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deerdeluxe's review against another edition
5.0
And she’s here to do some business with the big iron on her hip,
BIG IRON ON HER HIIIIIIIPPPPPPPP~~~
BIG IRON ON HER HIIIIIIIPPPPPPPP~~~
boomboomboom's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
shaerikireads's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
e11en's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Misogyny, and Violence
Moderate: Gun violence and Rape
emilyfrizz's review against another edition
5.0
An exciting and moving novel that plays with and subverts the idea of a 'western' in a big way. The characters are complex and interesting, and it entwines powerful feminist messages about agency and determining your own path. The audiobook is very well narrated, and engaging as well - I highly recommend it!
henrymarlene's review against another edition
5.0
“… reckoning is on its way”.
A feminist Western. This description alone said “read me”!!! The setting is in Darkwater, a town in an un-named country with limited resources and water access. It is locked away from the world outside its walls. It sounds like it is a long time ago, yet there are mentions of solar panels, electricity and a PA set up across the town. This is a deliberate skill by Kathryn Hore to keep up guessing, and to realise that the topics and situations we encounter in this book traverse time, location and generation. There is a dystopian element to this as well, with an isolated town cut off from the rest of the world, with virals being stockpolied and tested within the walls of Darkwater.
A stranger rides into Darkwater on a horse. The stranger is a woman, mistaken for a man, draped in weapons. Everyone is whispering about the Stranger’s entrance, and they capture the attention of Chelsea. The Stranger, herself, is a character full of mystery, and this seems to unfold in fragments through the story. Chelsea is known as “Granger’s Girl” in Darkwater. Granger is the “head’ of this town, and controls what and who comes in and out. He also has controlled Chelsea since she was 16 year of age, after her mother dies and her father was forced out of the town. Chelsea does not have any role models left, apart from her once teacher, and now, the Stranger. Until the Stranger’s arrival, she has succumbed to the power of Granger, a man that has taken advantage of many young girls and women in the town. Granger has been running the town with a number of old men for many years. Here he meets his nemesis – a woman had been in this very town before.
This is not about revenge, but justice, transparency and equity for all, and this is a very hard lesson for Chelsea to learn as she connects more and more to the Stranger. It is also a long standing lesson that I think Granger really knew he would need to face, when the past came back to the present to set the future free. I think this book is a standout for 2022 for me.
A feminist Western. This description alone said “read me”!!! The setting is in Darkwater, a town in an un-named country with limited resources and water access. It is locked away from the world outside its walls. It sounds like it is a long time ago, yet there are mentions of solar panels, electricity and a PA set up across the town. This is a deliberate skill by Kathryn Hore to keep up guessing, and to realise that the topics and situations we encounter in this book traverse time, location and generation. There is a dystopian element to this as well, with an isolated town cut off from the rest of the world, with virals being stockpolied and tested within the walls of Darkwater.
A stranger rides into Darkwater on a horse. The stranger is a woman, mistaken for a man, draped in weapons. Everyone is whispering about the Stranger’s entrance, and they capture the attention of Chelsea. The Stranger, herself, is a character full of mystery, and this seems to unfold in fragments through the story. Chelsea is known as “Granger’s Girl” in Darkwater. Granger is the “head’ of this town, and controls what and who comes in and out. He also has controlled Chelsea since she was 16 year of age, after her mother dies and her father was forced out of the town. Chelsea does not have any role models left, apart from her once teacher, and now, the Stranger. Until the Stranger’s arrival, she has succumbed to the power of Granger, a man that has taken advantage of many young girls and women in the town. Granger has been running the town with a number of old men for many years. Here he meets his nemesis – a woman had been in this very town before.
This is not about revenge, but justice, transparency and equity for all, and this is a very hard lesson for Chelsea to learn as she connects more and more to the Stranger. It is also a long standing lesson that I think Granger really knew he would need to face, when the past came back to the present to set the future free. I think this book is a standout for 2022 for me.
nina_reads_books's review against another edition
4.0
The Stranger is Kathryn Hore’s debut novel and it’s a wild ride!
In the town of Darkwater the residents stay protected behind the locked gates safe from the contagion that has destroyed much of the world. For the last twenty years the community has got by under the leadership of Granger whose word is law and whose word can also lead to bloodshed. Sixteen year old Chelsea was chosen by the much older Granger to be his lover and in his house she lives uneasily. With food and water becoming scarcer and months passing since anyone came to trade the future is uncertain. Until one day a stranger rides in on a horse with a gun and a whip and talk of the outside world.
Wow! What an original book! It was unlike anything I've read before. Billed as a feminist western it's also speculative fiction with a pandemic has taken over the world vibe.
I thought this was very well done. I will say straight up that there is obviously an inappropriate relationship between the middle aged Granger and Chelsea who is a teenager. This is important for the storyline but take care if this might concern you.
Overall The Stranger was very compelling and I flew through it in no time. Give it a try if you like a dystopian novel but want something a bit different.
Thank you to @allenandunwin for my #gifted copy.
In the town of Darkwater the residents stay protected behind the locked gates safe from the contagion that has destroyed much of the world. For the last twenty years the community has got by under the leadership of Granger whose word is law and whose word can also lead to bloodshed. Sixteen year old Chelsea was chosen by the much older Granger to be his lover and in his house she lives uneasily. With food and water becoming scarcer and months passing since anyone came to trade the future is uncertain. Until one day a stranger rides in on a horse with a gun and a whip and talk of the outside world.
Wow! What an original book! It was unlike anything I've read before. Billed as a feminist western it's also speculative fiction with a pandemic has taken over the world vibe.
I thought this was very well done. I will say straight up that there is obviously an inappropriate relationship between the middle aged Granger and Chelsea who is a teenager. This is important for the storyline but take care if this might concern you.
Overall The Stranger was very compelling and I flew through it in no time. Give it a try if you like a dystopian novel but want something a bit different.
Thank you to @allenandunwin for my #gifted copy.
amylfabry's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
tlaynejones's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
reflective
tense
slow-paced
4.0
I think this should be classified as a YA novel. I’m not sure if the reason it isn’t is because of the depictions of coercive control, adult/ minor “relationships”, rape, and murder. However there is no explicit description of sex/ rape at all, and only brief descriptions of violence. The abuse is all described through implication and, in my opinion, is suited to a teenage reader. The reason I think this should be reclassified as YA is that the story itself, and it’s message of feminism, is written in quite an obvious and straightforward way. This novel would be a great provocation for a discussion with teens about what it means to be a woman in relationship to the patriarchy, toxic masculinity, and the ‘male gaze’. However, the story is possibly too predictable for adult readers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, and Gaslighting
Minor: Death of parent
monkeyreader's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25