It’s been almost six years since Victor LaValle’s last novel, so it can be said that I went into Lone Women with high expectations. This is the man who gave us Big Machine, The Ballad of Black Tom, and The Changeling, to say nothing of his other works, and I’ve missed his prose. And Lone Women starts solidly enough, with a Black woman making her way across the west in the early 20th century to make a new start in life, leaving behind her a burned down house and a very dead family, and taking with her only a surprisingly heavy trunk. And as she gets to her new settlement, she starts finding her place in the community, with LaValle creating a solid cast of largely female characters, each of whom have very distinct goals, dreams, ideas, and feelings about this society that she’s in. That’s all promising fare, and once LaValle reveals what’s going on with the trunk, there’s a whole lot that comes exploding out. But disappointingly, Lone Women collapses quite a bit in its second half and especially in its final act, as the book rushes through a slew of developments so quickly that I couldn’t help but feel like the book was missing a hundred or more pages of plot and characterization that I wasn’t getting. One character rapidly makes a villain turn; another finds redemption entirely off-screen (so to speak); others have revelations tossed out and discarded quickly without much followup. It’s all a bit bewildering and disappointing, especially with LaValle setting up so many promising threads, ideas, and characters in the first half, only to rush through the ending so fast that I just have to wonder if publishers did some overly zealous editing - what else could have happened here? LaValle is too good of a writer to write a bad book, and Lone Women is never truly bad - it’s richly detailed, has some great characters, and has ideas and some setpieces that absolutely work. But none of it holds together by the end, and it left me pretty disappointed by a book I was quite excited for. Rating: *** ½

Super compelling historical fiction tale set in early 20th century Montana with a hint of paranormal. See my GoodReads review here https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5375615881

A horrific historical fiction set in windblown and isolated turn-of-the-century Montana?!

Bring. It. On.

Adelaide Henry has a secret. A big one. In a huge steamer trunk. Our story follows her journey to become one of the "lone women" taking advantage of the government's offer of free land for those who can cultivate it. She drags this massive trunk along the way. It's a burden in more ways than one. We will soon discover how heavy and dangerous her burden will become.

This book is a true cinematic vision. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the story. It's tense, dark, and keeps you on the edge of your seat. A real page turner.

I received a copy of the book from NetGalley in exchange for a review.

I initially thought this book was historical fiction and I was delightfully surprised when it was historical fiction AND horror mixed expertly together . I was totally intrigued with Adelaide's journey to stake out land in Montana and her mysterious trunk which she guarded so carefully. Loved all the characters---good and bad. Book wrapped up very nicely at the end. Definitely a book that I will reflect back upon.

LaValle creates real characters within a slightly fantastical world and the result is always readable and moving. I particularly liked the subject matter in this novel - a period and place in history that is not familiar, a woman of color creating space for herself in an unwelcoming environment. And some delicious revenge! Excellent.

LONE WOMEN by Victor Lavalle

The opening scene of this book starts off with a bang. Or rather, with the strike of a match.

Thirty-one year old Adelaide Henry has just set fire to her family’s farm in Redondo, CA. Before the home is fully engulfed Adelaide flees with only a travel bag and a large, very heavy, padlocked steamer trunk that she fiercely guards.

Adelaide’s goal is to start over where no one knows who she is or what she has done. Taking advantage of late 1800s Homestead Act she purchases a parcel of land in rural Montana. As one of the “lone women” who have done the same, all Adelaide has to do is cultivate her claim for the next three years and keep the steamer trunk securely locked.

What a wild story this was! The first half kept me intrigued and I didn’t want to stop reading because I wanted to know what the hell was in that trunk!

The people Adelaide meets along the way to Big Sandy, Montana and in the town itself set the dark and creepy tone of the story. The unforgiving and desolate landscape of Montana was a great backdrop/juxtaposition to the diverse and complex secondary characters. Adelaide and the other lone women were both victim and villain in this story, which is what I really liked about it.

Overall, I enjoyed the paranormal, gothic horror spin to a historical fiction. This is the first book I’ve read by Victor Lavalle and I look forward to reading his other titles.

