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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
For those who are looking for something different, this story is intriguing with a glimpse of history.
It’s an original plot that transports the reader back to 1915 when 27 Black families in California’s Lucerne Valley signed up to homestead several acres. Adelaide Henry helped her parents farm the land to survive.
Then everything changed when something unexpected happened and 31-year-old Adelaide rushed to set their house on fire with her parents inside. She left the farm with $154 in her pocket, a travel bag and a very heavy trunk. She was now a fugitive.
In Seattle, she purchased a one-room shack with an outhouse and land in a small town of Montana close to the Canadian border. The real estate agent thought this might be risky for a single woman but she was okay with it.
The heavy trunk went into a wagon for the trip and she got inside with another family of five. Everyone wanted to know what was inside the locked trunk – including me. Later in the story, it’s revealed. Adelaide had more courage than I can imagine for a woman settling in a place close to thieves, cowboys and lots of wild animals.
While I enjoyed the story, I realize it’s fiction and some parts are clearly out there. Could a woman survive on her own in very cold weather and very little money if any? I wanted to know more. It transports you to a time when there was a lot of prejudice against the Native Americans, Blacks and Chinese immigrants. It would make a good book club discussion.
My thanks to Victor LaValle, One World and NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy with an expected release date of March 28, 2023.
It’s an original plot that transports the reader back to 1915 when 27 Black families in California’s Lucerne Valley signed up to homestead several acres. Adelaide Henry helped her parents farm the land to survive.
Then everything changed when something unexpected happened and 31-year-old Adelaide rushed to set their house on fire with her parents inside. She left the farm with $154 in her pocket, a travel bag and a very heavy trunk. She was now a fugitive.
In Seattle, she purchased a one-room shack with an outhouse and land in a small town of Montana close to the Canadian border. The real estate agent thought this might be risky for a single woman but she was okay with it.
The heavy trunk went into a wagon for the trip and she got inside with another family of five. Everyone wanted to know what was inside the locked trunk – including me. Later in the story, it’s revealed. Adelaide had more courage than I can imagine for a woman settling in a place close to thieves, cowboys and lots of wild animals.
While I enjoyed the story, I realize it’s fiction and some parts are clearly out there. Could a woman survive on her own in very cold weather and very little money if any? I wanted to know more. It transports you to a time when there was a lot of prejudice against the Native Americans, Blacks and Chinese immigrants. It would make a good book club discussion.
My thanks to Victor LaValle, One World and NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy with an expected release date of March 28, 2023.
I truly don’t know what the hell going on.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was definitely hoping for more horror from this book. Once I accepted that it was more of a thriller I definitely had a good time.
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
medium-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
I really enjoyed Lone Women! I’m always a little skeptical of men writing FMCs but I was pleasantly surprised by Adelaide Henry. She is just about everything I could’ve hoped she would be - strong, determined, capable, smart, caring, funny... the list goes on. I was really impressed with LaValle’s ability to write from her perspective.
Another thing Victor LaValle knows how to write is a hell of an opening chapter! Whew! I was gripped from the first page. Though the pacing in the middle of the story felt a little slow for my liking, I never lost interest in finding out what would become of Adelaide, her friends, and her curse.
The monster element of the story was really interesting. My only minor complaint is that I wish we got a clearer physical description because I like a good detailed picture in my mind - but that might just be my personal preference. I can see how not being too descriptive may play more into the scare factor for others.
I would recommend Lone Women if you’re looking for a story about strong, independent women and like your horror with a bit of mystery!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Sexism, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction, Bullying, Cursing, Deadnaming, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Transphobia, Kidnapping, Grief, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Dysphoria, Classism, Pandemic/Epidemic
I was a bit leery of this since it's labeled as "horror" and I'm a big wimp, but it wasn't that bad, though it's horrifying in other ways. I'm having a hard time even describing why I liked it so much, except it had a great setting and the characters were awesome and the story turned in ways I didn't expect, but also kind of did (not a bad thing). I've been in the mood for westerns lately too, and this helped scratch that itch.
This was…..pleasantly surprising?
The storyline was unique and the way the author blended early 1900s with horror/thrills? Amazing. The plot was engaging and the pace of the book never felt dull or slow. Something always happened to either Adelaide or the people of Big Sandy, but it wasn't overdone in any way. Overall, the writing style was great for the tone of the book.
My only complaint was that some of the characters and plot points felt like they had so much more potential to be fleshed out (like Grace and her husband) but, it is what it is.
The storyline was unique and the way the author blended early 1900s with horror/thrills? Amazing. The plot was engaging and the pace of the book never felt dull or slow. Something always happened to either Adelaide or the people of Big Sandy, but it wasn't overdone in any way. Overall, the writing style was great for the tone of the book.
My only complaint was that some of the characters and plot points felt like they had so much more potential to be fleshed out (like Grace and her husband) but, it is what it is.
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I liked this. I do understand why people said it’s kind of all over the place, but I think it ties itself up nicely. There are definitely parts that are not developed enough imo but I thought the writing was good and I liked the ending. I didn’t expect the twist. Joniece Abbott-Pratt is always a joy to listen to so that helped.