What do you think?
Rate this book
These Women
In West Adams, a rapidly changing part of South Los Angeles, they’re referred to as “these women.” These women on the corner … These women in the club … These women who won’t stop asking questions … These women who got what they deserved …
Ivy Pochoda creates a kaleidoscope of loss, power, and hope featuring five very different women whose lives are steeped in danger and anguish. They’re connected by one man and his deadly obsession, though not all of them know that yet. There’s Dorian, still adrift after her daughter’s murder remains unsolved; Julianna, a young dancer nicknamed Jujubee, who lives hard and fast, resisting anyone trying to slow her down; Essie, a brilliant vice cop who sees a crime pattern emerging where no one else does; Marella, a daring performance artist whose work has long pushed boundaries but now puts her in peril; and Anneke, a quiet woman who has turned a willfully blind eye to those around her for far too long. The careful existence they have built for themselves starts to crumble when two murders rock their neighborhood.
Ivy Pochoda creates a kaleidoscope of loss, power, and hope featuring five very different women whose lives are steeped in danger and anguish. They’re connected by one man and his deadly obsession, though not all of them know that yet. There’s Dorian, still adrift after her daughter’s murder remains unsolved; Julianna, a young dancer nicknamed Jujubee, who lives hard and fast, resisting anyone trying to slow her down; Essie, a brilliant vice cop who sees a crime pattern emerging where no one else does; Marella, a daring performance artist whose work has long pushed boundaries but now puts her in peril; and Anneke, a quiet woman who has turned a willfully blind eye to those around her for far too long. The careful existence they have built for themselves starts to crumble when two murders rock their neighborhood.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published May 19, 2020
About the author
Ivy Pochoda
12 books663 followersIvy Pochoda is the author of the critically acclaimed novel Visitation Street published by Ecco / Dennis Lehane Books. Visitation Street was chosen as an Amazon Best Book of the Month, Amazon Best Book of 2013, and a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Review of Books, The Huffington Post, Self, and House & Garden. Her first novel The Art of Disappearing, was published by St. Martin’s Press in 2009. She has a BA from Harvard College in Classical Greek and an MFA from Bennington College in fiction. Ivy grew up in Brooklyn, NY and currently lives in downtown Los Angeles with her husband Justin Nowell.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,076 reviews
June 12, 2020
I am a big fan of Pochoda's writing and this novel did not disappoint. It is a very gritty LA novel with a really interesting structure, the kind where the story advances as the point of view shifts. You never get the whole of the story but the pieces you do get come together nicely. It was jarring at first, the narrative style, but once I settled into it, I loved this book.
June 23, 2020
“These women don’t belong here. They don’t belong anywhere.”
These Women is a raw and gritty novel about women being targeted by a serial killer in South Los Angeles. These are the women whose voices were never heard, whose murders didn't resonate, and barely warranted an investigation. These are the women who “don’t belong” in proper society: they are the strippers, the prostitutes, the junkies, the deviants, and the discarded. They lack the power to be seen as people and to be treated as human beings.
These Women is told through the voices of Dorian, a middle-aged woman struggling to accept the loss of her daughter; Julianna, a struggling “dancer” trapped in a perpetual role of performance; Marella, an artist; Essie, a recently demoted cop; Feelia, a former prostitute who survived a horrific assault; and Anneke, a woman who is keeping deadly secrets. 6 women inherently linked through a neighborhood, through sickening violence, and through trauma. These women are victims in more ways than one.
Alternating between the past in 1999 to the present in 2014, each of these women is distinctive in their voice, in their struggles, and in their desire to be a woman who is seen, a woman who is heard, a woman who matters. All of their voices and stories resonated with me in different ways. This is a powerful and provocative story that took me out of my comfort zone and forced me to see those who are so often ignored.
These Women is a raw and gritty novel about women being targeted by a serial killer in South Los Angeles. These are the women whose voices were never heard, whose murders didn't resonate, and barely warranted an investigation. These are the women who “don’t belong” in proper society: they are the strippers, the prostitutes, the junkies, the deviants, and the discarded. They lack the power to be seen as people and to be treated as human beings.
These Women is told through the voices of Dorian, a middle-aged woman struggling to accept the loss of her daughter; Julianna, a struggling “dancer” trapped in a perpetual role of performance; Marella, an artist; Essie, a recently demoted cop; Feelia, a former prostitute who survived a horrific assault; and Anneke, a woman who is keeping deadly secrets. 6 women inherently linked through a neighborhood, through sickening violence, and through trauma. These women are victims in more ways than one.
Alternating between the past in 1999 to the present in 2014, each of these women is distinctive in their voice, in their struggles, and in their desire to be a woman who is seen, a woman who is heard, a woman who matters. All of their voices and stories resonated with me in different ways. This is a powerful and provocative story that took me out of my comfort zone and forced me to see those who are so often ignored.
May 19, 2020
NOW AVAILABLE!!!!
review posted TODAY over at l.a. review of books!
****************
UPDATE: my 1500-word review for this is currently 50 pages long and i haven't even BEGUN to address bird motifs! time to kill some darlings.
***************
i will be reviewing this for l.a. review of books!!!
come to my blog!
review posted TODAY over at l.a. review of books!
****************
UPDATE: my 1500-word review for this is currently 50 pages long and i haven't even BEGUN to address bird motifs! time to kill some darlings.
***************
i will be reviewing this for l.a. review of books!!!
come to my blog!
June 17, 2020
DO NOT READ THE BOOK SYNOPSIS-go in blind!
This is a “spoiler free” snapshot of what to expect...
Los Angeles-1999.
Lecia’s throat has been slit, and a plastic bag is over her head.
Feelia’s throat has been slit, and she has been left for dead.
But, the cops don’t spend a lot of time investigating these deaths.
After all, THESE WOMEN are just dancers and prostitutes..this is a risk that comes with the job.
They are either addicted to the drugs or to the money, and most don’t even try to get out.
Los Angeles-2014
It’s raining.
Highlighted passage:
“The gutters are filling, the sewers are rushing, the trash that never gets picked up is swirling, flowing..a river of soda cups, Styrofoam containers, wrappers running along the curb.”
And, another woman on Western, lying dead...throat slit-plastic bag over her head. Another one of THESE WOMEN..
But, this time, a cop is listening and linking the cases from fifteen years ago, with the cases happening today.
6 compelling voices
A raw, ugly look at the “violence of everyday, the terror, and the ANGER” which can be L.A., written by an author who resides in the City of Angels.
This book feels like it could be a true story.
And, the last few chapters will have you feeling like it’s a story which could have been ripped from a headline occurring last week.
Another HAUNTING novel , which is well worth your time!
This is a “spoiler free” snapshot of what to expect...
Los Angeles-1999.
Lecia’s throat has been slit, and a plastic bag is over her head.
Feelia’s throat has been slit, and she has been left for dead.
But, the cops don’t spend a lot of time investigating these deaths.
After all, THESE WOMEN are just dancers and prostitutes..this is a risk that comes with the job.
They are either addicted to the drugs or to the money, and most don’t even try to get out.
Los Angeles-2014
It’s raining.
Highlighted passage:
“The gutters are filling, the sewers are rushing, the trash that never gets picked up is swirling, flowing..a river of soda cups, Styrofoam containers, wrappers running along the curb.”
And, another woman on Western, lying dead...throat slit-plastic bag over her head. Another one of THESE WOMEN..
But, this time, a cop is listening and linking the cases from fifteen years ago, with the cases happening today.
6 compelling voices
A raw, ugly look at the “violence of everyday, the terror, and the ANGER” which can be L.A., written by an author who resides in the City of Angels.
This book feels like it could be a true story.
And, the last few chapters will have you feeling like it’s a story which could have been ripped from a headline occurring last week.
Another HAUNTING novel , which is well worth your time!
October 13, 2023
In 1999, thirteen females in the West Adams section of South Central Los Angeles were brutally murdered. Most of the victims were sex workers, the one exception being a teenage babysitter named Lecia, who was the killer's last victim.
The perpetrator wasn't caught and some people think the cops didn't try too hard because the women were 'throwaways.'
