Lila Bowen’s debut novel, Wake of Vultures, introduces Nettie Lonesome, a younger lady disguised as a person engaged on a distant Texas ranch in an alternate 1800s. This Western-fantasy mix includes a world populated not solely with cowboys and outlaws but in addition with monstrous creatures drawn from Indigenous American folklore. Nettie, grappling with a mixed-race heritage and a difficult upbringing, discovers surprising skills that thrust her right into a battle far higher than she may have imagined.
The novel’s significance lies in its contemporary perspective on the Western style, difficult typical tropes by centering a posh, marginalized protagonist. By incorporating parts of fantasy and folklore, the narrative explores themes of id, survival, and the facility of embracing one’s heritage. Revealed in 2016, it marked the start of Bowen’s “Path of Lightning” trilogy, which has garnered important popularity of its distinctive world-building and compelling characters.
