake. Lobos has her own battles with past regrets and violence which may either hinder her ability to do her job or light the way for her to accomplish it. Are women capable of harboring such darkness and violence? If so, are they born with it or does it develop to deal with the cruelties and betrayals of which they have been victims? The story is gritty and bleak, with elements of a Western but it is more a psychological puzzle. Each character is flawed, and none can be relied upon for an honest appraisal of their own character. I found it an interesting if not exactly enjoyable read, well-written and nuanced. Readers who enjoy Cormac McCarthy might find something with which to connect here. Authors like Dennis Lehane, whose publishing imprint published an earlier Pochoda novel, and Michael Connelly are also fans of the writing, so those who enjoy their books may also want to give this a try. Thanks to MCD/Farrah Strauss and Giroux and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced reader’s copy of Sing Her Down.

Tell me, please tell me that these were all same woman. There were no Florida, no Dios, no Lobos. They were just same woman making different choices in life but somehow ended up walking into each other’s universe. They were all singing the same song but different paces.

I loved the desperation and hopelessness oozing from every sentence of this story. Of course it was because they were all women; there was no easy way out, no excuse, no alleviating factors. Justice only worked, not to mention against them, when it failed them million times before they made their own.

While it was described as feminist western, it didn’t have cheesy feminist messages. I hate when books water down the message instead of enhancing it, and this book is definitely not one them. I appreciated how well thought it was. Give it a try!

I was excited to get the latest Ivy Pochoda novel as an ARC because I've enjoyed previous reads by the author. Unfortunately, Sing Her Down fell flat for me. I had a hard time following the plot in the beginning and then once I caught on, nothing really clicked - a general confusion persisted, especially once the plot twisted to reveal what was happening with Diosmary and Florida.

Dios and Florida are inmates at the Arizona's women's prison. While there are scenes inside the prison, most of the story takes place on the road after Dios and Florida are released early, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since neither has a home or family to return to, they are discharged to a seedy hotel where the state is supposed to support their short-term transition.

The journey is filled with gore, violence, and other horrors. Dios and Florida are pursued by a female cop and her amateur partner. We learn a little about her as well.

Overall, this book didn't land for me. Even after finishing it, I wasn't sure I understood the point. I'm giving it three stars, instead of two, because it was generally readable and I was able to finish it. Trigger warnings for violence, sexual assault, domestic abuse and more. Not recommended.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sing Her Down is a whirlwind of a novel, a fast-paced, gritty, deep dive into the questions of what breeds violence in women, how do we become who we are, and, is there such a thing as pure evil? On one hand we have Florence “Florida” Baum and her cellmate Diosmary “Dios” Sandoval, released from prison early because of Covid - two women who have jostled and bumped and gotten under each other’s skin during their time in prison. Dios has become fixated on Florida and is determined to expose the lies Florida has told, and believes, about the true nature of her crimes. On the run, from each other and the police, the chase through LA’s gritty streets is propelling and beautifully rendered. On the other hand, we have Detective Lobos, a female detective in the man’s world of policing in the hard-scrabble areas of LA. Lobos struggles with the imbalance of power, with her own innate fears, with the need to be perceived, and to feel, in charge and capable, while dealing with personal issues of her own. The big questions here are difficult to look at head on, but Ivy Pochoda does not flinch in her exploration of violence, fear, anger, and the morally ambiguous impulse to let go everything that is expected of us in order to fully embrace the truth of who we are.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this excellent ARC. Cat and Mouse game between two women who've recently been paroled from prison. The settings were so vividly written I had sweat running down my back. Adrenaline fueled story coupled with breathtaking prose. Five big stars!!!! This deserves to be the book of the summer

SING HER DOWN BY IVY POCHODA

I wasn’t sure what to expect since this is the first book I’ve read by Ivy Pochoda and I’ve got to say I really enjoyed it. The story follows two women, Florida and Dios, from their time in an desert situated Arizona prison, to their big show down on the Covid ravaged streets of Los Angeles.

Early in the book both women receive early parole and have to quarantine in a run down, two bit motel. Florida’s goal is to leave behind the desert and get to Los Angeles and get back her beloved car, the one thing she believes will allow her to leave all her past troubles behind. Dios’s goal on the other hand seems to be to never let Florida forget who and what she is. As the damage and bodies start to pile up in their wake I couldn’t put the book down because I had to know what would be the outcome when they finally faced off against one another.

This is a book that definitely needs to be read as the author skillfully and slowly shows us the two characters past and the events that brought all of this about. Pochoda also does a great job of putting the reader back into those early days of Covid when a simple cough produced as much nervousness and fear as the sound of a racking shotgun. Definitely a 5 star pick.

I appreciated the opportunity to read this, but I never really connected with this story or its characters; it was a bit of a chore for me to finish.

