Horror Book of the Week: LONE WOMAN by Victor LaValle

This week’s HORROR BOOK OF THE WEEK is LONE WOMAN By Victor LaValle.

The book was published in March 2023 and is on the Bestsellers list for U.S Horror Fiction, and Historical Fantasy.

The book has been praised for its suspense, and absorbing storytelling with powerful horror sequences and a memorable ending.

Customers who bought this book enjoyed the various layers to the story and surprising twists but weren’t that thrilled about the ending with some going as far as to say it was unrealistic and strange.

Quick Review (based on the sample)

When we first meet the protagonist, Adelaide, she is setting fire to the house and her parents' corpses. Before dousing her mother’s body, she even asks her if the secrets she kept did them any good?

The scene alone draws you immediately into the story. You will have questions but since the novel has only begun, clearly the answers will be revealed only towards the end.

Adelaide, then makes a journey away from home and it can seem a bit slow-paced simply because you want to know why did she have to burn down her house. And just what is in that trunk that she must repeatedly use her hands to soothe?

The writing is truly absorbing and you will find yourself pulled into an era where things are just a bit different where gender and race is concerned.

The Plot (Taken from Amazon.com)

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.

LONE WOMAN is available in the following formats: Kindle, Audiobook, and Hardcover.

You can buy the book here

Look Away— my take on the movie with spoilers!

Plot Summary: A bullied girl switches places with her reflection. She soon regrets her decision as people start dying. What matters most? Looks or confidence? When we see someone for the first time, we do notice their looks, the way they dress. Personality and their ability to initiate and hold a conversation comes second, doesn't it? Imagine meeting someone who is good looking but is dull to the core. Now imagine someone with average looks but is someone you can have fun with or have an intellectual conversation. Which seems more attractive? Look Away takes a very bold stand where appearances are concerned. But also about self-confidence. In the end, the only argument it makes is that one cannot possess both attributes. LOOK AWAY Movie Plot We are introduced to a timid girl, Maria whose father is a plastic surgeon. Her mother is shown to have no say of her own. She is left to watch her husband ridicule his daughter about not being careful with her looks. Maria has a friend Lily

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