PamG's Reviews > Lone Women
Lone Women
by
by
PamG's review
bookshelves: horror, mystery-thriller-suspense, netgalley-2023, read-2023
Mar 16, 2023
bookshelves: horror, mystery-thriller-suspense, netgalley-2023, read-2023
Lone Women
by Victor LaValle is a standalone novel mainly set in and near Big Sandy, Montana. The author has managed to combine horror, mystery, suspense, historical fiction, and the supernatural in a western set in 1914-1915. Featuring thirty-one-year-old Adelaide Henry, the novel also sheds light on the little-known historical fact that single, widowed, divorced, or deserted women who where at least 21 could become homesteaders and through “proving” their claim, own their own land.
Adelaide flees her home town of Redondo, California with only one bag and a very heavy and locked steamer trunk. Arriving in Montana, she starts making improvements on her land and keeping her terrible secret. Distant neighbors call, but Adelaide isn’t alone. What is her hidden secret?
Adelaide is full of grief, worry, and uncertainty, but she also experiences anticipation and excitement. Will she truly be free for the first time in her life? I still don’t understand why she left her home with as little as she did. How did she think she would survive? Perhaps it was the shock of the events in California.
What a shocking first paragraph! It immediately pulled me into the story. The writing is vivid and atmospheric. Readers slowly learn Adelaide’s secret and experience the west with its good and bad. Neighbors tended to help neighbors in time of need. However, there is also racism and vigilantism. Diverse characters, secrets, death, loneliness, difficult socioeconomic conditions, theft, curiosity, vengeance, rage, freedom, the supernatural, and retribution are also weaved into the storyline. My main quibble is the uneven pacing.
I always expect to learn something new from a historical fiction novel, and this one delivered. Information about the lone women homesteaders wasn’t something that was taught in any of my classes, making this novel a good fit to read during women’s history month.
Overall, this was a compelling, shocking, unique, and dark story that also had some uplifting moments. I’m looking forward to reading more books by this author.
Random House Publishing Group - Random House, One World and Victor LaValle provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for March 28, 2023.
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My 4.05 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
Adelaide flees her home town of Redondo, California with only one bag and a very heavy and locked steamer trunk. Arriving in Montana, she starts making improvements on her land and keeping her terrible secret. Distant neighbors call, but Adelaide isn’t alone. What is her hidden secret?
Adelaide is full of grief, worry, and uncertainty, but she also experiences anticipation and excitement. Will she truly be free for the first time in her life? I still don’t understand why she left her home with as little as she did. How did she think she would survive? Perhaps it was the shock of the events in California.
What a shocking first paragraph! It immediately pulled me into the story. The writing is vivid and atmospheric. Readers slowly learn Adelaide’s secret and experience the west with its good and bad. Neighbors tended to help neighbors in time of need. However, there is also racism and vigilantism. Diverse characters, secrets, death, loneliness, difficult socioeconomic conditions, theft, curiosity, vengeance, rage, freedom, the supernatural, and retribution are also weaved into the storyline. My main quibble is the uneven pacing.
I always expect to learn something new from a historical fiction novel, and this one delivered. Information about the lone women homesteaders wasn’t something that was taught in any of my classes, making this novel a good fit to read during women’s history month.
Overall, this was a compelling, shocking, unique, and dark story that also had some uplifting moments. I’m looking forward to reading more books by this author.
Random House Publishing Group - Random House, One World and Victor LaValle provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for March 28, 2023.
-----------------------------------------
My 4.05 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
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Reading Progress
September 29, 2022
– Shelved
September 29, 2022
– Shelved as:
to-read
March 15, 2023
–
Started Reading
March 16, 2023
– Shelved as:
horror
March 16, 2023
– Shelved as:
mystery-thriller-suspense
March 16, 2023
– Shelved as:
netgalley-2023
March 16, 2023
– Shelved as:
read-2023
March 16, 2023
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-21 of 21 (21 new)
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by
Sandra
(new)
Mar 18, 2023 11:20AM
Great review, Pam!
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Erin wrote: "Excellent review, Pam! I enjoyed this one as well."
Thanks, Erie! It was something different. I'm so glad I accepted the widget for this one.
Thanks, Erie! It was something different. I'm so glad I accepted the widget for this one.
ReadAlongWithSue wrote: "I’ve been looking at this one. Thank you for the insightful review Erin 🌸"
Thanks, Sue! Happy Reading!
Thanks, Sue! Happy Reading!
Carol wrote: "Fantastic review, Pam🌺!! This sounds sooo good!!"
Thanks Carol. I hope you are as fascinated by it as I was.
Thanks Carol. I hope you are as fascinated by it as I was.
Great review, Pam, and thanks for not spoiling anything! I am just beginning this one, and yes, that opening paragraph grabbed me, too.
Donna wrote: "Great review, Pam, and thanks for not spoiling anything! I am just beginning this one, and yes, that opening paragraph grabbed me, too."
Thanks, Donna. I try to always avoid spoilers in my reviews. Happy Reading. I'll be interested to see what you think of it when you've finished it.
Thanks, Donna. I try to always avoid spoilers in my reviews. Happy Reading. I'll be interested to see what you think of it when you've finished it.
PattyMacDotComma wrote: "What an interesting mix this sounds like, Pam. Good review!"
Thanks, Patty. I didn't know what to expect going into it, but I'm happy I accepted the widget.
Thanks, Patty. I didn't know what to expect going into it, but I'm happy I accepted the widget.
Judy wrote: "Great Review Pam . I wasn’t sure but now I am . Just bought it !! Thanks"
Thanks, Judy! I can't wait to see what you think of it. Happy Reading!
Thanks, Judy! I can't wait to see what you think of it. Happy Reading!
Great review, Pam!!! While historical fiction isn't my go to genre, I do enjoy a really well written one every now and then, especially about early America.
Donne wrote: "Great review, Pam!!! While historical fiction isn't my go to genre, I do enjoy a really well written one every now and then, especially about early America."
Thanks, Donne! I hope you enjoy it. Happy Reading!
Thanks, Donne! I hope you enjoy it. Happy Reading!
Is this book a horror book mystery, I’m interested in historical fiction and enjoy more when mystery involved but not horror