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️

The year is 1914 and Adelaide flees from California to Montana to escape from a tragic incident. She carries a huge steamer trunk with her everywhere she does. When it’s open, bad things happen to people around her.

I enjoyed this overall however, I did find the middle to get extremely slow. I liked Adelaide and seeing how she not only handles her family burden but also how she took care of herself in the harsh climate of Montana. Everything wraps up together nicely in the end which I did like too. There are tons of family secrets and instances of the strength of women’s bond together. This blended historical fiction and horror seamlessly together.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Running from a tragedy at her family's farm, Adelaide Henry and the steamer trunk she never lets far from her sight travel to Montana, where she has heard a woman alone can claim land and "prove up." Though the realities of Montana differ from what she thought she knew, Adelaide begins to settle into her new life, making friends with her neighbors and getting to know the town close to her claim. But when the secret living inside her trunk manages to free itself, Adelaide new life is threatened and she has to decide whether to continue fighting her past or embrace it.

I went into this one knowing not much more than it was written by Victor LaValle and that it was historical fiction with a supernatural element, and that was all I needed to know to know that I would like it. The story is more layered than the synopsis leads you to believe, with multiple potential villains who cross paths with Adelaide and more secrets than just what is inside the trunk. That is also more complex than the reader is initially led to believe, leading to a resolution that is satisfying without being obvious. The secondary characters are painted with as much care as Adelaide and LaValle does an excellent job of putting the reader in early-twentieth century rural Montana. Though some things are not fully explained, the remaining ambiguity works for the tone of the story and doesn't leave the reader unsatisfied. As always, LaValle delivers on an unsettling story that is compassionate and fascinating.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Lone Women early in exchange for an honest review.

A spooky and desolate tale of a woman alone, except for the dark secrets of her past. Atmospheric and moody, with many surprising turns.

When Adelaide Henry left her home for Montana although it appeared she was alone she was not. She was bringing the family curse with her. When getting a wagon train to her lot that was given to her by the government Miss Moore and her four blind boys were with her but after the first night Adelaide woke to see the lock on her trunk was open and Miss Moore and the boys were gone. Adelaide knew it was her Latin wife to 10 to the trunk but she never thought her curse would become a blessing but in doing so would also become a curse for many others and when word gets around in gossip starts all fingers point to Adeline. Will Adelaide be run out of town or is it worse hung? This is the best summary because there is so much more to the story but I don’t want to give too much away because I only read the beginning of summaries so as not to note too many details and like it that way so I hate to give too many in my reviews just know if you love historical fiction with the dance of paranormal then you’ll Love Lone Women by Victor LaValle are usually wait until a week before the release date and read the book but I could not wait with this one and I’m glad I did and it is so good and there’s so many positive social aspects to the book such as women being represented from the place of power they also have LGBTQ aspects in the book it’s just a great book I loved it! I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review

I’m not sure what I was expecting when I started Lone Women, but this story was extraordinary.

At the start of the book we meet Adelaide who is leaving for California from Montana. She has just lit her home on fire with her dead parents inside and she is carrying a steamer trunk with something mysterious and heavy inside.

The first quarter/third of the book is riddled with suspense about what is inside the steamer trunk. Turns out it’s a demon.

As Adelaide “settles” into life in Montana we are introduced to other characters. Some are bad guys and some are other lone women trying to make the best of the harsh Montana homestead life.

Meanwhile the demon has escaped the trunk, surprisingly enough releasing Adelaide of her burden while simultaneously cursing the town.

While the middle of the book kind of drags the end of the book picks up pace as all of the random characters come together for a not very surprising ending. After finishing the book I have a lot more questions than answers, the main one being what did I just read?

This book was not for me.

This books sure was interesting! It is one of those books where it just gives enough away each time to make you want to keep reading and trying to figure out where it is all heading. Inquire enjoyed it and can't wait to see what else this author has to offer.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Random House Publishing Group- One World for an advanced copy of this book about a women, a mysterious trunk and a West that is both real, mythic and infinitely strange.

