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minervacerridwen's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- 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? Yes
3.5
"Lone Women" is a masterful take on the old theme of "Who is the real monster here?". I loved the writing style, which kept me rushing through the pages far past my bedtime. Those short chapters are dangerously tempting!
While the first half left me a little underwhelmed and thinking it would all play out rather predictably, it turned out to be the setup for some brilliant storytelling and interesting twists.I loved the ending, and not only because Elizabeth was actually named a dragon after all the hints! I even learned some history.
I was happy that the book club suggested this book because I must admit this would never have been on my radar otherwise, as a western horror story isn't something I would naturally gravitate towards. I'm afraid that is also the reason why I personally can't give this a higher rating: it was a lot to stomach sometimes, and not a book I think I'll easily reread myself. In some parts, it became too real for me to work as a relaxing read. I definitely think the book club discussion will be interesting, as the reader is left with a lot of food for thought.
While the first half left me a little underwhelmed and thinking it would all play out rather predictably, it turned out to be the setup for some brilliant storytelling and interesting twists.
I was happy that the book club suggested this book because I must admit this would never have been on my radar otherwise, as a western horror story isn't something I would naturally gravitate towards. I'm afraid that is also the reason why I personally can't give this a higher rating: it was a lot to stomach sometimes, and not a book I think I'll easily reread myself. In some parts, it became too real for me to work as a relaxing read. I definitely think the book club discussion will be interesting, as the reader is left with a lot of food for thought.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Transphobia, Violence, Ableism, Confinement, Racism, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Body horror, Death, Murder, Racial slurs, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Alcohol, Animal death, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Gun violence, Hate crime, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, and Homophobia
minimicropup's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Suspenseful, grim, sincere.
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.
Cred Rating 👍😈: Supernatural magical realism
Mood Reading Match Up:
- 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.
Format: Library Audio via Libby
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Ableism, Homophobia, Racism, Colonisation, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, and Animal death
Animal deaths involve horses during attacks and escapes.ninoshmino's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I’m always impressed by how Victor LaValle slowly builds tension into his novels, where you can see the collision coming from miles away, but that never makes it easier to watch. All the pieces get set up and knocked down, and you know exactly why it happened that way, but you’re still chewing your nails down to nothing as it happens.
I normally think Storygraph’s question of “did you find the characters lovable” to be silly. (I’m reading about people, not inviting them to my birthday party.) But I can honestly say that I did find nearly all the principal characters to be both compelling and lovable, incredibly sympathetic even as they did awful things (and usually paid for them later). This made the last act of the book feel VERY high-stakes, and the ending incredibly satisfying. Good, cathartic piece of slow-moving horror.
My one ??? moment happens near the end, where two characters are quickly introduced in order to impart some aid and information to the protagonist, then disappear from the story after the scene ends. I listened on audio, so this might be a misread on my part!
I normally think Storygraph’s question of “did you find the characters lovable” to be silly. (I’m reading about people, not inviting them to my birthday party.) But I can honestly say that I did find nearly all the principal characters to be both compelling and lovable, incredibly sympathetic even as they did awful things (and usually paid for them later). This made the last act of the book feel VERY high-stakes, and the ending incredibly satisfying. Good, cathartic piece of slow-moving horror.
My one ??? moment happens near the end, where two characters are quickly introduced in order to impart some aid and information to the protagonist, then disappear from the story after the scene ends. I listened on audio, so this might be a misread on my part!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Violence, and Animal death
This is a horror story in a historical setting, and racism is baked into it. Slurs are minimal, and the racism is mostly shown in forms of power structures that economically benefit white people at the loss of Black, Chinese, or Indigenous people. This is a horror novel and there are explicit descriptions of violence and bodily harm to people and animals. There is also two scenes involving lynching. I’ll put more context behind spoiler text, because it gives away the ending.directorpurry's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- 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
3.5
In the 19th and early 20th century, the Western United States was vast land, nearly uninhabited by people.(excluding, of course, the Indigenous communities whose ancestors had lived on the land for millennia, or the Indigenous people who had been driven there by the initial influx of white colonizers on the East coast. But I digress.) In order to bolster the population, homesteading and claim staking were available to many - if you were willing to work the land, for a small fee a parcel could be purchased and it would be yours, free and clear, after a certain amount of time.
This is the landscape in which Lone Women takes place. Adelaide Henry's parents are dead. After burning her house in the very opening pages - leaving readers, or at least myself, with some VERY intense questions - she packs up a single steamer trunk and heads to promised land in Montana.
This is a story populated by women. Lone women, specifically, unencumbered by husbands or brothers, out to find a place for themselves in the inhospitable Montana prairies. LaValle very deftly writes a series of diverse, intriguing women, almost all of them sympathetic, despite the burdens they bear of past misdeeds. This is genuinely one of my favorite examples of a man writing so many female characters.
One element that drew me out of the story was the casual use of more modern phrases in the narrative writing. Not being in first-person, his use of "fucked up/fucking up" or "slapped the shit out of" didn't seem the most period accurate. While I know swearing is absolutely period accurate, I'm not sure I'm convinced by the way the phrases were presented. I could be very wrong, of course, but at the time they definitely weren't keeping me engaged in the story.
Rep includes: Black female MC, a Black and Chinese lesbian couple, and a transgender boy
This is the landscape in which Lone Women takes place. Adelaide Henry's parents are dead. After burning her house in the very opening pages - leaving readers, or at least myself, with some VERY intense questions - she packs up a single steamer trunk and heads to promised land in Montana.
This is a story populated by women. Lone women, specifically, unencumbered by husbands or brothers, out to find a place for themselves in the inhospitable Montana prairies. LaValle very deftly writes a series of diverse, intriguing women, almost all of them sympathetic, despite the burdens they bear of past misdeeds. This is genuinely one of my favorite examples of a man writing so many female characters.
One element that drew me out of the story was the casual use of more modern phrases in the narrative writing. Not being in first-person, his use of "fucked up/fucking up" or "slapped the shit out of" didn't seem the most period accurate. While I know swearing is absolutely period accurate, I'm not sure I'm convinced by the way the phrases were presented. I could be very wrong, of course, but at the time they definitely weren't keeping me engaged in the story.
Rep includes: Black female MC, a Black and Chinese lesbian couple, and a transgender boy
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gore, Confinement, Gun violence, Death of parent, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Transphobia and Child death
apworden's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia, Violence, Blood, and Racism
Moderate: Slavery, Outing, Hate crime, Gun violence, Murder, Miscarriage, Child death, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Body horror, Deadnaming, Gore, and Animal death
mgresart's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Murder, Blood, Cursing, Death of parent, Violence, Animal death, and Death
Moderate: Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, and Child death
Minor: Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, and Homophobia
vigil's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Misogyny, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, Death, Child death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Blood, Murder, Racism, and Gun violence
Moderate: Transphobia
Minor: War
nrogers_1030's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
3.0
I am a little disappointed with this book. I was really looking forward to it, but it didn't live up to my expectations. That being said, I still think it's a good read. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator does a very good job.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Moderate: Gun violence, Classism, and Confinement
Minor: Child death, Racial slurs, and Sexual content
victoriarose12's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Death of parent, Gore, Murder, Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, and Fire/Fire injury
emzhay's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Women!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia, Child abuse, Animal death, Racism, and Murder
Minor: Sexual content