This was an interesting story. I liked the audio of the story and also had the book to follow along. It had a lot more language than I'm used to, but overall, I liked it.

I really enjoyed Sing Her Down. Two women are released early from incarceration due to the pandemic. I liked the gritty setting of LA during the pandemic. I loved the multiple points of view, it kept the story moving along. It was thrilling and a good insight into the problems with the criminal justice system.

Dios and Florida are inmates at a women's correctional facility in Arizona. Former cell mates, the two women have a dark history that makes Florida want to avoid Dios as much as possible. When they are both given early release during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dios tracks Florida to the streets of Los Angeles, obsessed with making Florida own up to the darkness inside her.

Gritty and immersive, Sing Her Down is a feminist Western that hums with atmosphere and an almost overwhelming sense of disquiet. Ivy Pochoda's prose is steeped in the noir tradition, darkly observant and richly detailed. The setting of this novel -- the desolate streets of pandemic-era Los Angeles, businesses shuttered and streets littered with disposable masks; the urban warrens occupied by the undomiciled -- is so vivid and adds a surreal element that works well as a backdrop for the violence of the narrative.

The story is told from four perspectives: Florida's and (briefly) Dios's, as well as another inmate named Kase and Detective Lobos, who is pursuing Florida and Dios. Through these four complex, compelling characters, Ivy Pochoda explores how women respond to -- and how they instigate -- violent situations, and it's gripping and fascinating. I do wonder, though, how different this book would have been if more narrative space was given to Dios. She's by far the most intriguing character, and without more context for her behavior, it was sometimes difficult to understand the reasoning behind her actions.

Touching on larger themes such as the effect of the pandemic on marginalized populations and the failings of the criminal justice system, Pochoda weaves an intimate, sinuous portrait of a dangerous cat-and-mouse game between two deeply flawed, desperate women that gripped me from the beginning and didn't let go until its devastating, inevitable conclusion. The audio version is well-read by a full cast, which made this an even more immersive reading experience. The narrators' haunting interpretations brought Pochoda's prose fully to life. Thank you to MCD x FSG Originals, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the advance reading opportunity.

Wow. This was so much better than I thought it was going to be! I’ll be honest the cover lacked for me but the book was phenomenal. Highly recommend.

Diana Diosmary “Dios” Sandoval and Florence “Florida” Baum are inmates in a women’s correctional facility in Arizona. As the pandemic rages on, both of their sentences are commuted and they are released on parole. Florida and Dios have a history – something that ties them to a violent event in the prison and Dios has knowledge of secrets about Florida’s arrest and her actual role in the crime that landed her in prison – secrets that Florida is desperate to protect. Dios holds this knowledge over Florida’s head and is fixated on proving that Florida, who comes from an affluent background and hopes to leave her time in prison behind her, is no less a violent criminal than Dios believes she is. After they are released from prison, Dios stalks Florida, refusing to back down as Florida struggles to gain control of her life.

Sing Her Down by Ivy Pochoda is a dark, gritty and immersive novel that I could not put down. I finished it in a single day! The narrative is shared from the perspectives of four women – Dios, Florida and Kase, another prisoner who was incarcerated with Dios and Florida, who shares her unique perspectives on the psyche of women whose lives are plagued by crime and violence. We also meet Detective Lobos, surrounded by violence in her work life and dealing with her troubled marriage,who crosses paths with Dios and Florida and tries to gain some insight into these two women while pursuing them. Through flashbacks, we get to know more about Dios and Florida, their backstories and the events that led to their incarceration. The characterizations are superb and the author does a superb job of giving us a glimpse into the innermost thoughts of these characters all of whom are plagued by their own demons. The setting of the story changes from Arizona to Los Angeles and the author describes each of these settings with vivid imagery that only adds to the atmosphere of the novel.

With its exceptional writing, consistent pacing, complex characters and gripping narrative, this novel reeled me in from the very first page. This is a thought-provoking story and these women and their stories will stay with me.This is my first Ivy Pochoda novel and it surely won’t be my last!

