I started and stopped reading this a few times before actually pushing through and finishing. The physical and mental abuse described was a lot to take in, and not something I really wanted to read about. However, the Violence intrigued me and I wanted to see how it played out, which ended up being totally weird, interesting and different than I would have expected. I felt that most of the characters were annoying and unrelatable, and the political/covid additions were unnecessary. But, I loved seeing the transformation in Chelsea and felt myself rooting for her along the way. This book won't be for everyone, which is unfortunate because the idea behind it is random and different than other books out there.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Violence.

The premise was so intriguing so when my request was approved, I was excited!

Unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations.

First, I found Chelsea and her mother, Patricia, less than likable characters. I could sympathize with their plights but nothing about their behavior and character traits were ultimately redeemable.

Second, nearly all of the male characters are predators; abusive, sleazy, corrupt, and despicable.

For a narrative about a pandemic that causes shocking outbursts of rage to erupt, I found the story mostly boring.

There's a lot of exposition about Chelsea and Patricia's current circumstances, how their paths diverge, how Chelsea are separated from her daughters, Ella and Brooklyn (the only characters I liked), how Chelsea finds strength and empowerment among people just like her, and how the women eventually reunite.

It's clear the author incorporated real life into her work; Chelsea lives in a world ruled by an arrogant and incompetent president; fake news, conspiracy theories and memes run rampant online about The Violence; how the rich and privileged can afford the outrageously priced vaccines while everyone else...can't.

I don't mind these "ripped from the headlines" references but I do mind what the narrative begins to sound preachy and that was the vibe I got as I kept reading.

I read to escape real life, I read for fun and to be entertained, and if I'm lucky, to learn something new. I don't want to be reminded of all the hate still simmering in our world.

As some reviewers noted, there are serious triggers including domestic abuse and animal cruelty and abuse in The Violence that some readers will find disturbing.

I can tell this book was very cathartic for the author to write; something very personal she had to get out and I respect that.

I liked the ending but wished I had liked the story in general.

I appreciate the opportunity to give this one a try, unfortunately it was a bit too violent for me and I had to DNF. I’m sure those who love this type of genre will love it, but I had to put it down.

Intense!! Best word to describe this one...and I loved it! Definitely some trigger warnings, but I really got into the storyline of all the family drama and pandemic.

I started the book but ended up DNF. I just could not handle the generational abuse and all the politics that were brought up. i read fiction to get away from real life, don't need it brought into my fictional books

I haven’t stopped thinking about this book! It’s deep, twisty, with complex characters and a strong, feminist voice. The Violence is a virus whose victims suddenly and viciously kill whoever is near when in the throes of an attack. They have no idea what they’ve done afterwards, and it doesn’t take much provocation. This epidemic is right on the heels of covid, and the world is already exhausted. Our three main characters include Chelsea, a woman who’s sick of being her husband’s punching bag, her daughter Ella, a girl who wants nothing but to protect her little sister in a dangerous world she’s come to understand that even without the Violence, is unsafe for women, and Patricia, Chelsea’s mother, who’s married up and never really knew how to mother Chelsea. This character surprised me greatly. She’s awful and unlikeable, but then her arc flows beautifully after she’s left by the husband who provided her security, even if nothing else. I really was blown away by this book.

I wanted to give this book a good review. (5 stars if not for the following nonsense.) It was interesting enough that I wanted to finish it even though it ticked me off royally because it was written by a self-proclaimed “libtard”—which was not advertised. This author openly and unapologetically denounces and attacks people, things and events which are in direct opposition to my own beliefs. (Cool Ranch Dorritos, for instance, are ALWAYS the first to go when a variety pack is opened.) Good writing, but not a good thinker—this author apparently goes through life with her eyes closed. Obviously, she doesn’t think for herself much. Too bad, though. She could have been awesome.

When I started this book I wasn't sure if I could/would be able to finish it. I normally don't read horror or violent books. However, I came to care about the female characters and wanted to see how they grew and got out of their situations. I am very glad Ms. Dawson and her Mother were able to get out of their tormentors way. I enjoyed the references to the currant events happening. Keep those mosquitoes away.

Loved this book! Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC. This book had me gripped from start to finish and I stayed up way too late at night to finish it. Once I started, I couldn't stop. This story shows the resilience of a family of emotionally damaged, resentful, abused women who come together during a difficult time and allow themselves to heal together through a time when the world is falling apart.

I really enjoyed this domestic thriller so much more than I thought I would! I thought it was very well done. Great job of multi POVs and character development. I was really pulling for the underdogs. Highly recommend
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

LOVED loved loved this book.

The writing had me captivated from the start to finish, and I found myself reading it almost straight through one sitting. I look forward to reading more by this author.

Patricia, Chelsea, Ella and Brooklyn are family, very dysfunctional but still family. Patricia (formerly Patty) is the Matriarch. She was born into a middle class family, got pregnant at 17 and was thrown out. She learned to survive, and even thrive, being cold, distant and totally self involved. Her most recent husband is a philandering Judge who is very rich. He has just informed her that he is divorcing her and reclaiming everything she has of value, including her home. Chelsea is her daughter. She married young and Ella and Brooklyn are her daughters. She has allowed herself to remain in an abusive marriage because she had little or no feelings of self worth and did not know what else to do. Ella, at 17, is a senior in high school and has a boyfriend who is abusing her. It is set slightly in the future. Covid is no longer the danger it has been, but a new virus called The Violence has taken its place. This novel tells the tale of each one’s reaction to it and survival. I will not go any further into the plot because of spoilers but will tell any potential reader it is remarkably unusual and worth the read. Thanks to Net Galley and Random House for an ARC for an honest review.

