Scan barcode
meganpbell's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Highly recommend reading this excellent article on the historical background of Lone Women:
https://www.tor.com/2023/04/03/book-reviews-lone-women-by-victor-lavalle/
Graphic: Violence and Blood
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Racism, Transphobia, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death, Sexual content, and Pregnancy
storyorc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Also the central woman is (mostly) unapologetically a big, tall, strong woman. Love it.
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, and Transphobia
Minor: Child death and Rape
mandi_lea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
seasonedreadings's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gore
librarianjennifer's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Racism, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Blood, Murder, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
mburnsides's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Violence and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Gun violence, and Racism
sarah984's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Deadnaming, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Gore, Gun violence, Racism, Transphobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Ableism, Child death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Alcohol
anna_hepworth's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This was hard going at times, not least because there are so many things that can go wrong for people living alone with limited resources in winters with much snow, and the 'how will the character(s) get through this' was exhausting.
The story is incredibly complex, nuanced and layered, and I appreciated it all the more as each layer was revealed. The characters are amazing, the worldbuilding jumps off the page, the writing is sparse and yet lush, and the pacing is exquisite. Highly recommended.
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Racial slurs, Racism, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Gun violence, Misogyny, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
minimicropup's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
We are following our MC on the run after an incident at their family homestead in California. They are planning to start fresh in Montana with nothing but the clothes on their back and a weighed down steamer trunk. We follow their adventures setting up, meeting the surrounding homesteaders, and developing new friendships.
- Set in 1915 Montana
🎧 Excellent narration. Immersive, expressive, and listenable at various speeds.
Growls, Howls, and Tail Wags 🐺🐕:
- The beginning half of the story contains more supernatural suspense and the second half evolves with IRL horror elements. It's a smooth transition that unravels mysteries while building them.
- Near the end (60% +) I was getting some reader fatigue. This was likely because of the increased action adventure, fight-for-your life parts of the story that I generally struggle with in books.
- In the last third of the book we get less about what is going on with Adelaide and more about what is happening with other characters. It feels like dramatic literary fiction vibes replace the suspenseful mystery vibes for a bit, and I just wanted more of Adelaide.
- Historical fiction is usually not for me, but I didn't have any problems keeping up here. The author gives historical context in a natural, show-not-tell way, so I was never lost (but also didn't feel like I was reading a textbook). I was also able to relate to the characters and their dilemmas.
- If you're here for the homesteading part of the plot, it may be disappointing. A surprising number of characters emerge once our MC arrives on their plot of land, so we don't read much of how she's prepping the land over the years.
- Starting over from scratch in a new land adventure plots
- IRL horrors with symbolic supernatural elements
- Mysterious historical fiction (early 1900s)
- Action-adventure stories with a creature feature
- Commentary/themes around disability, disfigurement, and rejection
Content Heads-Up: Transphobic, homophobic, ableist, and racist characters (also includes supportive characters and good rep). Home invasion and theft. Parental rejection.
Graphic: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Homophobia, Racism, Lesbophobia, and Colonisation
Minor: Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, and Abandonment
Animal deaths involve horses during attacks and escapes.mgresart's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Cursing, Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and Lesbophobia