In the summer of 1973 women from all across the US are migrating westward as a result of an unknown infection. Among them are Aimee, who is not infected but trying to find her friend Ginny who is; Eve, a journalist trying to write a story about “The Piper” who supposedly brings the women westward on a bus; and Teenie, who is infected and slowly forgetting important parts of her previous life. Will each of them find what they’re looking for or will they all succumb to the disease?

The premise for the book intrigued me but I unfortunately, the story was a pretty big miss. I enjoyed the author’s writing style but ultimately just couldn’t get into it. Each woman brought her own voice and determination but overall it was very slow paced and just not for me.

**Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC**

I was intrigued by the premise of an infection spreading across the world, selectively affecting women, because I love a good dystopian story and exploring the effects on society. Alas, this let me down unfortunately, I struggled through it from beginning to end. The whole book seemed to just be the synopsis slowly spread across 300 pages and left me bored. Despite the urgency the infection elicits, I didn't feel that urgency translated onto the page, and then finally I didn't even get a satisfying conclusion. There were some hints at feminist discussion but they didn't really seem to muster up to anything.
I do think the characters were well described; there were several POVs but not so many as to confuse who is who, and they each felt like distinct people.

Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for an advanced copy to read and review!

Three girls all with a different relationship to “the itch,” tell their story in this epic journey.

I was initially drawn in by the comparison to Emily St James Mendel, and I was not disappointed! Alice Martin’s writing is hypnotic and I really enjoyed the triple point of view throughout this novel. There are some topics and ideas throughout the book that would make this a great book club pick. I can’t wait for more people to read it so we can discuss it!

I’d recommend this to readers who enjoy dystopian tales, female strength, and found family.

CW: rape/sex, murder, stalking, starvation, unhoused

A haunting and original debut, Westward Women seamlessly blends speculative fiction with emotional realism, leaving a lasting impression. Set in 1970s America, the novel envisions a mysterious illness that afflicts only women, compelling them to embark on a westward journey. But it’s not really about the disease—it’s about longing, hunger, and the quiet desperation of women who want more than they’re allowed to ask for.

Told through four compelling perspectives, the book explores friendship, grief, ambition, and bodily autonomy. The writing is sharp and assured, and the sense of unease is subtle but powerful. Think The Girls meets Our Wives Under the Sea. If you like your fiction eerie, feminist, and hard to shake off, this one’s worth picking up.

It’s the 70s and women across the USA are being infected with a mysterious illness. First, it starts with an intense itch and as the disease progresses the women start to lose awareness and memory, abandon their lives and start moving Westward. This book follows the journey of three women and their connection to the illness as well as some creepy guy named The Piper supposedly helping sick women.

I really wanted to like this book. When I initially read the synopsis, I was intrigued. But after reading the first couple chapters, I just could not really stay engaged. While the writing was good overall, the storytelling was a little slow paced and disjointed. It also seemed like it was trying to be two types of book. On the one hand, there was the mysterious illness and then on the other there was a creepy possible serial killer type situation. I feel like neither of these ideas was fully fleshed out. There were times when the author alluded to different rules and procedures being put in place for sick women, but we never really got a good idea of what society looks like with this illness. There was a lot more that could be done with this book and still keep the same type of message and symbolism without dragging some creepy guy into the mix to prove a point. The Piper’s role in this book just seemed too obvious and too easy of a plot device to me.

As a debut, I appreciate the book and would be interested in seeing more from this author. I can definitely see how this book would appeal to many people. It just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the advanced copy of this book

An impeccable debut novel—speculative, unsettling, propulsive, and deeply thought-provoking—Alice Martin’s WESTWARD WOMEN will lure you in and not let you go.

Here’s the unique premise: in the early 70s, an epidemic spreads among young women. It starts with an untamable itch and coalesces into lethargy, wooziness, and loss of memory if they aren’t able to do what their body compels them to do: travel westward, to the coast. The coast calls to them and they must go. But as the infection worsens, the harder it is to move. So some women hitch a ride with a myth-like man in a big bus who calls himself The Piper and wants to help Westward Women reach their final destination.

But something’s not quite right with him, and with the infection at large. And a few girls are determined to figure it all out.

This multi-POV novel follows three women who are all traveling westward: one with The Piper, a journalist looking for him (and a story), and a third in search of her infected best friend, desperate to save her before it’s too late. A stylistically unique and very effective fourth POV enters the chat at times, too—a second person narration that makes you feel like YOU are one of the Westward Women.

I could not put this down and now I can’t stop thinking about it. The vibes were vibing and if you’re looking for a twisty, interconnected story that explores women’s desires, what they’ll do to meet them, and how they support each other along the way, definitely pick this up.

Releases March 2026. THANK YOU to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an early copy in exchange for this honest review!!

Even though the characters — especially the main one — really annoyed me at times, I couldn’t stop reading. The story was just that compelling. It’s a unique and unsettling take on a terrifying idea, and it hit close to home in a way that kept me hooked from start to finish.