Fifteen years later, in 2014, prostitutes in West Adams are being murdered again, in the same manner as before. The cops resist the idea that a serial killer is active again and they CERTAINLY don't want the new deaths connected to those in 1999.
The story, which focuses on six women in West Adams, is set in 2014, with flashbacks to 1999.
- Feelia was a streetwalker in 1999, but gave up the life after surviving a deadly attack. The incident seems to have disturbed Feelia's mind because she insists a white woman started stalking her right after the assault, and is still haunting her fifteen years later. Feelia shrieks and carries on whenever she 'sees' the woman, and shouts at people who try to shut her up.
- Dorian is the mother of Lecia, the last girl killed in 1999. Dorian's spent years haunting the police station, insisting her daughter wasn't a prostitute, and exhorting them to find the killer. The grieving mother owns a fried fish shop in West Adams and feeds local streetwalkers who drop in. Now Dorian has been finding dead birds outside her restaurant, and thinks someone is trying to frighten her.
- Julianna was the child being babysat by Lecia on the night the teen was slain. Now Julianna is grown up, a strip club waitress who provides 'extra services' in the back. Julianna drinks and uses drugs to get through the day, and fears she'll never be able to get out of the debasing lifestyle. Julianna's hobby is photography, and she constantly snaps pictures of her prostitute friends, documenting the bleakness of their lives.
- Anneke is a married El Salvadoran woman who immigrated to Los Angeles with her husband and young daughter. The family is solidly middle class and Anneke wants nothing to do with (what she sees as) undesirable elements in the neighborhood. Anneke is obsessed with keeping her home and life in perfect order, and she sent her daughter Marella away to school to keep her safe.
- Marella is Anneke's daughter, now in her twenties and an art school graduate. Marella does performance art as well as modern installations with moving images.
Marella is living with her parents in West Adams, but has spent so much time away that she's almost a stranger to the area. Marella has bad memories of her life in El Salvador, and her art often depicts women as victims of sexual and physical violence.
- Esmerelda (Essie) Perry is a police detective who moved from homicide to vice after an unfortunate incident. The male cops in Perry's station steer the 'nuisance complaints' her way, so she gets to hear Feelia's allegations of a stalker and Dorian's report about dead birds. As Perry is looking into these complaints she makes discoveries about the serial killer.
The book doesn't focus on the identity of the serial killer, though that is revealed. The novel is more a character study than a murder mystery and Pochoda's portrayal of the six main characters, and the people around them, is vivid and perceptive - so we get a feel for the factors that shaped their lives.
We also get a peek at the ambiance of West Adams: the clubs; the streets; the bridges; the former mansions split into apartments; the nosy neighbors; the commercial establishments; the mixture of people; and so on.
Pochoda is a master storyteller and this is an excellent book. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Ivy Pochoda), and the publisher (HarperCollins Publishers/Ecco) for a copy of the book.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....
February 27, 2022
4.5 Stars
”It’s all about how we do in the dark.
You know about that? You know anything about that?
You know the streets? Do you? You’re really not going to say anything?”
This story begins in the past, in 1999, the year the first bodies of these women took place, and travels back and forth between 1999 and 2014, when there seems to be reason to believe it might be happening again. The police had categorized all of the women in 1999 as prostitutes, but Dorian knows her daughter, the 13th of the 13 murders in 1999, was just babysitting, and yet the police can’t be bothered to check the facts.
Dorian owns a small fish shack, a place where the local teen girls come to hang out, flaunting their youthful bodies, rolling up the skirts of their uniforms, and Dorian can’t help but remember the days her Lecia was that age, and alive.
We are led through the stories of each woman, their lives and the sorrows that permeate their lives; their dreams, as well as the nightmares they’ve endured, while their omnipresent gritty world shows us the realities of the lives of these women – both the ones who have lived through enormous sorrow, and those who have perished in the dark and dangerous corners of this Los Angeles neighborhood.
Enter Essie Perry, a female cop who Dorian is sent to speak to about the dead hummingbirds being left at her home and work – mainly because the male cops don’t want to deal with this woman, with her dead daughter or these dead birds. But Perry actually finds it unlikely that these two things are completely unrelated. But is she right?
Dorian is only one of the narrators in this story, Essie is another, and then there is Feelia, the only one to survive the 1999 attacks, a woman who still has the scars from it. Julianna, one of the neighborhood girls, who seems to be pulled into the life of a “working girl.” There is also a mother and daughter, Marella and Anneke. Mareiella, an aspiring artist, Anneke a woman who seems to feel like this country will never be home to her, and so keeps to herself, trying to keep herself, her family, her home and life in order.
This story unravels slowly, and while we hear the stories of these women, and they share their individual stories, their stories blend into the shared story shared as though it is this neighborhood that is looking over them all – and sharing their dreams for the future and their sorrows from the past.
After reading Pochoda’s Visitation Street, which I loved, and Wonder Valley, which I enjoyed, I was looking forward to reading this - despite the fact that I’m not typically drawn to “mysteries” or “thrillers,” but then again Pochoda’s stories tend to avoid the gory and scarier details of most thrillers. Instead, she tends to share these stories from an omniscient viewpoint, and unravels the mystery slowly, through some stunning writing, which I loved.
Published: 19 May 2020
Many thanks for the ARC provided by HarperCollins Publishers / Ecco
June 18, 2020
In your face street grit, don't know if that's a actual genre, but if not it should be. It definitely fits. Five women, two time periods, one man, a destroyer of lives, dead or alive. These are the women that are not listened too, those in the clubs, on street corners. Invisible women that are never taken seriously, those with throwaway lives. So when bodies of these women are found, it is easy to dismiss this as job risk. I mean what do you expect? They live in the shadows, they know the danger. Don't they?
I love this author, her books are so well done. Shock value, she doesn't mince words, gives it to the reader as it really is. Gritty and real. Her books are page turners, and her characters, dialogue both realistic. She doesn't let you look away. Makes one see the downtrodden, open ones eyes to the fact that these women are there. They have lives, hopes, dreams just as we do, but for whatever reason they are where they are. This doesn't make them less worthy, less believable. Everyone has value and no one has the right to take that away.
I love this author, her books are so well done. Shock value, she doesn't mince words, gives it to the reader as it really is. Gritty and real. Her books are page turners, and her characters, dialogue both realistic. She doesn't let you look away. Makes one see the downtrodden, open ones eyes to the fact that these women are there. They have lives, hopes, dreams just as we do, but for whatever reason they are where they are. This doesn't make them less worthy, less believable. Everyone has value and no one has the right to take that away.
October 25, 2020
These women of southern California are owned by the streets with a serial killer on the loose.
The story is told from 5 perspectives. Dorian, whose daughter was murdered 14 years ago. Julianna, aka Jujubee, a bar dancer, trying to get a legit job after finding out an old acquaintance was recently murdered. Essie, the street cop trying to link the deaths together. Marianna, the artist, who creates her work from photos of street women who have been murdered. And Anneke. A woman who knew too much but was powerless to do more. The common thread: Ophelia. The woman who survived with the jagged scar across her neck.
The loss of power, control. Being at the mercy of poverty and drugs.
Gritty and impactful. A tough existence in a rough neighbourhood where prejudice is rampant.
4☀️
The story is told from 5 perspectives. Dorian, whose daughter was murdered 14 years ago. Julianna, aka Jujubee, a bar dancer, trying to get a legit job after finding out an old acquaintance was recently murdered. Essie, the street cop trying to link the deaths together. Marianna, the artist, who creates her work from photos of street women who have been murdered. And Anneke. A woman who knew too much but was powerless to do more. The common thread: Ophelia. The woman who survived with the jagged scar across her neck.
The loss of power, control. Being at the mercy of poverty and drugs.
Gritty and impactful. A tough existence in a rough neighbourhood where prejudice is rampant.
4☀️
August 19, 2020
This was a fascinating character study of six women living in Los Angeles. Split between the years 1999 and 2014, bear witness to the lives of these women that move within or adjacent to L.A.’s darker underbelly.
I hadn’t heard of Ivy Pochoda before picking this one up, but she’s a beautiful writer, even when writing about sinister subject matter. She really nailed the distinct voices of each woman in their respective chapters. Dorian, Julianna, Essie, Marella, Anneke and Feelia exist in the vicinity of one another, but their worlds very rarely overlap. That is, until they’re forced into proximity by the heinous acts of a man seemingly unknown to them.