People go west for a lot of reasons. Land, gold, opportunity, chasing something, or fleeing something. Maybe they just wanted to be alone with their thoughts, with their secrets or with their fears. The west is not just a location, but a state of mind. Of new beginnings, or dealing with what we carry with us, be it on our souls or in a very heavy trunk. Victor LaValle in Lone Women has written novel that combines the ideas from westerns, horror, fantasy, mythic tales, with history and so much more creating something that is one of the most unique and beautiful stories I have read in quite a long time.

Adelaide Henry is leaving her parents home in California, moving to Montana, with a very large piece of luggage, $154 dollars in cash, scratches on her hands and the smell of gasoline in the air. Adelaide has hired a cart for the hours long trip, driven by a very unpleasant man who complains most of the trip about Adelaide's trunk and its weight, the strangeness of her family and how they kept to themselves so much, and how they are the talk of the area. Adelaide only thinks of killing the man twice, but she really has to make her ship, for Montana is offering deals on land to even black people like Adelaide, and she would like to start life anew, with only the box that she carries, a box that tries never to lose sight of.

This is the kind of book that is best not to know anything about. The story unfolds carefully, giving away its plot and secrets slowly and carefully, with some hints, and a lot of fantastic writing. Adelaide Henry is a fascinating character, with depth and mystery, but one who even considering the era of 1914 is sure of herself, her place, and what she will do to keep herself safe. LaValle is a writer with a rare gift, one who can turn a phrase, or write a scene so strong that a reader has to read it again. Or even break it down to see how it worked the way it did. I honestly had few ideas where this story was going. Right from the opening the reader is just sucked in, and just sent on a ride. One of the better books I have read in a while.

For fans of this author of course. LaValle only seems to get better. A writer who can work both in short and long form, with different styles and exceptional ideas. This is a book for a person who wants to get lost, for a time, and come out at the end excited to read more, and exhausted from the journey.

"Blue skies, empty land - and enough wide-open space to hide a horrifying secret. A woman with a past, a mysterious trunk, a town on the edge of nowhere, and a bracing new vision of the American West, from the award-winning author of The Changeling.

Adelaide Henry carries an enormous steamer trunk with her wherever she goes. It's locked at all times. Because when the trunk opens, people around Adelaide start to disappear.

The year is 1915, and Adelaide is in trouble. Her secret sin killed her parents, forcing her to flee California in a hellfire rush and make her way to Montana as a homesteader. Dragging the trunk with her at every stop, she will become one of the "lone women" taking advantage of the government's offer of free land for those who can tame it - except that Adelaide isn't alone. And the secret she's tried so desperately to lock away might be the only thing that will help her survive the harsh territory.

Crafted by a modern master of magical suspense, Lone Women blends shimmering prose, an unforgettable cast of adventurers who find horror and sisterhood in a brutal landscape, and a portrait of early-twentieth-century America like you've never seen. And at its heart is the gripping story of a woman desperate to bury her past - or redeem it."

What's in the trunk Adelaide? WHAT'S IN THE TRUNK!?!

This is a blindingly good novel with an eerie slow pace and phenomenal female characters.

We follow a group of women in this atmospheric novel, but mainly a woman named Adelaide Henry. Along with her trunk she always keeps locked and in sight, she is traveling to Montana where she seeks a plot of land and a fresh start. Inside this mysterious trunk, though, is a secret burden she drags around with her all the time. A deadly secret.

She meets a handful of other women in this town and they ultimately must band together to protect themselves from evil. And I absolutely loved every minute.

This was a quiet but incredibly suspenseful read, with great writing and characters that I felt a strong connection to.

Thank you to the author, One World- Random House Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this page-turner!

Unexpected, that’s the first word that comes to mind when I think of “Lone Women.” It has a plot like something I’ve never encountered, and it hooks you right from the get go – the scene opens on dead bodies and arson. This book is equal parts historical fiction, dark fantasy, suspense and horror.