Sometimes you have to look past unlikeable characters to appreciate the bigger message, and that was definitely the case here. If you enjoy speculative fiction that feels both urgent and deeply human, this one is worth picking up.

I found this book to be entertaining, but there were too many overused tropes for me to rate it any higher. Very similar to The Power, so if you have read it already maybe skip this one.

Review in exchange for ARC from net galley

The appeal and mystique of westward travel has been a constant in American history since westward expansion, and the interest has never waned, hence why the Yellowstone tv show has been so popular and spawned multiple spin offs. But what if it wasn't just a desire to travel west, what if it was a need, a need so intense that not moving westward had a negative physical impact on the body? That is the premise of Alice Martin's Westward Women, which flawlessly ties in the relationships and power dynamics between the sexes, bodily autonomy (or lack thereof) for women, and what female desire is. If a woman's only bargaining tool is her sexuality, at what point is it a weapon, and of course, the weapon is still used against her. The role of men in this novel will sadly not surprise any women reading it, as all the men can be seen as culpable, after all, if he drives you a hundred miles west, shouldn't he get something out of it (He asks... or more frankly takes what He thinks He deserves, the communal He). This was an enjoyable story that explored a handful of interesting themes, and I would recommend it to anyone who has ever thought "What if I just stopped doing what I'm supposed to... and went west?"

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of this novel, I am providing this review of my own choice.

In personal ways, we become driven by a form of hunger for something different than what we have. The paradox of a sensation that is out of control, but in mysterious ways, our bodies almost decide for us. But how does this manifest for women and their ability to survive?

Martin zealously examines this through the lens of three women's migration in 1973 towards the Pacific Ocean while an infection spreads. As a reader, you discover how the public's speculation casts this unknown condition in a harsh light while the truth unravels through each introspective and shocking chapter.

Dizzying body metaphors and haunting echoes of ghost-like voices, this debut pressed me forward on a winding road's journey past bruised memories and tense futures. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

I truly appreciate the ARC, but there was really nothing I liked about this book. The pacing was plodding and the “illness” felt poorly conceived and unbelievable. I never felt immersed in this world and in hindsight wish I had DNFed the book.

I got an ARC of this book from the publisher—thanks for the copy!

That said… this one just didn’t do it for me. It moved reeeally slowly, and honestly, not much happened. I kept waiting for the plot to kick in or for something big to happen, but it kind of just stayed flat the whole way through.

It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t super entertaining either. I didn’t feel very connected to the characters or the story. .

Overall, it was just okay. Not the worst thing I’ve read, but not something I’d really recommend if you’re looking for something exciting or fast-paced.

This book is brilliant and thought provoking - the author captured beautifully the restless feeling within women for something bigger than the expectations that have been placed on them. Multiple POV with distinct characters and voices - it is an original story that everyone should read.

In Westward Women, certain women are infected with a mysterious illness that makes them yearn for westward travel. They leave families, boyfriends, and societal expectations behind as they itinerantly travel seeking out…something.

I like how this book reflected the yearning that women can feel to be their true selves. I think it accurately reflected the way that men can be dismissive and take advantage of women. I really enjoyed the intertwining storylines and friendships!

A Bold and Haunting Debut

This bold debut offers a chilling commentary on misogyny through the lens of a strange epidemic in the 1970s, an affliction that only affects women. The so called Westward Women develop a burning itch, both literal and symbolic, that compels them to run. As they slip further from themselves, the line between illness and awakening begins to blur.

While the opening chapters start at a slower pace, the narrative quickly accelerates, pulling readers into a harrowing journey that’s as emotional as it is surreal. The use of a second person point of view is especially powerful, placing the reader directly in the mind of a narrator as she begins to succumb to the illness. Her descent is intimate and unsettling, made even more haunting as she watches others around her unravel.

At the heart of the novel are three intertwining narratives: a journalist fleeing her past while chasing down the elusive Piper, a mysterious man who gathers the sick and leads them westward; a girl frantically searching for her best friend as she descends into madness; and a woman quietly falling ill herself, caught in the momentum of something far larger and more terrifying than she can fully comprehend.

The story builds to a gripping finale that leaves readers questioning what truly happened, both to the characters and to themselves as they turn the final page. With a narrative voice that lingers and themes that bite deep, this is a debut that marks its territory boldly and beautifully.

Recommended for readers who appreciated the eerie atmosphere and emotional resonance of I Who Have Never Known Men.

BOOK REPORT
Received a complimentary copy of Westward Women, by Alice Martin, from St. Martin's Press/NetGalley, for which I am appreciative, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.

So, it hit me whilst I was showering/washing my hair that I’ve read (at) three books today set in the 1970s.

Maybe that’s why they all seemed so meh? Because the ‘70s were so, just, I dunno……like spending a rainy Sunday afternoon at the home of elderly relatives. It’s weirdly humid hot in the house and nobody is getting along and the music on the stereo/radio (GIANT PIECE OF FURNITURE! ANCHOR PIECE!) is nothing you want to hear then, but when you transport back in time 40 years later you realize how much you appreciate it…..

