A review by ruthlessreads
Lone Women by Victor LaValle

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-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

5.0

I didn't read a summary of this book beforehand because I love LaValle & decided to trust the process. As always, LaValle didn't let me down. Right off the bat, I loved the prairie gothic vibes of the book and the multiple classic lit references--you know I'm a sucker for a metaliterary experience. The initial mystery of Adelaide's chest reminded me a lot of the Magnus Archives so, with all these things going for it, I was completely hooked on Lone Women from the beginning.

By the end of the book, I was grinning & saying, "wow" to myself over & over. LaValle delivers a masterful example of writing fantasy/horror that includes contemporary morals without beating it's readers over the head with what the author feels is The Point™️. Of course, his wonderful writing style is a huge contributor to the ease with which he's able to do this. LaValle is succinct but descriptive and his characterizations make even the most background characters feel real, like someone you don't know personally but have heard rumors about and seen around town.  LaValle brings an incredible cast of powerful female characters together in a windswept and severe landscape to confront the horrors of the early American West, "polite" society, and the weight of family secrets to find a new kind of family, understanding, and way of survival.

Overall, it was fast paced, thoughtful, adventurous, scary af, and thoroughly captivating. Lone Women is a deftly crafted historical horror -- I wish I'd read it much sooner. 
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