logo

61 pages 2 hours read

Victor Lavalle

Lone Women

Victor LavalleFiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2023

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Themes

The Burden of Keeping Secrets

Nearly every character in Lone Women has a deep-seated secret. Adelaide’s secret is the central focus of the novel, as the narrative follows her struggles with keeping the truth of her monstrous sister and family history to herself even as she longs to share it with others. The other “lone women,” like Grace Price, also have their own secrets. In Grace’s case, she is hiding the fact that she murdered her husband, and she also tries to conceal the details of Sam’s gender. Similarly, Bertie and Fiona must keep their romantic relationship a secret, and even Mrs. Reed, who holds herself up as an outward example of honesty and integrity, is keeping several secrets, including the nature of her husband’s work on the “Vigilance Committee” and the fact that she once gave birth to her own monstrous child. Thus, the novel demonstrates that everyone is always hiding some part of themselves, and the outcome of the story indicates that these secrets can only be shared with those who are most trusted.

Even when these secrets must be kept out of necessity and self-preservation, they are nonetheless depicted as cumbersome, weighing down the characters in the novel.

blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
Unlock IconUnlock all 61 pages of this Study Guide

Plus, gain access to 8,650+ more expert-written Study Guides.

Including features:

+ Mobile App
+ Printable PDF
+ Literary AI Tools