Lone Women: A Novel (Unabridged)
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- $14.99
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • 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 an “absorbing, powerful” (BuzzFeed) new vision of the American West, from the award-winning author of The Changeling.
“Propulsive . . . LaValle combines chills with deep insights into our country’s divides.”—Los Angeles Times
ONE OF BOOKPAGE'S TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR • FINALIST FOR THE LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK PRIZE
A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, Time, NPR, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, Esquire, Vulture, Paste, Tordotcom, Book Riot, Polygon, Chicago Public Library, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal
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.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
A family curse makes a Black woman’s burden even heavier in this gritty historical novel set in 1914 Montana. After leaving her old life behind, Adelaide settles near the small town of Big Sandy, hoping to live off the land. But there’s a mysterious danger locked in her steamer trunk—and that’s on top of the threats posed by her bigoted new neighbors. Victor LaValle combines elements of the Western genre with supernatural horror for an absolutely captivating listen. His writing makes every moment feel cinematic, with Adelaide struggling for survival against the unforgiving elements, a mostly white town full of aggressive teetotalers, and an eerie, unnamed threat. Narrator Joniece Abbott-Pratt truly captures the complexities of the story’s sandblasted characters, underlining how this period thriller is full of horror and heart.
Customer Reviews
Just OK
LaValle creates a rich world that draws you in. But the plot drags until near the end. It also feels like it’s written directly for a TV producer. Just enough explanation to inspire them to pay for a TV series that they can make their own.
Great premise, sloppy disappointing end
Lavalle had minor issues with anachronistic language use in early chapter, but otherwise delivers an incredible story until the second half of the third act. His use of marginalized identities (Latinx, trans) smacks of tokenism and brings nothing to the plot or characters. While our protagonist’s secret is deliciously strung through the majority of the book, there is never a satisfying reveal and it feels like Lavalle can’t quite decide upon its true nature or origin, especially when we find out it’s not unique in the world. Wrapped up with unearned happy endings for not just the primary and secondary characters but all “lone women,” I regret investing my time in this book despite its strong start.
A Great Read!
It's 1915. Adelaide Henry is slowly making her way to Montana to take advantage of the government's homesteading program, offering a plot of wild land to those with the resolve to tame it. Adelaide carries one piece of luggage: an enormous, mysterious steamer trunk with a massive lock. The box holds a secret. Adelaide Henry is a lone woman with secrets.
Lone Women by Victor LaValle is a creepy, genre-bending piece of historical horror fiction with a strong, interesting female lead and a gripping story of secrets kept in the untamed farmland of early America.
Lone Women was a treadmill read. I walk on the treadmill for an hour a day, five days a week, all the while listening to a book to keep my mind busy. I pick books to keep me coming back, to help with exercise motivation. Lone Women did not disappoint! With an engaging central mystery and a mix of action, horror, and historical fiction, I was compelled to return! The presentation was excellent! Joniece Abbott-Pratt was a fantastic narrator, and I had no trouble following the story.
That's all you need to know! If this book sounds interesting, stop there and check it out! Don't spoil the mystery. This is a strong recommend!