A review by thereadingraccoon
The Violence by Delilah S. Dawson

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Book Review: The Violence by Delilah S. Dawson


The Violence is a suspense novel with elements of horror and dystopia in a post-Covid Florida and the effect a new virus has on three generations of women. 
A new virus spread by mosquitos arrives in Florida just months after the Covid crisis. But instead of flu-like symptoms this disease causes the victim to go into an immediate and mindless rage that leaves anyone near at risk of being attacked and killed. Stay at home mom Chelsea uses the crisis to escape her abusive marriage and protect her daughters and turns to the least likely person to help, her own mother Patricia. But Patricia is trying to hold on to her wealthy lifestyle with both hands and her daughter and granddaughters don’t fit into those plans. All three generations of women will face their darkest fears over the coming weeks as the world falls apart around them and they will have to reinvent themselves in order to finally find out who they truly are. 
This is a gritty novel that features the darkest parts of the human experience. Both Chelsea and her daughter Ella are trapped in abusive and controlling relationships while Patricia traded her soul long ago for money and status. The random outbursts of violence are intense and gruesome and there are also animal deaths. The author kept The Violence from getting too grim by including some campy elements like Chelsea’s new career as a professional fighter and subtle digs to a past American President and current pop culture. 
Overall, this is a book that is hard to put down. There are plenty of disturbing elements but it’s also a story about family, resilience and being true to yourself. 
4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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