Lone Women

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?