While this might fit into the Mystery/Thriller genre, if you’re looking for something you can ‘solve’, this probably won’t be it. The answer of who is behind all of the murders is pretty obvious once you get a decent way into the novel. But that’s part of it, the fact that the audience knows who is responsible. It ups the tension and refocuses you’re attention. This is not the story of the-guy-who-did-it, but of the women who fell into his path. He is only consequential in the ways in which he affected them.
There’s a lot at play in this book. Who does society care about? What types of people are expected to ‘fall through the cracks’? What types of privilege allow these men to get away with acts of violence over and over again? Why do we insist on holding women responsible for the crimes of the men around them? The author is smart in how she asks these questions, then backs away to let the reader try to answer them.
These Women was gritty and addicting. It’s probably not going to be heart-racing, but there’s a lot to mull over even after you’ve finished it. I can tell it’s going to be one of those works that lingers for days. And I’m definitely interested in discovering what else Pochoda has come out with.
*Thanks to HarperCollins & Netgalley for an advance copy!
And a special thank you to Carrie & Jordan for including me in their Mystery Book Club for August!
I hadn’t heard of Ivy Pochoda before picking this one up, but she’s a beautiful writer, even when writing about sinister subject matter. She really nailed the distinct voices of each woman in their respective chapters. Dorian, Julianna, Essie, Marella, Anneke and Feelia exist in the vicinity of one another, but their worlds very rarely overlap. That is, until they’re forced into proximity by the heinous acts of a man seemingly unknown to them.
While this might fit into the Mystery/Thriller genre, if you’re looking for something you can ‘solve’, this probably won’t be it. The answer of who is behind all of the murders is pretty obvious once you get a decent way into the novel. But that’s part of it, the fact that the audience knows who is responsible. It ups the tension and refocuses you’re attention. This is not the story of the-guy-who-did-it, but of the women who fell into his path. He is only consequential in the ways in which he affected them.
There’s a lot at play in this book. Who does society care about? What types of people are expected to ‘fall through the cracks’? What types of privilege allow these men to get away with acts of violence over and over again? Why do we insist on holding women responsible for the crimes of the men around them? The author is smart in how she asks these questions, then backs away to let the reader try to answer them.
These Women was gritty and addicting. It’s probably not going to be heart-racing, but there’s a lot to mull over even after you’ve finished it. I can tell it’s going to be one of those works that lingers for days. And I’m definitely interested in discovering what else Pochoda has come out with.
*Thanks to HarperCollins & Netgalley for an advance copy!
And a special thank you to Carrie & Jordan for including me in their Mystery Book Club for August!
January 5, 2022
Western Avenue, Los Angeles is a major artery that bisects the 10 Freeway and runs a north-south route through the city. Either side of the freeway and adjacent to Western Avenue lies the area of West Adams. It’s an area with many historic buildings, but these days is densely populated and houses a high percentage of African American and Latino residents. It’s here that we meet a number of women, some of them prostitutes and many women of colour. Some of these women are to meet a grisly end at the hands of a killer who slashes their throat and affixes a bag over their head. But how is justice to be served when the families of the deceased seem powerless to motivate a police force who are apathetic to their plight.
We first meet Feelia who has survived an attack, despite receiving a serious knife wound to her neck. It’s pretty clear that Feelia doesn’t have the ear of the local police who she visits regularly over the next fifteen years, solely now to complain that’s she’s being stalked. Needless to say, her attacker was never traced. Next we are introduced to Dorian who supplies free food to some street prostitutes who visit her fish shack. Dorian’s daughter, Lecia, was a non-surviving victim of a similar attack to that suffered by Feelia, again some fifteen years ago. Lecia had been babysitting Julianna, now a sassy young woman who dances at a wretched local club and also offers other services to clients. The fifth woman is Kathy, one of the prostitutes who regularly drops by Dorian’s place for a free meal. Kathy works the streets. Then there is Marella, Julianna’s next door neighbour and an aspiring artist.
The interactions between these women are sometimes raw and often funny. The dialogue is spiky and peppered with street slang and I quickly became captivated by these people and fascinated by descriptions of the places they frequent. It’s gritty, sometimes shocking and often sad but never dull. But now the violent deaths have returned to this place - it seems that a killer is on the prowl again. The modus operandi appear to be identical to the earlier attacks, leading friends and families of the victims to conclude that this is the work of the same killer. Can they persuade a reluctant police force to accept that a serial killer is on the loose? Perhaps there is one hope: Essie Perry has had her own share of grief in her life but as she rides her patch on a bicycle this discredited Vice cop begins to recognise that a pattern is forming.
The author has written a compelling tale set in an place she seems very familiar with – as she should, she lives there herself. Not only that, many of the settings here are heavily influenced by real life establishments and neighbourhoods. Consequently, it all does feel very real. The overall construction of the piece, the dialogue and the descriptions of life in this place are all top notch. I’m struggling to find a criticism, I absolutely loved it!
My sincere thanks to Faber & Faber Ltd and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
We first meet Feelia who has survived an attack, despite receiving a serious knife wound to her neck. It’s pretty clear that Feelia doesn’t have the ear of the local police who she visits regularly over the next fifteen years, solely now to complain that’s she’s being stalked. Needless to say, her attacker was never traced. Next we are introduced to Dorian who supplies free food to some street prostitutes who visit her fish shack. Dorian’s daughter, Lecia, was a non-surviving victim of a similar attack to that suffered by Feelia, again some fifteen years ago. Lecia had been babysitting Julianna, now a sassy young woman who dances at a wretched local club and also offers other services to clients. The fifth woman is Kathy, one of the prostitutes who regularly drops by Dorian’s place for a free meal. Kathy works the streets. Then there is Marella, Julianna’s next door neighbour and an aspiring artist.
The interactions between these women are sometimes raw and often funny. The dialogue is spiky and peppered with street slang and I quickly became captivated by these people and fascinated by descriptions of the places they frequent. It’s gritty, sometimes shocking and often sad but never dull. But now the violent deaths have returned to this place - it seems that a killer is on the prowl again. The modus operandi appear to be identical to the earlier attacks, leading friends and families of the victims to conclude that this is the work of the same killer. Can they persuade a reluctant police force to accept that a serial killer is on the loose? Perhaps there is one hope: Essie Perry has had her own share of grief in her life but as she rides her patch on a bicycle this discredited Vice cop begins to recognise that a pattern is forming.
The author has written a compelling tale set in an place she seems very familiar with – as she should, she lives there herself. Not only that, many of the settings here are heavily influenced by real life establishments and neighbourhoods. Consequently, it all does feel very real. The overall construction of the piece, the dialogue and the descriptions of life in this place are all top notch. I’m struggling to find a criticism, I absolutely loved it!
My sincere thanks to Faber & Faber Ltd and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 10, 2020
This ended up being just okay for me. This is being marketed as a mystery/thriller but I would say it feels more like literary fiction to me. I think I might have enjoyed it more if I had known what I was getting into but because I was expecting more of a thriller I ended up feeling pretty disappointed.
Here's the vlog where I read this book: https://youtu.be/O_5X4UhwaOY
Here's the vlog where I read this book: https://youtu.be/O_5X4UhwaOY
January 25, 2024
Unflinching, dark, and fearless!
These Women takes the reader right to the hard streets of L.A., where several women have one common bond: they have all been forgotten. The story begins in 1999, where a serial killer has been preying on prostitutes. We get an up-close glimpse of the brutality through a first-hand account by a woman named Feelia, before the narrative abruptly stops and we are thrust into the present. Dorian's daughter Lecia is one of the women who has been brutally murdered, leaving Dorian broken and seeing visions of her daughter in the eyes of the other young women who are 'dancing' at a seedy club. As the story continues and Dorian begs the authorities for answers or to even pay attention, we also gain the perspectives of Lecia's babysitter and friend, a detective assigned to the case, and several other women either part of the 'scene' themselves or aching to break the victims out of the dangerous lifestyle before another deadly tragedy occurs. But in the eyes of the law, drugs and murder are synonymous with the lifestyle of the 'average' prostitute...right?