Adelaide Henry, a Black woman in 1914, has a trunk full of secrets, her “curse”. She leaves her family farm in California after a tragedy to homestead in Montana with the intention of starting over and “proving up” (enjoyed learning all about this, I had no idea!) She comes alone (well, almost alone) with no supplies and zero preparations for the long, cold winter ahead. She meets lots of people along the way; some that have her best interest at heart and some that want to inflict harm. Her chest of secrets haunts her and then, unexpectedly, her curse saves her life. Lots of twists and turns that you didn’t see coming, especially the big one at about 75% through, and this is where you learn why she didn’t leave that damn trunk in California to burn.

I’ll say I wasn’t the biggest fan of the ending. I don’t know what I wanted to happen, but if felt rushed in a way. Everything just fell together too perfectly. Another thing that irked me was the way the characters spoke. It didn’t seem true to the early 1900s, it felt more like modern day conversation.

That aside, great read. This is the kind of book you stay up past your bedtime to finish!

Although horror is not my usual genre, I quite enjoyed this historical/western/horror mash-up. There's nothing too scary or gory in this story of a young Black woman with a family curse she's desperate to keep secret, just an unrelenting sense of unease and danger. The book starts with a bang as Adelaide flees her family home in California with a suspiciously heavy steamer trunk, leaving her parents' brutally murdered bodies behind to burn in the fire she has set. She is headed for Montana to try to earn a plot of land for herself by successfully homesteading. But Adelaide has a secret curse, one that she is bringing with her, and it will affect everyone she comes in contact with. LaValle's writing is very atmospheric and there were some really interesting, strong characters in this book. He effortlessly blends history with the supernatural, and the ending was especially satisfying. Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, and One World for a digital review copy.

I didn’t read much about this book before beginning and boy was that a wild ride. Is it historical? Is it fantasy? Is it horror? It kept me on the edge of my seat and kept moving quickly.

Go in blind and you’ll thank yourself later.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Penguin Random House, for the opportunity to read this novel before it hit shelves. "Lone Women" by Victor LaValle tells the story of Adelaide Henry, an African American woman, who decides to move west (or east in her case) for the Manifest Destiny idea of the American Dream during 1914.

I don't normally read westerns, but this one caught my attention. A story of a woman of color trying to create a homestead in the harsh Montana landscape was a new, fresh take on the traditional western of cowboys and indigenous people. The fact that the synopsis teased a supernatural element really drew me in. Overall, It was an okay novel for me, just mediocre. I enjoyed the glimpse into the little known history of lone women homesteaders, especially the untold stories of women of color. I enjoyed that the author made the story female centric (unlike most novels written about the time.) I also deeply respected that the author touched upon the racism that prevailed in a desolate terrain when community was the only way to survive.

My issues with the novel stem from the length, the pace, and the side stories that felt like filler. The beginning of the novel hooks you in right away, but that intensity slowly fizzles as the story meanders to other lesser character's story which have no bearing on the main plot. I wanted to know more about Adelaide and her day to day struggle to survive physically and emotionally through her ordeal. There was also the introduction of random characters that didn't make sense and didn't add anything to the story- I'm looking at you, Carlota and Francisco. Some of the character development was ridiculous and unrealistic (especially Joab's personality.) The use of some random curse words and anachronistic phrases would jar me out of the story instantly. Ultimately, I found my way slogging through this novel just to get to the end- it was more of a chore than a pleasure to read. I had to give it 3.5 stars.

Lone Women is one of those books that will stay with you for days after you read it. I have to admit, as a regular sci-fi/fantasy/horror reader, both the premise and the author drew me in, but by the end, I wanted more in this world, even if it was just average, run-of-the-mill Montana homesteading stuff!

LaValle builds the backdrop of late 1800s Montana so well that it’s easy to visualize the new life that Adelaide has sought out after leaving her California home if flames.

This story definitely has a horror mystery at its heart, but it’s much more. It’s about finding your place, your community, and the people who understand and are there for you. It’s also a good reminder that the real monsters are the people who do monstrous things, etc., etc. But also, it’s funny in parts, and the characters are so well drawn. I loved this book. Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC.

Easy 4.5 stars, rounding up to 5.