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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
3.75 stars
I have been in a bit of a reading slump for a few weeks now and struggling to find the right book to pull me out of it - and this book did the trick. Lone Women finds it's setting in a little known, niche corner of history and adds in a thrilling touch of supernatural for a suspenseful read.
In the early 1900s, women were allowed to claim homesteads in Montana - no men required. Black women were allowed this opportunity as well, and that is where main character Adelaide enters the story. She is running from her past, has an unnaturally heavy and mysterious steamer trunk she brings with her, and is determined to use the emptiness of Montana to her advantage in starting over.
The suspense of what exactly Adelaide's secret is was kept for just the right amount of time with reveal that was gradual, but also satisfying in the way that it slipped out each piece of information. Throughout the book, you come to realize that no one is quite who they seem to be on the surface. Everyone has secrets in their past that they are trying to conceal from the other homesteaders around them.
If you also enjoy reading slightly spooky and mysterious books during the fall months, this is one I certainly recommend.
I have been in a bit of a reading slump for a few weeks now and struggling to find the right book to pull me out of it - and this book did the trick. Lone Women finds it's setting in a little known, niche corner of history and adds in a thrilling touch of supernatural for a suspenseful read.
In the early 1900s, women were allowed to claim homesteads in Montana - no men required. Black women were allowed this opportunity as well, and that is where main character Adelaide enters the story. She is running from her past, has an unnaturally heavy and mysterious steamer trunk she brings with her, and is determined to use the emptiness of Montana to her advantage in starting over.
The suspense of what exactly Adelaide's secret is was kept for just the right amount of time with reveal that was gradual, but also satisfying in the way that it slipped out each piece of information. Throughout the book, you come to realize that no one is quite who they seem to be on the surface. Everyone has secrets in their past that they are trying to conceal from the other homesteaders around them.
If you also enjoy reading slightly spooky and mysterious books during the fall months, this is one I certainly recommend.
An interesting look at the odd in-between times from the initial era of pioneering/homesteading days to the early 20th century. The book opens with Adelaide burning down her childhood home with the bodies of her parents inside. Then she hops a train to get a plot of land in the remotest reaches of Montana. Once there Adelaide instantly arouses suspicion as more and more people in her orbit end up dead or maimed under mysterious circumstances.
This was an impressive and fast paced novel and the less you know about it before reading it the better I think the experience will be.
This was an impressive and fast paced novel and the less you know about it before reading it the better I think the experience will be.
I was a bit underwhelmed by this book. It is my first Victor LaValle read, and perhaps it’s just a style mismatch for me as a reader? As many other reviewers have noted, the historical context is fascinating, and the feminist and racist themes are compelling, but I think the magical realism elements weren’t enough for me. The much promoted mystery of what is in the steamer trunk is answered (technically) a third of the way in, but you have to wait until the last third or so for it to have fullness and weight, and finally integrate into the social criticism that drives the plot. The magical realism elements were a functional metaphor utilized in that social criticism, but didn’t grasp my imagination quite so well as I’d hoped, and the ending didn’t hit quite the right note for me, despite being very satisfying in its own way. In conclusion, a complex, intricate tale, maybe I’m just not the right reader to enjoy it fully.
This was a great genre-defying novel set in early 20th century Montana. It is a horror-adjacent (not too scary or gory) historical fiction novel about women homesteaders and their plight to survive in an America that isn’t designed for their success. Lone Women examines family (genetic and found), empathy, race and gender, religion, obligation, and love. One of the most unique and engaging atmospheric novels I’ve read. Highly recommend.
“History is simple, but the past is complicated.”
This is my second book by this author. Told in third person and in very short chapters, I flew through it in less than a day. I was worried in the beginning, but Adelaide’s voice quickly pulled me into her story, curious about what was in her mysterious steam trunk. I was not disappointed. I love a good frontier story. Add in the eeriness of western ghost towns, bands of thieves and mysterious creatures and this one had the makings of a wildly entertaining tale.
I really enjoy the character of Adelaide. She’s brave and courageous to head off to the territory of Montana to make a claim of her own. Strange and mysterious things happen to her on the journey. She meets a lot of eccentric people as she endeavors to find a life of her own. Some who are out for themselves and some who understand the importance of community and supporting each other in the harsh environments of winter in Montana.
Recommended to horror lovers who enjoy a bit of the American Frontier.
Thank you to Netgalley and One World Books for a copy provided for an honest review.
This is my second book by this author. Told in third person and in very short chapters, I flew through it in less than a day. I was worried in the beginning, but Adelaide’s voice quickly pulled me into her story, curious about what was in her mysterious steam trunk. I was not disappointed. I love a good frontier story. Add in the eeriness of western ghost towns, bands of thieves and mysterious creatures and this one had the makings of a wildly entertaining tale.
I really enjoy the character of Adelaide. She’s brave and courageous to head off to the territory of Montana to make a claim of her own. Strange and mysterious things happen to her on the journey. She meets a lot of eccentric people as she endeavors to find a life of her own. Some who are out for themselves and some who understand the importance of community and supporting each other in the harsh environments of winter in Montana.
Recommended to horror lovers who enjoy a bit of the American Frontier.
Thank you to Netgalley and One World Books for a copy provided for an honest review.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
What a ride! A great story with twists and turns abounding. Very much enjoyed it and learned a little about land grants in the old West.
3.5 stars… it got cheesier as the story progressed.
Not a book for everyone, but is an entry point into a fascinating point in American history.