Pochada's narrative is truly sharp and gut-wrenching from start to finish! I was as desperate as the characters in the story to not only find out who murdered the girls, but the motives and backstories of the girls themselves, and how each character had even survived thus far. Feelia's chapters especially are like a sucker-punch to the throat--she is an unapologetic and fierce woman who absolutely demands the reader's attention!
This book is so atmospheric, I could almost hear the cracked lightbulb buzzing above my head as I turned the pages: Pochada completely nailed the atmosphere of the grimy club scene of LA. It is also impossible to tell this particular story without an exploration of the #MeToo movement, female empowerment, and criminal justice system (or rather, lack of justice system!) and Pochada weaves these threads into the story effortlessly.This was a dark and dramatic read that got my heart racing and my mind reeling, and I would wholeheartedly recommend it!
4 solid stars!
These Women takes the reader right to the hard streets of L.A., where several women have one common bond: they have all been forgotten. The story begins in 1999, where a serial killer has been preying on prostitutes. We get an up-close glimpse of the brutality through a first-hand account by a woman named Feelia, before the narrative abruptly stops and we are thrust into the present. Dorian's daughter Lecia is one of the women who has been brutally murdered, leaving Dorian broken and seeing visions of her daughter in the eyes of the other young women who are 'dancing' at a seedy club. As the story continues and Dorian begs the authorities for answers or to even pay attention, we also gain the perspectives of Lecia's babysitter and friend, a detective assigned to the case, and several other women either part of the 'scene' themselves or aching to break the victims out of the dangerous lifestyle before another deadly tragedy occurs. But in the eyes of the law, drugs and murder are synonymous with the lifestyle of the 'average' prostitute...right?
Pochada's narrative is truly sharp and gut-wrenching from start to finish! I was as desperate as the characters in the story to not only find out who murdered the girls, but the motives and backstories of the girls themselves, and how each character had even survived thus far. Feelia's chapters especially are like a sucker-punch to the throat--she is an unapologetic and fierce woman who absolutely demands the reader's attention!
This book is so atmospheric, I could almost hear the cracked lightbulb buzzing above my head as I turned the pages: Pochada completely nailed the atmosphere of the grimy club scene of LA. It is also impossible to tell this particular story without an exploration of the #MeToo movement, female empowerment, and criminal justice system (or rather, lack of justice system!) and Pochada weaves these threads into the story effortlessly.This was a dark and dramatic read that got my heart racing and my mind reeling, and I would wholeheartedly recommend it!
4 solid stars!
February 25, 2020
A serial killer novel containing a glaringly obvious message about women who are not heard nor valued. Unlike many serial killer novels the killer is not the focus, the women are. It is an uncompromising depiction of the rough streets of South L.A as well as the silencing of women deemed to be worthless and deserving of their fate. Although not pleasant subject matter to read, this novel succeeds in giving voice to voiceless.
April 19, 2023
Instagram || Twitter || Facebook || Amazon || Pinterest
DNF @ 20%
This was a buddy-read with my friend, Heather. I bought this book ages ago because it sounded kind of like Marie Rutkoski's REAL EASY, a flawed book that I nevertheless liked because it kind of shone a light on adult entertainment and how the industry leaves some women prone. I wasn't expecting this book to be so stream-of-conscious style, or to feel so surreal. So many of my friends rated it highly and I went in expecting a more traditional style of gritty thriller, and instead got something that was... odd.
Odd can work, but it also makes the book a little more niche because it has to be your kind of odd for you to enjoy it. This was not my kind of odd and I found it quite boring and frustrating, so I will give it a pass.
2 stars
January 7, 2020
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
If you can’t tell from the timing of this review in relation to the publication date and the placeholder “review” below, apparently begging sometimes works. After reading both Visitation Street and Wonder Valley I was all over this request like stink on shit. I absolutely did not need a blurb, but I loved the one provided . . . . .
A serial killer story like you've never seen before.
This is a serial killer story – one that takes place in South Central L.A. that started 15 years prior with thirteen women (all presumed to be prostitutes by the police) being found dead in back alleys with their throats slit and plastic bags over their heads – but it’s a serial killer story delivered in Ivy Pochoda’s style. In case you aren’t familiar with the way this author writes a mystery, the whodunit factor doesn’t really even start to ramp up until the 60% mark (and is solved by around 80%). Her stories aren’t about the killer – or necessarily even about the victims – they are about the community. Narrators here include Dorian – whose 15-year old daughter was one of the victims so many years ago, Julianna – a young girl from the neighborhood who finds herself falling further into the same lifestyle as the victims of the past, Essie – a vice cop with a jaded past, Marella – a wannabe artist who may have been from the neighborhood, but lived a different sheltered life, Anneke – Marella’s mother who simply wants to keep her house in order, and Feelia – the sole survivor. Oh, and dare I forget the most important character in all of Pochoda’s stories – the neighborhood. This time it’s . . . . .
The time hops between the past of 1999 when the first bodies started showing up and the present (in this case 2014) where it might be happening again. So yes, it’s a story about a serial killer, but it’s also a story that touches on race and privilege and upbringing and circumstance and obligations and wrong place/wrong time and so much more.
You’ll know fairly quickly if you dig Pochoda’s style. Obviously I love it. Her writing makes me want to say things that I’m not young or hip enough to say like . . . . .
Easily one of my favorite authors. All the Stars.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
ORIGINAL "REVIEW"
It worked earlier this week sooooooooooooooooooo . . . .
If these publishers would just give me their home phone numbers I wouldn't have to do these public displays ; )
If you can’t tell from the timing of this review in relation to the publication date and the placeholder “review” below, apparently begging sometimes works. After reading both Visitation Street and Wonder Valley I was all over this request like stink on shit. I absolutely did not need a blurb, but I loved the one provided . . . . .
A serial killer story like you've never seen before.
This is a serial killer story – one that takes place in South Central L.A. that started 15 years prior with thirteen women (all presumed to be prostitutes by the police) being found dead in back alleys with their throats slit and plastic bags over their heads – but it’s a serial killer story delivered in Ivy Pochoda’s style. In case you aren’t familiar with the way this author writes a mystery, the whodunit factor doesn’t really even start to ramp up until the 60% mark (and is solved by around 80%). Her stories aren’t about the killer – or necessarily even about the victims – they are about the community. Narrators here include Dorian – whose 15-year old daughter was one of the victims so many years ago, Julianna – a young girl from the neighborhood who finds herself falling further into the same lifestyle as the victims of the past, Essie – a vice cop with a jaded past, Marella – a wannabe artist who may have been from the neighborhood, but lived a different sheltered life, Anneke – Marella’s mother who simply wants to keep her house in order, and Feelia – the sole survivor. Oh, and dare I forget the most important character in all of Pochoda’s stories – the neighborhood. This time it’s . . . . .
The time hops between the past of 1999 when the first bodies started showing up and the present (in this case 2014) where it might be happening again. So yes, it’s a story about a serial killer, but it’s also a story that touches on race and privilege and upbringing and circumstance and obligations and wrong place/wrong time and so much more.
You’ll know fairly quickly if you dig Pochoda’s style. Obviously I love it. Her writing makes me want to say things that I’m not young or hip enough to say like . . . . .
Easily one of my favorite authors. All the Stars.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
ORIGINAL "REVIEW"
It worked earlier this week sooooooooooooooooooo . . . .
If these publishers would just give me their home phone numbers I wouldn't have to do these public displays ; )
May 15, 2020
In 1999, 13 women are murdered in the Western Adams are of South Central LA. Most of the victims are sex workers, there is never an arrest possibly because the police never tried too hard as maybe they see it as an ‘occupational hazard’. The murders begin again in 2014. The story focuses on ‘these women’ and tells the story from their undervalued point of view. There’s Feelia the only survivor from 1999 whose voice is heard loud and clear in the book, there’s Dorian mother of 15 year old Lecia and not a sex worker and the last 1999 victim. Dorian never recovers from the tragic loss. Another voice is Julianna also know as Jujubee who had been Lecia’s friend and Dorian babysat, who is being drawn into the waitressing world of ‘extra services’. There’s Anneke who resents the presence of the street corner women and her artist daughter Marella and finally there’s Detective Essie Perry. The storyline goes between 1999 and 2014 and from the perspectives of the different characters.
