You can purchase Lone Women by Victor LaValle on Amazon through my affiliate link at the bottom of this post!
I don’t normally jump for horror novels (see what I did there) but with the fall mornings starting up, it felt appropriate. My first take was “old western” which isn’t an aesthetic I find pleasing, additionally, I don’t love when men write female protagonists (and vice versa). However, this novel beyond exceeded anything I could have ever imagined and I genuinely hope and pray that Hollywood makes this into a movie ASAP. When reading up on some background of the novel, I stumbled across a short YouTube video of Victor LaValle discussing the rich, women-empowering history of Montana in the early 1900’s. I recommend watching this video before reading the book because it adds to the depth of the novel. All things considered, lets get into a bit about it.
A Bit About:
In the early 1900’s women had little options or rights, and women of color had even less. However, a newspaper article gives the young Adelaide a chance when she discovers she can own and homestead her own land in remote Montana. Her parents freshly murdered, and her California home burnt to a crisp, the fugitive to be was more then tempted by remote and if not now, then never. But there’s a catch, a secret locked away in her trunk that she cannot abandon to the fire. A secret, so destructive, that she must keep with her despite her desires to travel light, despite knowing it’s the very thing that cost her parents their lives. Will she ever be free of it? Or is she destined to live a life that mirrors her past she so desperately wants to escape.
Some Notes:
I couldn’t put it down. Horror isn’t my favorite, but this novel worked through it’s strong female characters, it’s sense of mystery and it’s historical accuracy. I found Victor LaValle’s portrayal of a female characters to be authentic, it didn’t feel forced. If I didn’t know for sure that the author was male I wouldn’t have believed it. The thought and research he put into this novel just makes it rich like a deep chocolate cake, *chefs kiss*. The sense of mystery keeps you wondering, the mood keeps you on your toes and I didn’t predict one thing accurately. I would 100% re-read it. Have you read this one? Comment below! If not, you can purchase here through my affiliate link on Amazon!