I can't say enough great things about this book - the atmosphere, the nail-biting suspense, the bold female characters and the biting prose come together to make a truly mesmerizing story that is entirely un-put-downable. I was completely absorbed in Florida's experience, constantly wondering about her past and whether Dios has the right read on her. The intensity of the cat and mouse backbone of the plot had me constantly nervous for Florida, trying to anticipate what she would encounter next. If you love gritty feminist thrillers with a Western theme, add this to your list RIGHT NOW.

American novelist Ivy Pochoda’s latest work, Sing Her Down is a Western, mystery thriller. It starts with the narrator, Kace recounting the tale of Florida and Dios and life in an Arizona women’s prison. Set during the time of the pandemic, the early release of Florida sets off a cat-and-mouse chase, as she flees bail and crosses state lines to return to California. Dios has a dangerous fixation on Florida, as she doesn’t believe her claims of a hapless innocence and so pursues her with zeal. A well-imagined dark world with diverse and complex characters is revealed, along with the resulting chaos thereof. This is a gritty tale capturing the bleakness of troubled women that makes for a three star read rating. With thanks to Farrar, Straus and Giroux, and the author for an uncorrected proof copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Farrar, Straus and Giroux for an advanced copy of this novel of obsession, violence, and the desire to be understood, no matter the cost to everyone around.

Prison stories are usually angry stories. Anger aimed at the system, anger aimed at those who get away with crimes, angry at what the system does, and most likely angry at themselves for getting caught. That anger can turn to self-loathing, anger at the level of stupid that brought them to prison, and angry that they might never have a chance to make it right. Add in the other prisoners, the guards who are just as much prisoners of an unfair and stupid system, concrete walls, and the possibility of violence in every step and every action, prison stories are nitroglycerin in a dixie cup on a card table with a matchbox keeping it level. Written by a writer like Ivy Pochoda featuring vengeful women, strong cops and the lure of the west, the novel Sing Her Down makes the A-Bomb explosion at the Trinity test site look like sparklers at a main street parade.

A prison in Arizona is where our two characters meet. Florida is a young woman, not from a good home, but a house of wealth and indifference, who made a bad mistake trusting the wrong person. Florida wants to serve her time, get out and get this all behind her. Dios is a product of the system who rails against it every chance she gets, usually with violence. In Florida, Dios sees a focus for all the hate she feels, not a good girl who has made a mistake, but a rotten person who got caught, and will be rotten forever, even if the world can't see it. Dios can, and she wants Florida to admit it. COVID arrives, and Dios and Florida are given surprise parole, but Dios is not done with Florida. As Florida hits the road, going west Dios follows leaving a wake of destruction that reaches a crescendo in the City of Angels.

I really had no idea what this book would be like, not being that familiar with the author, nor reading much about it. This book hits hard, really hard. I see a lot of comparisons to Cormac McCarthy, but I see a lot more in early Elmore Leonard. The Detroit stories, before he moved south to Florida. This is a tough book, even tougher in that women are the main characters, and they can be much more deadly than the male. Readers won't like the characters, but they will remember them. Each one is unique and as the narrative jumps around with them, this helps as readers won't be confused whose eyes we are seeing the story through. The reason for the story is also different, not a you did me wrong kind of story, more of a difference in how the world has treated two different people, and the revenge that one decides to rain down on another. The writing is very good, very tense, with really good dialogue and scenes, like the opening about a mural on a wall, that really set the story and what a reader can expect. A tough, mean story, but a really good one, and one that will stay in a reader's head.

Sing Her Down by Ivy Pochoda

This novel is a storm of prose, poetry, and vernacular, in which the author has created a breathtakingly appalling story. It is one of those stories with the potential to overwhelm, to make you feel uncomfortable, and to make you question social constructs and predispositions. This story is nowhere near good and has no redeeming qualities, but that is the raw magic of it.

The plot begins in a women’s penitentiary in Arizona; which gives it a bit of a “Orange is the New Black” vibe. The main characters are Florida and Dios; two inmates facing an unlikely parole. Florida consistently tries for the “keeping her head down” mantra upon her release. Dios refuses to let Florida take the back seat to the story she has written for them both in her head. She is a hurricane of pent-up rage directed solely at Florida; she will not be stopped until there is nothing left.

Various parts of the narrative are told through the point of view of Kase, Florida’s cellmate until parole. Her narration is a spiritual telling that accurately predicts the outcome. Lobos, LAPD detective, and her backstory are a bit distracting, but she is also caught up in a story that was already predetermined. As minor characters these women have no control over how the story will end; only one woman does.

The sheer magnitude of this novel will stick with me for a very longtime. I would absolutely recommend it, however, there are an incredible number of triggering situations for readers to be aware of.