This is a very different book as this one is not about the killer (although he is unmasked) but it’s about the women and we get to understand them rather than delve into a serial killers mind. I like this premise very much and it makes you fully appreciate that with few exceptions it’s the serial killers names we know and rarely the victims. How wrong is that?? Their voices are resonating and powerful although it’s not always easy reading. Feelia the survivors voice makes a particularly powerful impact but it also provokes some anger that she is not listened to properly as she has some crucial evidence to impart. Dorian is dogged in not allowing her daughter to be forgotten but she is burdened by the sadness. I like how Julianna splits to Jujubee to disassociate from what she’s drawn into. Marella’s art tries to capture the violence, she is a very dark and damaged woman. Her mother Anneke is simply poisonous and just plain wrong in every way. Essie is tenacious and likeable. The characterisation is vivid and rich and we clearly see the personalities of these women, their dashed hopes, shattered dreams and ruined lives. I like how the book resolves and the ending is dramatic.
Overall, this is a very well written, thought provoking book which gives a voice to the voiceless. It flows well between the timelines and the characters. There is much to admire here but it isn’t comfortable reading.
With thanks to NetGalley and Faber and Faber for the ARC.
This is a very different book as this one is not about the killer (although he is unmasked) but it’s about the women and we get to understand them rather than delve into a serial killers mind. I like this premise very much and it makes you fully appreciate that with few exceptions it’s the serial killers names we know and rarely the victims. How wrong is that?? Their voices are resonating and powerful although it’s not always easy reading. Feelia the survivors voice makes a particularly powerful impact but it also provokes some anger that she is not listened to properly as she has some crucial evidence to impart. Dorian is dogged in not allowing her daughter to be forgotten but she is burdened by the sadness. I like how Julianna splits to Jujubee to disassociate from what she’s drawn into. Marella’s art tries to capture the violence, she is a very dark and damaged woman. Her mother Anneke is simply poisonous and just plain wrong in every way. Essie is tenacious and likeable. The characterisation is vivid and rich and we clearly see the personalities of these women, their dashed hopes, shattered dreams and ruined lives. I like how the book resolves and the ending is dramatic.
Overall, this is a very well written, thought provoking book which gives a voice to the voiceless. It flows well between the timelines and the characters. There is much to admire here but it isn’t comfortable reading.
With thanks to NetGalley and Faber and Faber for the ARC.
May 20, 2020
4.5 stars
Six women from different walks of life. A series of murders, fifteen years apart. One particularly destitute area of South Los Angeles where chaos and violence run rampant. A society that collectively ignores the pleas of those women who are deemed to be of dubious moral character, based solely on preconceived notions, imagined or otherwise. A place where prejudice goes beyond merely the color of one’s skin, extending also to one’s occupation, the way one speaks, and overall way one lives their life. This is the world where author Ivy Pochoda sets her heartbreaking yet masterfully told story, and in so doing, gives voice to women who are often forsaken, their thoughts and feelings usually dismissed, their words rarely ever believed.
Though this is billed as a mystery / thriller, it is apparent very early on in the book that “solving the mystery” of the murders, while necessary, is not as important as letting the stories of these women be told, allowing their voices to be heard. As is expected, of course the perpetrator of the crimes is identified in the end — it was an easy guess, one already figured out a few chapters in, before the first narrative segment was even over. The way he is found out though is anticlimactic, downplayed, sparse on details — we don’t know too much about him, his background, why he became the way he was, even the details of how he committed his crimes are not entirely clear. But that is the beauty of how Pochoda structured the narrative — there’s no need to dwell too much on the killer because in the end, who he is doesn’t really matter. What matters are the women — the victims of his crimes and the family members who get left behind to deal with the aftermath. Especially poignant are the segments about the mothers — Dorian, Mrs. Holloway, etc. — whose only way to grieve is to make sure their children’s deaths are not ignored and brushed aside as though their existence never mattered in the first place; their mission then, becomes making sure what was done is never forgotten.
For me, despite having already figured out the “mystery” way early on, I kept turning the pages because I wanted to know whether justice would prevail in the end, and whether these women, ignored for so long, would finally be heard. Reading this book made me reflect on a lot of things. It made me think about family, society, the impact of individual actions and behavior, etc. — most importantly, it served as a reminder of the differences in each of our circumstances and the dangers of passing judgment, especially in those situations where there the understanding of those circumstances is lacking.
These Women is a powerful story, one that absolutely deserves to be read. With that said though, this is not an easy read by any means — many of the scenes are dark, gritty, gruesome, violent, and there is profanity galore. It can also be a frustrating read, at times even painful, especially in light of the blatant injustices that take place time and time again throughout the story. But yet, there is also grace, hope, resilience, and most significantly, the steadfast courage of these women who, despite being constantly ignored, still refuse to be silenced. A difficult read, but definitely a worthy one!
Received ARC from Ecco (HarperCollins) via NetGalley.
Six women from different walks of life. A series of murders, fifteen years apart. One particularly destitute area of South Los Angeles where chaos and violence run rampant. A society that collectively ignores the pleas of those women who are deemed to be of dubious moral character, based solely on preconceived notions, imagined or otherwise. A place where prejudice goes beyond merely the color of one’s skin, extending also to one’s occupation, the way one speaks, and overall way one lives their life. This is the world where author Ivy Pochoda sets her heartbreaking yet masterfully told story, and in so doing, gives voice to women who are often forsaken, their thoughts and feelings usually dismissed, their words rarely ever believed.
Though this is billed as a mystery / thriller, it is apparent very early on in the book that “solving the mystery” of the murders, while necessary, is not as important as letting the stories of these women be told, allowing their voices to be heard. As is expected, of course the perpetrator of the crimes is identified in the end — it was an easy guess, one already figured out a few chapters in, before the first narrative segment was even over. The way he is found out though is anticlimactic, downplayed, sparse on details — we don’t know too much about him, his background, why he became the way he was, even the details of how he committed his crimes are not entirely clear. But that is the beauty of how Pochoda structured the narrative — there’s no need to dwell too much on the killer because in the end, who he is doesn’t really matter. What matters are the women — the victims of his crimes and the family members who get left behind to deal with the aftermath. Especially poignant are the segments about the mothers — Dorian, Mrs. Holloway, etc. — whose only way to grieve is to make sure their children’s deaths are not ignored and brushed aside as though their existence never mattered in the first place; their mission then, becomes making sure what was done is never forgotten.
For me, despite having already figured out the “mystery” way early on, I kept turning the pages because I wanted to know whether justice would prevail in the end, and whether these women, ignored for so long, would finally be heard. Reading this book made me reflect on a lot of things. It made me think about family, society, the impact of individual actions and behavior, etc. — most importantly, it served as a reminder of the differences in each of our circumstances and the dangers of passing judgment, especially in those situations where there the understanding of those circumstances is lacking.
These Women is a powerful story, one that absolutely deserves to be read. With that said though, this is not an easy read by any means — many of the scenes are dark, gritty, gruesome, violent, and there is profanity galore. It can also be a frustrating read, at times even painful, especially in light of the blatant injustices that take place time and time again throughout the story. But yet, there is also grace, hope, resilience, and most significantly, the steadfast courage of these women who, despite being constantly ignored, still refuse to be silenced. A difficult read, but definitely a worthy one!
Received ARC from Ecco (HarperCollins) via NetGalley.
May 29, 2020
“These Women” by Ivy Pochoda is a feminist study on how American culture views women, specifically socioeconomically disadvantaged women. She places her story in east and central Los Angeles, describing in detail the changes of the neighborhoods through the timeframe of the novel.
What binds the story is a bit of a thriller: there is a series of sex worker deaths; the police show little interest in finding the killer. Pochoda writes her thriller through a female character driven novel. Feelia begins the novel in 1999 building tension as she is a victim who no one listens to. Dorian takes the next part of the story, resetting the story to 2014. Dorian lost her daughter in a similar manner to Fellia’s assault. There are five narrators and each narration is akin to a novella of their lives. Each narrator provides a glimpse into their frustrated and ignored lives. In each story, the narrator is dismissed, ignored, and unworthy of attention.