However, I should point out that this is not a light or easy read. There are disturbing scenes of prison violence and the story does venture into dark territory.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the digital review copy of this novel, I was fortunate to also receive the ALC of this novel from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio which made for an exceptional immersion reading experience. The phenomenal full-cast audio narration by Frankie Corzo, Kimberly M. Wetherell, Sophie Amoss, and Victoria Villarreal made these characters and the story come alive. I would definitely recommend both the book and /or the audiobook.

This novel is due to be released on May 23, 2023.

I love a book with complex and angry women. This gritty Western follows two inmates granted reprieve from the women's correctional facility they're held as the pandemic shuts many things down. Out on parole, one woman follows the other, resulting in a violent crime they must flee from. The detective trying to find them has her own history, and is determined to prove to her partner that women are just as capable of violence. Truthfully, I don't often enjoy when a central character of a story is of the police force, but I think the detective added a lot of interest insight to this read. I was also interested in how the pandemic played a role in this story. Overall, it made for a dark and fascinating read.

Thank you Netgalley for providing a digital ARC.

Thank you so much to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review!

When I saw this was described as a Western, I wasn't expecting to want to listen to it, but if all Westerns are like this, then count me in! I've been very into feminist thrillers lately and this is no exception. Two inmates released early due to the pandemic leads to a cat-and-mouse game between the two and a detective on the hunt for them both. But every woman has anger. Every woman has fear. Every woman has violence. Every woman has rage. The only difference is how we choose to manage them, and I thought the perspectives in this story showed that well.

Overall, I did enjoy this book. However, I find some books, based on the plot and multiple POVs, can be better if read vs, listened to, and I think this is one of them. While the narration was spectacular, Sophie Amoss especially, I think I got a little lost throughout the book and having pages to flip back to and reread may have been able to offer me a bit more clarity.

3 stars!

Tell me, please tell me that these were all same woman. There were no Florida, no Dios, no Lobos. They were just same woman making different choices in life but somehow ended up walking into each other’s universe. They were all singing the same song but different paces.

I loved the desperation and hopelessness oozing from every sentence of this story. Of course it was because they were all women; there was no easy way out, no excuse, no alleviating factors. Justice only worked, not to mention against them, when it failed them million times before they made their own.

While it was described as feminist western, it didn’t have cheesy feminist messages. I hate when books water down the message instead of enhancing it, and this book is definitely not one them. I appreciated how well thought it was. Give it a try!

Ivy Pochoda does not disappoint. This visceral, violent story of two female prisoners and the hard scrabble world of the un-housed takes place at the beginning of the pandemic and gives the readers insight into life on the streets and in the darkness of Los Angeles and also into the rough and tumble prison system.

The characters of Florida and Dios are compelling and fascinating and I could not put this book down.
Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the arc in exchange for my review.
This story stays with you for a long time. I highly recommend.

Unfortunately this one wasn’t for me. I will definitely compliment the author on how well written the story was. I guess the plot just wasn’t for me and I didn’t quite understand these characters. I don’t understand Dios obsession with Florida. I don’t understand why Florida allows herself to fall victim to her and I don’t understand why Florida doesn’t just walk away at the end. I would love to read more from the author. The writing intrigued me enough to keep me interested in finishing this long drawn out story even though I wasn’t crazy about the plot.

MacMillan audiobook, thank you for Sing Her Down. I specifically requested this because I have admired Pochoda's writing in the past and was excited to hear her writing brought to life. I was not let down; the narration from Frankie Corzo, Kimberly M. Wetherell, Sophie Amoss, and Victoria Villarreal is fantastic, reminding me that multiple narrators can really add a richness to a well produced audiobook.

This is an ode to westerns, not a genre I really read but I couldn't walk away from the strong female protagonist focus. I loved the provocative showdown is coming tension, the sense of an epic face to face meeting on the horizon (indeed very much Killing Eve vibes), and how each voice actor had a richness in tone, style, and such a thoughtful execution of narrative, author voice, and the nuance in the writing.

