Lone Women by Victor LaValle

Blue skies, empty land—and enough room to hide away a horrifying secret. Or is there? Discover a haunting new vision of the American West from the award-winning author of The Changeling. "If the literary gods mixed together Haruki Murakami and Ralph Ellison, the result would be Victor LaValle."—Anthony Doerr, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of All the Light We Cannot See Adelaide Henry carries an enormous steamer trunk with her wherever she goes. It’s locked at all times. Because when the trunk is opened, people around her start to disappear... The year is 1915, and Adelaide is in trouble. Her secret sin killed her parents, and forced her to flee her hometown of Redondo, California, in a hellfire rush, ready to make her way to Montana as a homesteader. Dragging the trunk with her at every stop, she will be one of the "lone women" taking advantage of the government's offer of free land for those who can cultivate it—except that Adelaide isn't alone. And the secret she's tried so desperately to lock away might be the only thing keeping her alive. Told in Victor LaValle's signature style, blending historical fiction, shimmering prose, and inventive horror, Lone Women is the gripping story of a woman desperate to bury her past—and a portrait of early twentieth-century America like you've never seen.

The ending of this book was perfect! The lead up to the ending was tense and I could not have predicted that ending. I like the way hints to the answer of the trunk were sprinkled throughout the book. There were also parts where the pacing was a little slower than I would like. Then a hint would come along and I drawn in all over again. This is a compulsively readable book that will keep you guessing.

Weird Western with a decent plot and a few exciting moments.

I'm a big fan of this author and was really looking forward to this novel. There's a lot of action and at first I was compelled by the mysterious supernatural element. In order for those things to work for me, I need to enjoy the characters. It can be a sense of humor, quirkiness, vulnerability— just something that makes them entertaining and believable, more than just pieces of the plot. Usually, LaValle really delivers with this element.

I got absolutely no spark out of anyone in Lone Women.

The concept revolves around the idea of strong women fighting the odds and potential oppressors to make a life for themselves. I want more than “strong and independent.” Admirable doesn't have to mean dull and beyond reproach; this is a cautious and conservative way to go. The best character arc belongs to Joab Mudge, a thirteen-year-old boy who goes from one bad parental influence to another. Unlike the women, Joab is allowed to have rough edges and make terrible mistakes.

The major plot revolves around Adelaide Henry and the mysterious contents of the trunk she brings with her from California to Montana. This is the weird or supernatural element. It could have been a bit weirder for my taste. The big reveal, that the creature is Adelaide's twin sister, is something you can easily see coming. Feels like it's been done. The way to make it interesting would be to give Elizabeth an unexpected personality or take an action that forces a conflict with Adelaide. Instead, she's a plot device that thinks in verse..

There are several subplots in Lone Women which come together quite nicely with the above and are more interesting. It's a fast-moving story and doesn't hesitate in getting to the point. I was involved enough to keep reading it for the little time it took. Maybe the cost of this economy is underdeveloped characters?

Wish it was a novella. Felt like there were too many characters with whom I could not connect with. The writing and the horror aspect was great though. Would recommend and try another book from this author.