This is a slow burn of a thriller. We get the history and backstory to each character. Pochoda prose is emotionally moving. She illuminates how women are part of repression in society. The narrators are two victims, two mothers, and a policewoman. All their stories intersect in 2014. There are a total of thirteen unsolved murders of girls in fifteen years. But because these girls appear to be “working” girls in the sex trade, no one cares, other than the mothers.
Ivy Pochoda is an author who writes stories about people in the margins, the ignored. This story is one that will leave the reader uneasy.
June 8, 2020
Ivy Pochoda is a rare talent. A step past atmospheric, she makes the neighborhoods, streets, homes, and local establishments important, evolving characters in her stories...and in this story, she has outdone herself. She addresses change, lack of progress, and pervasive prejudice, while asking the reader to consider whether those with such disdain for these women are, in fact, the reprehensible ones. She breathes life into these women, providing the reader with true insight into each one's unique voice...and she does this like no other.
Vivid, raw, and real, this story raised the hair on my arms almost throughout with it's timely message. Though this deserves a far better review than I am capable of articulating at the moment, telling you any more about it would rob you of the experience. It is brilliant. 5 stars
Vivid, raw, and real, this story raised the hair on my arms almost throughout with it's timely message. Though this deserves a far better review than I am capable of articulating at the moment, telling you any more about it would rob you of the experience. It is brilliant. 5 stars
June 6, 2020
Pretty Woman, this is not.
There’s no Beverly Wilshire Hotel, horse races, glam dates, or jewelry. Strictly the streets of Los Angeles at its grittiest. Hot, grimy, and dangerous.
Five women plying their trade attempting to escape or reverse misfortune.
Each character’s narrative is written with respect and heartbreak as they navigate the city’s underbelly. It’s often depressing, and difficult to read.
A serial killer ties them together. Need I say more?
The book is beautifully written and the author’s talent was the shining beacon for me.
There’s no Beverly Wilshire Hotel, horse races, glam dates, or jewelry. Strictly the streets of Los Angeles at its grittiest. Hot, grimy, and dangerous.
Five women plying their trade attempting to escape or reverse misfortune.
Each character’s narrative is written with respect and heartbreak as they navigate the city’s underbelly. It’s often depressing, and difficult to read.
A serial killer ties them together. Need I say more?
The book is beautifully written and the author’s talent was the shining beacon for me.
May 16, 2020
A dead hooker, not a dead mom, not a dead woman. A disrespect almost worse than murder.
A bold and outspoken response to all those serial killer stories out there that are centred on the male killer: Pochoda instead focuses on women connected to a string of violent sexual murders and foregrounds themes of fear, grief, dogged persistence in the face of disbelief and the challenge of getting female voices heard in a culture which still prioritizes the masculine.
Pochoda's writing is pliant and surprisingly lyrical given the dark subject matter, and she really gets under the skins of her characters whether working girls or an anguished mother. This is where the real strength of this story lies and the voice of Feelia is especially strong. In fact, it's where the 'crime' plot comes to the fore that the book starts to weaken. I applaud the intent to subordinate the perpetrator's story to the main female-focused narrative but I found the unravelling of motive and psyche wasn't quite credible... Still, that's not really the point as this is the women's story - all the women, regardless of what work they do to survive. For all the brutality, this is ultimately, I think, an angry but hopeful narrative of survival, resistance and steadfastness in the face of a refusal to hear.
Thanks to Faber & Faber for an ARC via NetGalley.
April 14, 2020
Dorian feeds the working girls in South L.A. out of the back of her restaurant. Her daughter Lecia was murdered 15 years ago but the police didn't spend much time on the case, believing she had been a prostitute. Anger is always simmering beneath the surface for Dorian as she looks back at Lecia's life and how unimportant it was to the police who only saw what they wanted. Taking care of "these women" that the law chooses to ignore is a way in which Dorian copes.
Julianna was just a little girl when her babysitter Lecia was murdered and she was the last person to see her alive. Now Julianna is a rebellious young woman dancing for a living with dreams of being a photographer.
Marella is an up and coming performance artist who spent most of her childhood with relatives while attending private schools.
Her mother, Anneke, is quiet and aloof. She did the best she could for her Marella, sending her away for the best education and to keep her from harm. While she was willing to admit the dangers of the street, she has turned a blind eye to the dangers closer to home.
When police begin to find prostitutes around the city, they don't want to admit there is a pattern because that would involve more paperwork and sending the public into a panic over a serial killer.
Essie is the vice cop willing to speak up about the pattern. She's also open minded enough to see the similarities between the current murders and a string of unsolved cases 15 years ago, which included Dorian's daughter.
When former prostitute Feelia is sent to Essie's desk to make a report about a woman that has been stalking her for fifteen years, Essie's sharp observations allow her to see a connection no one else has.
These Women is a gritty novel that gives a voice to women who are often ignored or looked down upon due to their circumstances. It speaks volumes about society and our justice system.
The storytelling is absolutely phenomenal; Pochoda has given a powerful voice to each character and connects them all in seamless and compelling ways that eventually deliver justice.
I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy mystery/thrillers and contemporary crime fiction.
Thanks to Ecco and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. These Women is scheduled for release on May 19, 2020.
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
Julianna was just a little girl when her babysitter Lecia was murdered and she was the last person to see her alive. Now Julianna is a rebellious young woman dancing for a living with dreams of being a photographer.
Marella is an up and coming performance artist who spent most of her childhood with relatives while attending private schools.
Her mother, Anneke, is quiet and aloof. She did the best she could for her Marella, sending her away for the best education and to keep her from harm. While she was willing to admit the dangers of the street, she has turned a blind eye to the dangers closer to home.
When police begin to find prostitutes around the city, they don't want to admit there is a pattern because that would involve more paperwork and sending the public into a panic over a serial killer.
Essie is the vice cop willing to speak up about the pattern. She's also open minded enough to see the similarities between the current murders and a string of unsolved cases 15 years ago, which included Dorian's daughter.
When former prostitute Feelia is sent to Essie's desk to make a report about a woman that has been stalking her for fifteen years, Essie's sharp observations allow her to see a connection no one else has.
These Women is a gritty novel that gives a voice to women who are often ignored or looked down upon due to their circumstances. It speaks volumes about society and our justice system.
The storytelling is absolutely phenomenal; Pochoda has given a powerful voice to each character and connects them all in seamless and compelling ways that eventually deliver justice.
I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy mystery/thrillers and contemporary crime fiction.
Thanks to Ecco and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. These Women is scheduled for release on May 19, 2020.
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
May 15, 2020
"These women. These women, beautiful and wild. Out of control."
YAASSS! I actually applauded when I finished this book. Kudos to you Ivy Pochoda. It's been a long time since a book has made me feel this way. Billed as a mystery but so much more. A condemnation of our society and its glossing over the violence perpetrated against women. A rally cry for the women who are foresaken, their pleas ignored. I loved the voices of these women.
Dorian - Mother of murder victim. Fifteen years later she feels as if her cries of lament are futile; her anger wasted.
Feelia - Survivor. Course in her language, she is open, honest and raw.
Juliana - Restless creative. Tired of sniffing llelo and working out the backrooms of bars, she tries to find her way in a world that threatens to swallow her up.
The writing caught me up at the very first page and Pochoda did not let up. She ends with this powerful message:
Special thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins and Ivy Pochoda for advanced access to this book.
YAASSS! I actually applauded when I finished this book. Kudos to you Ivy Pochoda. It's been a long time since a book has made me feel this way. Billed as a mystery but so much more. A condemnation of our society and its glossing over the violence perpetrated against women. A rally cry for the women who are foresaken, their pleas ignored. I loved the voices of these women.
Dorian - Mother of murder victim. Fifteen years later she feels as if her cries of lament are futile; her anger wasted.
Feelia - Survivor. Course in her language, she is open, honest and raw.
Juliana - Restless creative. Tired of sniffing llelo and working out the backrooms of bars, she tries to find her way in a world that threatens to swallow her up.