This is a great audiobook option for fans of this author and I recommend it for anyone with a road trip on the horizon or even some spring cleaning to tackle, the story will capture you and keep you wanting to know what happens.

Florence "Florida" Baum is not the hapless innocent she claims to be when she arrives at the Arizona women's prison—or so her ex-cellmate, Diosmary Sandoval, keeps insinuating.

Dios knows the truth about Florida's crimes, understands the truth that Florence hides even from herself: that she wasn't a victim of circumstance, an unlucky bystander misled by a bad man. Dios knows that darkness lives in women too, despite the world's refusal to see it. And she is determined to open Florida's eyes and unleash her true self.

When an unexpected reprieve gives both women their freedom, Dios's fixation on Florida turns into a dangerous obsession, and a deadly cat-and-mouse chase ensues from Arizona to the desolate streets of Los Angeles.

With blistering, incisive prose, the award-winning author Ivy Pochoda delivers a razor-sharp Western. Gripping and immersive, Sing Her Down is a spellbinding thriller setting two indelible women on a path to certain destruction and an epic, stunning showdown.

While this was described as a mix of Killing Eve and No Country for Old Men, I did not expect or enjoy the extreme levels of violence and gore. This was not a good fit for me and others should read with caution.

Oufff, this was a tough read. It started dramatically with an excessive amount of swearing. It didn’t really work well as an audiobook because the narrators sounded way too similar. The characters started to blend together until you started to forget who’s who.

I was able to get through it until about 84%, at which point I completely lost interest and just listened to the last 16% for the sake of finishing it.

This book would likely be a 4 star in its physical form rather than the audiobook. It has promise, but as an audiobook, it wasn't for me..

TWs: Violence, death, abuse, stalking, excessive cursing/swearing, etc.

(I received this audiobook ALC via NetGalley in return for an honest review. Thank you.)

Wooo, did I love this gritty and feminist thriller! 4.5 stars!
This was mainly a character driven novel. Part 1 centering around female prisoners Florida (Florence Baum) and Dios (Diosmary Sandoval) and their toxic relationship with each other and themselves. Dios is determined to believe that Florida is just like her. When they both receive early release from prison things go from bad to worse. In part 2 we're introduced to Detective Lobos, who has issues of her own.
I loved listening to the journey of all these women and their relationships with violence. I literally did not want to stop - I think I listened to the whole audiobook in a little over 24 hours. All 4 narrators did a fantastic job. Every character was different enough that I was never confused about whose POV I was listening to.
I found the storyline to be unique, atmospheric and I loved the theme of psychology around violence - what drives women specifically to become violent? That they leaves them with no other choice BUT violence? Or is it simply because they can?
Regardless of ethics - these women were all bad*ss!

I just could not get interested in this. The characters were not interesting or at all sympathetic to me. There seemed to be a lot of repetition and very little plot movement. I could not finish.

“What a wild, strange trip it’s been.” That was my main takeaway of this book. It’s a great story, one of my favorites of the year.
The comparison to No Country for Old Men is apt. This is a dark, gritty, violent tale of two female prisoners who are released from prison early due to Covid. Florida and Dios already have an antagonist relationship while in prison. So Florida is thrilled when she gets released early. But turns out, she’s not the only one released. And she just can’t escape Dios. Dios is obsessed with Florida. She believes she knows Florida’s true violent nature and wants Florida to own up to it. And as much as Florida doesn’t want to admit to it, she’s definitely got a dark side.
The story is told from multiple POVs, all female. In addition to Florida, we hear from Lobos, a detective who is investigating a murder. And like a Greek chorus, there is an inmate still in prison, who hears the ghosts of prior inmates and their victims. As the book goes on, their backstories are revealed. These are women looking to be acknowledged, empowered. They look backward wondering where things went wrong and forward wondering if there’s any way to make things right.
This is the first book I’ve read written about Covid that takes you to the streets. At one point, LA was described as a “modern day Pompei”. This isn’t a middle class Covid experience. It’s about the homeless, the lost, the forgotten. The setting is almost a character in its own right.
The writing is truly something special. For such a dark story, the writing is like poetry.
I listened to this and the narrators made this a great experience.
My thanks to netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of this audiobook.