I liked a lot about The Violence. The premise is fascinating...a virus creates episodes in people of mindless violence, usually culminating in them killing whoever is near them with their bare hands. Triggers are unknown (at least initially) and the people have no memory of anything they did after the episode.

What makes this story compelling is the way the author juxtaposes one of the main character's experience with the virus against her life as an abused wife. Domestic violence is explored, and the effect this has on children is also examined, as the story also focuses on her teenage daughter. Rounding out the generational view is the POV of the grandmother, a woman who has her own issues with abuse.

The women are all interesting and complex. The story is also interesting and takes some wild twists...I didn't expect pro wrestling to end up being a major plot point. What did not work, for me, was the inclusion of COVID and minor political commentary that did nothing to move the story along. I fear the story will feel extremely dated very soon due to the inclusion of these real world events. I can see why the author wanted that background to help support some of the decisions made regarding the book's virus, but it didn't quite work for me and felt shoehorned in. I would have much preferred a timeless story that focused instead entirely on domestic violence, cycles of abuse, and those female relationships at the core of the story, Maybe I just have COVID fatigue.

Thank you to Netgalley, Delilah S. Dawson and Random House Publishing for a chance to read this ARC for an honest review.

I love a good thriller, and horror and most books are unable to give me a good scare. This was an all together different situation for me.

While I did fall in love with some of the characters and I always root for getting away from abusive relationships and strong female leads... I could not get through the animal abuse or the intense abuse from the book.

I appreciate how realistic and involved you can get from reading what this Author pulled together and it was very well written, too well written for me! I felt every emotion you should feel and the pain the characters endured. Please check your warnings, as she does a great job pointing them out in the beginning before diving into this novel!

Trigger warning: this books main focus was regarding domestic abuse, both physical and mental.
For any female who has been a victim of domestic violence this book will be quite disturbing. It's the story of a mother, daughter and grand-daughters who all have had a history of abuse passed on from generation to generation by the men in their lives. It's also a story about a new pandemic that causes people to black out and violently kill someone near them and then having no recollection of it happening at all.
It takes place in the near future because they reference a president that screwed up the covid pandemic and had been re-elected. It's a strangely accurate description of what may come next.
I was uncomfortable with many parts of the book due to the way the women were treated but that was to be expected. Overall a very good story with a nice ending. Would recommend.

This was my first book by Delilah S. Dawson, and I can say with confidence that it will not be my last. I thoroughly enjoyed her writing style. The plot was done with perfection , the character development was done with precision, and the narration was flawless.
The Violence was a surprisingly excellent read. I was expecting campy and/or over-the-top gore, and while the gore was there (the camp, however, was not) what I ended up getting was much more than a typical horror story.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this e-arc.*

What if COVID is just the first pandemic? In The Violence, the next pandemic causes people to go crazy and kill one person they’ve decided is the enemy.

This was definitely a page-turner, and believable in a horrible way. It uniquely combines a pandemic after COVID, an intricate domestic violence situation and its influence on three generations of women, and society’s responses to violence in general. While these all summon strong emotions and reactions, they also send thoughts of possible options of what’s next in every direction. The big picture of the book had a few somewhat expected endings, but getting there was a suspenseful adventure.

Chelsea, her daughter Ella, and her mother Patricia all have their own conditioned responses to violence and power in their personal lives, but the violence pandemic gives everything a new perspective. Whether they were used to being in control, or thought they never could be, their interactions with the pandemic changed their ideas of what was possible repeatedly.

While it’s fair to warn of some, well, violent scenarios described in the book, personally the satisfaction of vigilante justice was worth it. I’d give this book 5 out of 5 stars. The characters and situations they dealt with felt realistic (if a bit choreographed for convenience near the end). I’d recommend this for those who enjoy contemporary fiction and family stories, but don’t mind some graphic depictions of violence.

The story starts off in post covid in the near future with a new virus dubbed the violence. The books focus is on one family....Chelsea, David and their two daughters. What truly happens behind closed doors and how the violence changes this family is what drives this book. There are moments of enthrallment but the majority was dull. A little chaotic in the story line with too many offshoots for my taste.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an ARC in exchange for my opinion.

heavy as all hell. and i mean that with all the respect i have. dawson really holds the domestic drama and speculative thriller elements together. a deft work

Just a fair trigger warning in advance: animal abuse, domestic abuse, mother/daughter familial issues, new pandemic and a great deal of violence beset this book.

When a book starts out with a harmless old lady murdering someone, you’ve got my attention. The Violence is, well, violent. A new epidemic is on the rise and it’s causing people to lash out with uncontrollable violence. In their fits of rage, an infected person will black out and only come-to after they’ve killed someone. Like with any new illness, there are many unknowns and at first it’s not sure what triggers the violence, how it’s spread, if it can be tested for or if it can be cured. If you are suspected of being infected, your taken away for months on end and if you know have it, you must turn yourself in. As the story progresses, we learn more about its spread, triggers, testing and vaccinations.

Chelsea is a battered housewife but the violence taking place in her home isn’t from the epidemic. When Chelsea sees a way out from the abuse at the hand of her narcissistic husband, she jumps at it and from there the story takes a complete turn. The story is told from three perspectives, Chelsea, her lousy mother Patricia and her seventeen year old daughter Ella. Every single chapter was a cliff-hanger and I found myself racing through this chunky book faster than I had thought I would.

I had a few minor grievances with the book, the major one being that the author really got on my nerves with the relentless political jabs. I don’t really care if an author puts political views in a story but regardless if I agree with them or not, it was pushy, continuous and unnecessary. To me it didn’t really contribute to the story any and I found that I was getting continually annoyed.

All in all I did enjoy it and rated this a 4⭐️ read. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my advanced review copy. The Violence is expected to publish in February of 2022.