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A review by jenbsbooks
Lone Women by Victor LaValle
3.25
I'd picked up a physical copy of this from a library book sale. It was also available to borrow from the library in audio and Kindle. I went primarily with the audio. What pushed this to the top of my TBR was that it fulfilled the "Essential Reader" achievement in the Jan-April Goodreads "Community Favorites" challenge (I've never paid attention to the challenges before, but figured I'd give it a go).
I didn't love it ... it was a bit of a struggle to get into. 3rd person/Past tense ... mostly the POV of Adelaide (a few chapters in italics in print, same narrator but different voice in audio, different POV). Short chapters, 68 of them continuing chronologically through three parts (although I can't recall specific distinctions/divisions for those). No headers or anything. I found my mind wandering a bit as it began and had to pause the audio and give the Kindle copy a quick read to make sure I was on track.
On the one hand, it seems a straightforward historical story, early twentieth-century, homesteading in Montana post-mining boom when people have mostly moved on. Something bad happened at "home" before Adelaide went went. There's SOMETHING in her trunk. There's a crew of "bad guys" and the expected difficulties of settling into a new town in a remote area. Then ... there was the whole horror/weird angle. I didn't really get it. Slight similarity to "When Women Were Dragons" which I finished, but also wasn't a favorite for me. More questions than are answered, but once the story strays from reality ... can you really expect "realistic" situations? SPOILER I just couldn't help but wonder how long the monster/Elizabeth could go without food/movement, being locked in the trunk for days/weeks/months?
I stopped a couple times to note/highlight
*when a child is thinking seriously, you do well to honor their questions
*There are two kinds of people in this world: those who live with shame, and those who die from it. Could there be a third kind of person? One who overcomes the shame?
*Hunger isn't the same as appetite
*(from the Author's interview at the end ...) "Monsters can mean a lot of things" ...
Adelaide is black, and does have some issues with race (and being a woman alone) along the way. There were some lgtbq situations as well.
Overall, I thought the writing was well done, I just didn't fully connect with the characters or the story. I do think I'll remember that I read it. Sometimes with a book, I'll try (or it will just happen) to visualize it, like a movie ... here, I can't tell if it would be am effective horror movie, or if it would just end up one of those over the top, almost silly, even though it's trying to be serious, shake your head "horror" shows if converted to live action.
Some slight irony in the title. Lone (singular), Women (plural) ...
I liked the cover (audiobook cover similar but slightly different).
ProFanity x6. Violence. Some sex (not explicit).
I didn't love it ... it was a bit of a struggle to get into. 3rd person/Past tense ... mostly the POV of Adelaide (a few chapters in italics in print, same narrator but different voice in audio, different POV). Short chapters, 68 of them continuing chronologically through three parts (although I can't recall specific distinctions/divisions for those). No headers or anything. I found my mind wandering a bit as it began and had to pause the audio and give the Kindle copy a quick read to make sure I was on track.
On the one hand, it seems a straightforward historical story, early twentieth-century, homesteading in Montana post-mining boom when people have mostly moved on. Something bad happened at "home" before Adelaide went went. There's SOMETHING in her trunk. There's a crew of "bad guys" and the expected difficulties of settling into a new town in a remote area. Then ... there was the whole horror/weird angle. I didn't really get it. Slight similarity to "When Women Were Dragons" which I finished, but also wasn't a favorite for me. More questions than are answered, but once the story strays from reality ... can you really expect "realistic" situations? SPOILER
I stopped a couple times to note/highlight
*when a child is thinking seriously, you do well to honor their questions
*There are two kinds of people in this world: those who live with shame, and those who die from it. Could there be a third kind of person? One who overcomes the shame?
*Hunger isn't the same as appetite
*(from the Author's interview at the end ...) "Monsters can mean a lot of things" ...
Adelaide is black, and does have some issues with race (and being a woman alone) along the way. There were some lgtbq situations as well.
Overall, I thought the writing was well done, I just didn't fully connect with the characters or the story. I do think I'll remember that I read it. Sometimes with a book, I'll try (or it will just happen) to visualize it, like a movie ... here, I can't tell if it would be am effective horror movie, or if it would just end up one of those over the top, almost silly, even though it's trying to be serious, shake your head "horror" shows if converted to live action.
Some slight irony in the title. Lone (singular), Women (plural) ...
I liked the cover (audiobook cover similar but slightly different).
ProFanity x6. Violence. Some sex (not explicit).