We know from the beginning of this stony thriller that it ends with two ex cell mates facing off on a desolate road in Los Angeles and the scene will be captured by a mural painted there. The story then unfolds to tell us how they got to this point. Both were paroled early due to the pandemic and one is obsessed with exposing the truth about the other’s crimes. Lobos is the cop looking for them both and I thought her character and backstory were superbly written. The glimpse into how those impoverished and incarcerated fared during a pandemic was poignant.

I devoured Ivy Pochoda’s previous novel, These Women. She brings that same gravely realness to this new novel with a cat and mouse chase that is so well done. There is a haunting, poetic and disturbing suspense this author is an expert at and it’s on full display here. This felt like a modern day and feminist take on the showdown at the O.K. Corral. The four narrators on the audio version are excellent. Thank you to @ladymissivy @netgalley @macmillan.audio for an early audio copy of Sing Her Down.

“Women can’t be violent because that will justify violence against them. Women need other women to remain mild, docile, nurturing in order to save themselves from the wrath of men.”

I loved this one so much and am so thankful to MCD, Macmillan Audio, NetGalley, and Ivy Pochoda. Sing Her Down tells a tale through multiple narratives of broken and beaten women running from their demons and battling to survive. We hear from Florence or “Florida,” who, upon her probationary release from prison, is running from the trials that plagued her while locked up, and then Diosmary Sandoval, who has murdered for her, as some lustrous pledge of loyalty, letting Florida know that she can’t run from who she is.

On the flip side of the equation, we have Detective Lobos on their tails, running down after fleeing the crimes they’ve committed while also battling her own domestic horrors. Sing Her Down is symbolically beautiful, spreading insight into the injustices of being a woman downed by the system and plagued by homelessness. This Western gothic thriller is captivating and heartbreaking and all of the above, landing it high on my favorites list for the year.

Sing Her Down is set to hit shelves on May 23, 2023, and I’m so excited to create some anticipatory hype for this bitter treat.

3.75 stars

Readers who are scratching their heads over the "No Country for Old Men meets Killing Eve," not to mention the idea that this is a women centered Western taking place in (mostly) modern day Los Angeles, will still be getting into some deep thinking when they complete this read, but that's for good reasons.

In the first minute of the novel (note that I listened to and highly recommend the audiobook - the narration is top notch), a character warns, "You won't *believe* what women can do," and that sentiment sets the scene for what is not only a story about what three specific women do but also what women in general can do - for good and for bad - and how women are constantly underestimated. Two of the three primary women characters participate in a near obsessive observation (for good reasons, in one case) of what the third woman does, and at times, readers wonder about the outcomes of this fascination. What we do not need to wonder about is whether the morbid curiosity is related to the observed character's sex; it is.

Pochoda - as best demonstrated in _These Women_ - expertly writes often shunned women characters who are overlooked and/or looked down upon by dominant groups, and the grittiness in both that novel and this recent effort is bound to result in some readers' discomfort. But that challenge to expectations will also be what other readers find most rewarding about this read. On a related note, Pochoda writes aspects of Los Angeles with haunting clarity. Readers who enjoy a novel set in this space (and especially those who are also lifelong or long-time locals) will also grasp the value of the city as a character of its own. Where else can dreams get made, go to die, and then live on in moving murals?

This is a more complicated read than Pochoda's earlier novels, but rather than being relieved to have finished it, I immediately started a second listen after the first round. I expect this one will be a bit polarizing for several reasons, but I enjoyed it, remain a fan of Pochoda's, and will recommend it mindfully.