The writing caught me up at the very first page and Pochoda did not let up. She ends with this powerful message:
"You can hope and pretend. You can imagine that the world is violent and that it has nothing to do with you-that the women who die nearby are a symptom of an abstract evil, a distant one. Because to do otherwise would be overwhelming, it would undo you from the inside out, rip you apart just as badly as if you were one of the victims yourself. In fact, to do so would be unimaginable because being in the presence of that sort of violence, confronting it at the breakfast table, reaching over it to turn out the bedside light-that, well, that is impossible."
Special thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins and Ivy Pochoda for advanced access to this book.
November 28, 2021
This is feminist social criticism packaged as a thriller: Pochoda writes about a serial killer who mainly murders non-white sex workers, and as all his victims belong to marginalized groups, "these women" have no lobby - their deaths aren't exactly the top priority for the LAPD. 15 years after the inital killing spree, the serial murderer is at it agin, but this time, quirky Detective Perry, herself an outsider, is adamant to let justice win.
Pochoda has put her text together as a reflection of a multitude of voices, and her focus is, unusual for a thriller, on the victims and their families. We also hear from a survivor, from Detective Perry and, at the very end, from a relative of the killer, while the killer is deprived of a voice, deprived of the chance be presented as mysterious, glamorous, a non-human (and thus fascinating) monster. The killer is just a killer, not a projection surface, and that's a great narrative move.
This is a pretty good read, but there are some cliches and overly descriptive passages in there - granted, Pochoda intends to evoke a noir flair, and noir has its tropes, but the author sometimes doesn't quite go there, and in other passages, she goes overboard - it's slightly uneven. The text is here for all the grittiness, but it sometimes feels contrived.
But even me, who is not exactly a fan of thrillers, could appreciate this text as a smart murder mystery, so that should count for something!
Pochoda has put her text together as a reflection of a multitude of voices, and her focus is, unusual for a thriller, on the victims and their families. We also hear from a survivor, from Detective Perry and, at the very end, from a relative of the killer, while the killer is deprived of a voice, deprived of the chance be presented as mysterious, glamorous, a non-human (and thus fascinating) monster. The killer is just a killer, not a projection surface, and that's a great narrative move.
This is a pretty good read, but there are some cliches and overly descriptive passages in there - granted, Pochoda intends to evoke a noir flair, and noir has its tropes, but the author sometimes doesn't quite go there, and in other passages, she goes overboard - it's slightly uneven. The text is here for all the grittiness, but it sometimes feels contrived.
But even me, who is not exactly a fan of thrillers, could appreciate this text as a smart murder mystery, so that should count for something!
June 13, 2020
Another gritty and sometimes difficult book to read about a serial killer preying on prostitutes.
In 1999, 13 women are murdered in South Los Angeles. All but one of them were sex workers. The killer seemingly vanished after those instances. That is until 2014, when the same type of murder starts to ramp up again.
THESE WOMEN is told from the perspectives of a woman who survived her attack in 1999, a woman whose daughter was killed in 1999 even though she wasn’t a prostitute, a young woman who used to be babysat by one of the victims and seems to sliding into the sex worker way of life, a police officer working vice in the neighborhood, a young woman who uses her art to show the violence and grit of the world, and the artist’s mother, who is set in her ways.
I loved the powerful writing by author Ivy Pochoda. We basically read each woman’s section before moving on to the next. Through these separate views, we get bits and pieces that tie together to tell the whole story. I found it absolutely riveting how one story/character connected to the next to keep things moving along. Even though the story revolves around a serial killer, the main focus is on the women...and how they are trying to go through life and deal with their situations. There are also some powerful and anger-inducing moments about the way some people are unable to get justice based on prejudice. Some of these moments are similar to what is going on in the world right now.
I know those who have read “Please See Us”, which also came out this year, will be wondering how the books compare. I can happily say that despite what the descriptions sound like, the two novels are quite different. I never once forgot that I was reading a book based in South L.A. I didn’t get it confused with Atlantic City. The way the stories are structured are quite different. I never thought about “Please See Us” during the actual moments I was reading this novel. I only thought about the two when I stepped away. There is one that I would rank higher than the other, and would be happy to let anyone know via DM, but would rather not share it in this review. I think both of these novels stand on their own, and I think both of them deserve attention.
In 1999, 13 women are murdered in South Los Angeles. All but one of them were sex workers. The killer seemingly vanished after those instances. That is until 2014, when the same type of murder starts to ramp up again.
THESE WOMEN is told from the perspectives of a woman who survived her attack in 1999, a woman whose daughter was killed in 1999 even though she wasn’t a prostitute, a young woman who used to be babysat by one of the victims and seems to sliding into the sex worker way of life, a police officer working vice in the neighborhood, a young woman who uses her art to show the violence and grit of the world, and the artist’s mother, who is set in her ways.
I loved the powerful writing by author Ivy Pochoda. We basically read each woman’s section before moving on to the next. Through these separate views, we get bits and pieces that tie together to tell the whole story. I found it absolutely riveting how one story/character connected to the next to keep things moving along. Even though the story revolves around a serial killer, the main focus is on the women...and how they are trying to go through life and deal with their situations. There are also some powerful and anger-inducing moments about the way some people are unable to get justice based on prejudice. Some of these moments are similar to what is going on in the world right now.
I know those who have read “Please See Us”, which also came out this year, will be wondering how the books compare. I can happily say that despite what the descriptions sound like, the two novels are quite different. I never once forgot that I was reading a book based in South L.A. I didn’t get it confused with Atlantic City. The way the stories are structured are quite different. I never thought about “Please See Us” during the actual moments I was reading this novel. I only thought about the two when I stepped away. There is one that I would rank higher than the other, and would be happy to let anyone know via DM, but would rather not share it in this review. I think both of these novels stand on their own, and I think both of them deserve attention.
May 8, 2023
4.5 Ivy Pochoda is a new favorite writer for me. I have read 3 of her books now, all are excellent! I could not put this one down!
Highly recommend
Highly recommend
January 10, 2021
Unpopular opinion alert!
Thank you, Netgalley and Harper Collins Publishers, for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. It has clearly charmed the hearts of many, but not this reader.
“These women on the corner … These women in the club … These women who won’t stop asking questions … These women who got what they deserved …”
In her new novel, Pochoda shines a spotlight on a career not often set as a primary focus in modern fiction: prostitution. “These women” who make up her story are, of course, prostitutes, but also include the mother of a murder victim, a police officer, a performance artist, a dancer, and wife who knows more than she lets on. The reader walks through the lives of each woman, learning about her heartaches, struggles, ambitions, hang-ups, etc., but the story does not truly gain momentum until the lives of these women are connected as a result of several local brutal murders. Sounds pretty awesome, right? Well...
Pochoda deserves a kudos digging in a world many writers ignore. Although we are not blind to the violence these women suffer and the danger many of them face, the author dumps us into those situations, forcing us to look at it in the eye. I'm 100% dat reader bee who loves a gritty world, a world I may or may not know much about, but can get uncomfortable treading around in for a while. That's my jam, and it takes a lil somethin' somethin' to be brave enough to write that world rather than something safe, clean, easy peasy...
However, the book is not one I would recommend to my friends. The characters were not written in a way that made me like them or even feel sorry for them, which was surprising because, ya know, gritty world of prostitution and such. Those who were clearly intended to stand out had issues I couldn't surmount. For example, the height of the police officer may have been referenced 1,000 times, often by that character herself. Spoiler alert: she's a short lady. I get it! Sweet heavens above, the lady is short and I DON'T CARE ANYMORE! (I feel better now) Even the mother of the murder victim was just too much for me. I felt an overwhelming sense of heartbreak for women trapped in this violent world, but not the characters described here.
I have no doubt Pochoda is a talented writer and look forwarded to reading one of her earlier works, but this one simply was not a winner for me.
Thank you, Netgalley and Harper Collins Publishers, for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. It has clearly charmed the hearts of many, but not this reader.