Oh, ugh. Got sidetracked.

This book was better in concept than execution. Yes, yes, I get the whole literary conceit/s about Covid-19 and internalizing the patriarchy and women feeling like they are bursting out of their own skin. But, yet again, this was a book that seemed like it used language too modern for the ‘70s (at least the ‘70s I remember). Oh, and the whole Sapphic thing. Whatever. Nothing new under the sun, y’all.

Once again, it’s probably just me aging out of stuff.

That said? Margaret Atwood this chick ain’t.

PS
Came back to this the next day to add, "Duh, it was--in many ways--a zombie book. No wonder I didn't really care for it; zombies are for the most part boring to me."

DESCRIPTION
For fans of Emma Cline and Emily St. John Mandel, Westward Women is a breathtaking, prescient novel of speculative fiction set against the backdrop of rural Americana, destined to become an instant classic.

"An audacious first novel to set beside Margaret Atwood." - Joyce Carol Oates

It starts with an itch. In homes all across America, women first feel a burning, itching sensation in their arms. They become tired and sluggish. And then they are compelled to walk West toward the Pacific Ocean. Abandoning their families, jobs, lives, they become shells of their former selves, all while doctors and scientists halfheartedly search for a cure that can’t be found.

Once they reach their destination, they aren’t heard from again.

Aimee has just graduated college when her best friend, Ginny, leaves. Ginny was always the daredevil to Aimee’s homebody, but now Aimee must decide between maintaining her safe life, or traversing the interstates to find Ginny. As her search leads to whispers of a man called The Piper, who helps the women travel West, she soon encounters more questions than answers.

Teenie’s symptoms are getting worse. Itchy and dazed, she can barely remember anything, staring out The Piper’s van windows as the country rolls by. The only thing she can remember with clarity is the last day she saw her sister, before she disappeared without a trace. You know. The way some girls just do.

When Eve hears a rumor about The Piper, she’s determined to chase him down. Everyone knows about the Westward Women, but actually hearing their stories? Identifying The Piper? It’s the scoop of a lifetime, the only thing that will put her journalist reputation back to rights.

As Aimee, Teenie, and Eve crisscross the country, their quests will put them on a collision course with heart-rending, devastating consequences.

A hypnotic, cataclysmic, and ultimately hopeful novel that spans 1970s America, Westward Women is the story of three ordinary yet unforgettable women in extraordinary circumstances.

I really wanted to love this book but it just fell flat for me. I think the author tried to take on too many themes and there were too many pov's, that a lot of the writing felt sort of clumsy and rushed.

3.5. I absolutely love the premise of the book. A group of woman afflicted by a mysterious infliction that drives them out west? And a man dubbed The Piper who collects and drives these westward women cross-country? I am so in. The story itself is beautifully written, so much so that I was shocked to learn this is the author's debut novel. I also really loved how the story unfolded, with the narrative told from alternating points of view of a few western women and others affected by/interested in them. I do think there was a missed opportunity for more backstory on these very compelling women and the reasons they were driven west. I was also left scratching my head at several of the choices at the end of the book, particularly with respect to not one but three extremely convenient and improbable coincidental meetings. But overall a great read! Thank you to Netgalley for the much-appreciated ARC!

Thank you NetGally and St. Martin's Press for this ARC copy. Book will be out March 10th 2026

I really enjoyed this one! The premises is what got me hooked. I'm a big fan of things set in the 70s and with a true crime aspect (slightly) I really enjoyed it! The way Alice was able to weave all three main story lines together and have twists that made me gasp. I was really interested in where the story was going and was invested in each woman's story. The Piper was a very interesting villain too, he had aspects of Bundy, Alkida, The interstate killers and Manson as well. I'm giving it 4 stars because I wish there was a bit more at the end about the aftermath of the Piper, I know some people won't like that the main illness isn't really fully explained but that's what I love about it. It could be a metaphor or something to how things for women in that time period were changing and that could correlate back to the illness. I'm excited to read more from this author!

Westward Women is a haunting, slow-burn novel that lingers more in feeling than in plot. The premise is surreal—women across America begin walking west, compelled by a mysterious force—but the execution is quiet, character-driven, and emotionally restrained.

Jessica Anthony’s writing is sharp and often unsettling, with moments of real beauty tucked inside the bleakness. The atmosphere is what carries this book: dusty highways, half-abandoned towns, a country quietly unraveling while most people look the other way. It reminded me of The Girls and Station Eleven in tone, but with less urgency and more detachment.

The three central characters—Aimee, Teenie, and Eve—offer different lenses into the phenomenon. Some arcs are stronger than others, and at times the novel’s emotional distance made it hard to fully connect. But when it lands, it really lands. The Piper is an especially eerie thread, left just ambiguous enough to feel mythic.

I do wish the pacing had been tighter in the middle and that some of the emotional stakes had cut a little deeper. Still, it’s a bold debut, and I’ll be thinking about it for a while.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.