Lone Women by Victor LaValle

Adelaide Henry is just one of the women staking a claim in Montana. She's used to hard labor—her family was one of the Black farming families in Lucerne Valley. But Adelaide couldn't stay there. 

Unfortunately for Adelaide, all of the usual hardships of being a lone woman are hers to bear. And being a Black woman doesn't help. But Adelaide has another challenge many have never faced: a curse that's been her family's responsibility all her life. And now it's Adelaide's responsibility. 

Victor LaValle is one of my absolute must-read authors. In fact, whenever he has a project of pretty much any time, I add it to my must read/must watch list. It's been the case ever since The Ballad of Black Tom. And I have a bit of a habit of taking his books on vacation too. 

Which is exactly what I did with Lone Women! 

I snagged an early copy and brought this to, of all places, Great Wolf Lodge. It was a two night trip and, if you've ever been, we splurged for the room with the kids' alcove complete with bunk beds and a TV. I honestly think that was my kid's favorite part of the whole trip: climbing up and down the bunk bed ladder and having complete (almost complete) control over a TV he could watch IN BED. (Don't we all kind of like that part of hotels?)

The lodge theme seemed like a perfect setting for me to dive into this one and I was not going to miss my opportunity!

Sidebar: I had the chance to meet LaValle less than a month after I read the book. When I told him I took it to a "lodge-themed family resort" he knew exactly what I was talking about—because he and his family went to one for a week! 

Anyway, back to the book. 

Frist, I had absolutely no knowledge whatsoever about homesteading in Montana. I didn't know who was eligible, I didn't know women doing it on their own was common, and I had no idea what it entailed. 

Through Adelaide's eyes, we see what it's like to be one of the lone women. We see what she and the women around her have to endure. 

And then, of course, we also get the extras that come with a LaValle read: that eerie supernatural element that makes homesteading even more horrific than the reality of it already was! 

I loved this latest from LaValle! He's expertly blended fascinating history with a story that is about so much more than survival!

Order a copy from Bookshop.org!