Who owns the Western?

In 'Outlawed', Anna North crafts a story set in an alternate 19th-century America where a devastating flu pandemic has led to a society obsessed with procreation. Ada, a 17-year-old midwife, is forced to leave her home after failing to conceive. She first seeks refuge in a convent and then joins the Hole in the Wall Gang, a group of outcast women led by the enigmatic and nonbinary Kid. The gang's mission is to create a safe haven for women rejected by society, but their plan is fraught with danger. The novel explores themes of gender, sexual expression, and the struggle for freedom in a rigidly patriarchal world.

In 'American Dirt', Jeanine Cummins tells the story of Lydia Quixano Pérez, a Mexican bookseller living in Acapulco. After her journalist husband publishes an exposé on a drug cartel leader, Javier Fuentes, Lydia and her eight-year-old son Luca are the sole survivors of a massacre that kills the rest of their family. Forced to flee, they embark on a perilous journey to the United States, facing numerous dangers and challenges along the way. The novel highlights the resilience and determination of migrants seeking safety and a better life, while also addressing the controversy surrounding the representation of their stories.

The Cold Millions is a historical novel set in the early 20th century, focusing on two brothers, Gig and Rye Dolan, who become embroiled in the labor movement and class warfare of the time. The story explores themes of brotherhood, love, sacrifice, and betrayal against the backdrop of significant historical events like the Free Speech Fight in Spokane, Washington. The novel features a diverse cast of characters, including real historical figures like Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, and delves into the chasm between the rich and the poor in America.

Inland is a novel that weaves together two extraordinary lives in the lawless Arizona Territory of 1893. Nora, a resilient frontierswoman, awaits the return of her family amidst a severe drought, while Lurie, a former outlaw, navigates his past and the supernatural. The novel blends historical fact with magical realism, offering a unique perspective on the American West.