“These women on the corner … These women in the club … These women who won’t stop asking questions … These women who got what they deserved …”
In her new novel, Pochoda shines a spotlight on a career not often set as a primary focus in modern fiction: prostitution. “These women” who make up her story are, of course, prostitutes, but also include the mother of a murder victim, a police officer, a performance artist, a dancer, and wife who knows more than she lets on. The reader walks through the lives of each woman, learning about her heartaches, struggles, ambitions, hang-ups, etc., but the story does not truly gain momentum until the lives of these women are connected as a result of several local brutal murders. Sounds pretty awesome, right? Well...
Pochoda deserves a kudos digging in a world many writers ignore. Although we are not blind to the violence these women suffer and the danger many of them face, the author dumps us into those situations, forcing us to look at it in the eye. I'm 100% dat reader bee who loves a gritty world, a world I may or may not know much about, but can get uncomfortable treading around in for a while. That's my jam, and it takes a lil somethin' somethin' to be brave enough to write that world rather than something safe, clean, easy peasy...
However, the book is not one I would recommend to my friends. The characters were not written in a way that made me like them or even feel sorry for them, which was surprising because, ya know, gritty world of prostitution and such. Those who were clearly intended to stand out had issues I couldn't surmount. For example, the height of the police officer may have been referenced 1,000 times, often by that character herself. Spoiler alert: she's a short lady. I get it! Sweet heavens above, the lady is short and I DON'T CARE ANYMORE! (I feel better now) Even the mother of the murder victim was just too much for me. I felt an overwhelming sense of heartbreak for women trapped in this violent world, but not the characters described here.
I have no doubt Pochoda is a talented writer and look forwarded to reading one of her earlier works, but this one simply was not a winner for me.
February 28, 2021
4.25 dark, gritty, crime stars
This one is set in south LA, along Western Avenue and has several different narrators. Part I is from Dorian in 2014. She cooks at the local fish shack and she's never gotten over the murder of her daughter Lecia 15 years ago. There were a string of murders around that time, all women, mostly women of the street. The police never solved the case, maybe didn't spend as much time on it considering the victims. Now someone is leaving Dorian dead birds at her house and the restaurant, so she revisits the police station.
She's assigned to Detective Essie Perry, a short woman who uses a bike for a patrol car. I must say that she becomes one of my favorite characters of the book. She used to work homicide and now she's on the vice squad. She digs into Lecia's story and the other murders. As another body turns up, Essie wonders if it is the same killer.
We also hear from Julianna, an aspiring photographer, but for now she serves drinks and dances at the Fast Rabbit. Another part is from Marella, an aspiring performance artist who is opening a show featuring Dead Body #1, #2, and #3. The book dives into the dark world for these women and the risks they take on a daily basis.
This one was dark, gritty, realistic and the tension kept building. The conclusion made perfect sense and it was fascinating to get a glimpse of this world. This is my first read from this author, but I would definitely read other books that she's written.
Thanks to Jayme for the recommendation on this one and to my local library for the loan.
This one is set in south LA, along Western Avenue and has several different narrators. Part I is from Dorian in 2014. She cooks at the local fish shack and she's never gotten over the murder of her daughter Lecia 15 years ago. There were a string of murders around that time, all women, mostly women of the street. The police never solved the case, maybe didn't spend as much time on it considering the victims. Now someone is leaving Dorian dead birds at her house and the restaurant, so she revisits the police station.
She's assigned to Detective Essie Perry, a short woman who uses a bike for a patrol car. I must say that she becomes one of my favorite characters of the book. She used to work homicide and now she's on the vice squad. She digs into Lecia's story and the other murders. As another body turns up, Essie wonders if it is the same killer.
We also hear from Julianna, an aspiring photographer, but for now she serves drinks and dances at the Fast Rabbit. Another part is from Marella, an aspiring performance artist who is opening a show featuring Dead Body #1, #2, and #3. The book dives into the dark world for these women and the risks they take on a daily basis.
This one was dark, gritty, realistic and the tension kept building. The conclusion made perfect sense and it was fascinating to get a glimpse of this world. This is my first read from this author, but I would definitely read other books that she's written.
Thanks to Jayme for the recommendation on this one and to my local library for the loan.
May 23, 2020
Honestly, this might just be my book of the year. Ivy Pochoda has written one hell of a book - believe the hype in this case, people, because not only did These Women live up to it, it surpassed it all.
I'm always cautious about books with this kind of buzz, because there's only so many times you can be let down before you give up. But then I read an interview where the author said - among other things - something I've been waiting a long time to hear; serial killers aren't criminal masterminds. The hunt for them might be what interests people, but at their inevitable capture, they're invariably a let-down, a man in the place of the monster we invent in our heads. And hallelujah, because (much as I love a good serial killer novel) I am over hyping these twisted, sad little men into the all-powerful demons they believe themselves to be.
So I picked up this book! And instead of a cat and mouse game building to an epic showdown, I was met with the voices of women who spoke to me about desperation, about what it's like to be invisible for being too poor, too black, too old, too female. They showed me their lives, revealed to me their part in a greater chain that looped the crimes central to the book, and pieced together a story that is all too familiar.
All this to say that this book is actual perfection, and I'll be pushing it onto everyone I know. I'm so excited to go and read everything Ivy Pochoda has ever written!
I'm always cautious about books with this kind of buzz, because there's only so many times you can be let down before you give up. But then I read an interview where the author said - among other things - something I've been waiting a long time to hear; serial killers aren't criminal masterminds. The hunt for them might be what interests people, but at their inevitable capture, they're invariably a let-down, a man in the place of the monster we invent in our heads. And hallelujah, because (much as I love a good serial killer novel) I am over hyping these twisted, sad little men into the all-powerful demons they believe themselves to be.
So I picked up this book! And instead of a cat and mouse game building to an epic showdown, I was met with the voices of women who spoke to me about desperation, about what it's like to be invisible for being too poor, too black, too old, too female. They showed me their lives, revealed to me their part in a greater chain that looped the crimes central to the book, and pieced together a story that is all too familiar.
All this to say that this book is actual perfection, and I'll be pushing it onto everyone I know. I'm so excited to go and read everything Ivy Pochoda has ever written!
August 29, 2020
A link to my blog and Instagram for more reviews!
https://literarycriminal.wordpress.com/ https://www.instagram.com/literary_cr...
These Women is definitely a book that will stay with me all year long. It is a subject I haven't read about and I always love diving into books that present something new to the table, which is what Ivy Pochoda did with this novel.
These Women centers around the mystery of a serial killer murdering "These Women" and leaving their bodies on the street to bleed out. Ivy Pochoda has some incredible literary moments in this book, and all of the characters are nicely drawn out (with the linear timeline helping this enormously) and it never fails to keep your attention. The conclusion was satisfying, and I'm very happy how full circle it all was. Especially the message.
While I do recommend These Women, don't expect the run of the mill mystery/thriller. The reason why I gave this four stars is while some moments were amazing, others didn't hit the mark for me. With a book that changes perspectives and settings a lot, you're going to end up with sections that you really enjoy, and others not so much.
Ivy Pochoda is definitely another author I'll be keeping a lookout on. These Women is a read that you may love or hate, but it will be something you will instantly think back to when you see it on your shelves. This has proven her to be a very capable author and I can't wait to see what she brings to the table next.
https://literarycriminal.wordpress.com/ https://www.instagram.com/literary_cr...
These Women is definitely a book that will stay with me all year long. It is a subject I haven't read about and I always love diving into books that present something new to the table, which is what Ivy Pochoda did with this novel.
These Women centers around the mystery of a serial killer murdering "These Women" and leaving their bodies on the street to bleed out. Ivy Pochoda has some incredible literary moments in this book, and all of the characters are nicely drawn out (with the linear timeline helping this enormously) and it never fails to keep your attention. The conclusion was satisfying, and I'm very happy how full circle it all was. Especially the message.
While I do recommend These Women, don't expect the run of the mill mystery/thriller. The reason why I gave this four stars is while some moments were amazing, others didn't hit the mark for me. With a book that changes perspectives and settings a lot, you're going to end up with sections that you really enjoy, and others not so much.
Ivy Pochoda is definitely another author I'll be keeping a lookout on. These Women is a read that you may love or hate, but it will be something you will instantly think back to when you see it on your shelves. This has proven her to be a very capable author and I can't wait to see what she brings to the table next.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,076 reviews