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A review by casie1014
The Violence by Delilah S. Dawson
3.0
3.5
There was quite a bit I liked about this book and a few things that I didn't. For one, I love a dystopian novel, set in the future where all hell is breaking loose and a virus that turns normal folks murderous hit the spot perfectly. The plot was clever and well-paced and after COVID, easy to imagine. I thought Dawson did a beautiful job painting the picture of domestic violence and the nuance of it being so much more than just physical abuse. She did a masterful job of showing how slowly but surely, the abuser takes over the victim's life until they feel like they barely exist. I also appreciated the way she highlighted Chelsea's abusive home life. Though not physical, it's easy to understand how she'd be ripe for the picking from a controlling, possessive man and even easier to see how she would think this is the way relationships are and how maybe she deserves it. The family element and general mistreatment of women were rich & well fleshed out and as a survivor of an abusive relationship, I felt a lot of the anxiety Chelsea was describing and feeling. I loved the way these elements were explored and I loved the cunning way Chelsea got herself free. The growth all the women show is incredible, particularly Patricia. While I know some reviews say that was a bit far-fetched, I respectfully disagree. I can absolutely see a scenario wherein reality smacks someone in the face and humbles them. We got to see a lot of her doing a lot of self-exploration, and tbh I wouldn't mind a book all about Patricia. I felt she was the most dynamic character in the book. Though a lengthy book, it never felt too long or laborious. With a few exceptions (see below), I never felt bored or like the story was dragging on.
Now for what I didn't like...Overall it felt like the author was trying to do too much with regard to touching on every hot button issue. We have misogyny and abuse, which were addressed masterfully and I even appreciated how she touched on the inevitable consequences of late-stage capitalism. What didn't hit for me was the harkening back to the disaster that was Trump, police brutality & corruption, classism, etc. I have no issue with any of these things being explored but they clearly were not the focus of the cook. She wasn't able to further bare out the full implications of any of these things, so it felt a bit trite and like she was trying to get it all in. In some ways it felt like performing wokeness for clout. (I would be considered a "woke" person, so I don't say wokeness as a slight, moreso the way it was done.) The wrestling bit, while I understand its function, was more than a little ridiculous and as a result, I skimmed a lot of that section. While I enjoy a happy ending as much as the next person, this one felt a little rushed. It's odd to say anything was rushed about a nearly 500 page book but I'm not sure how else to describe it. In some ways I knew a big reunion was what we were building to throughout the book, but once we got there it struck me as a bit too neat & tidy. It didn't seem realistic or particularly true to the chaos of the rest of the book.
Overall I would recommend this book and I enjoyed Dawson's writing style. I just wish she'd have picked one or two themes and stuck to them instead of trying to say something about every ill society has.
There was quite a bit I liked about this book and a few things that I didn't. For one, I love a dystopian novel, set in the future where all hell is breaking loose and a virus that turns normal folks murderous hit the spot perfectly. The plot was clever and well-paced and after COVID, easy to imagine. I thought Dawson did a beautiful job painting the picture of domestic violence and the nuance of it being so much more than just physical abuse. She did a masterful job of showing how slowly but surely, the abuser takes over the victim's life until they feel like they barely exist. I also appreciated the way she highlighted Chelsea's abusive home life. Though not physical, it's easy to understand how she'd be ripe for the picking from a controlling, possessive man and even easier to see how she would think this is the way relationships are and how maybe she deserves it. The family element and general mistreatment of women were rich & well fleshed out and as a survivor of an abusive relationship, I felt a lot of the anxiety Chelsea was describing and feeling. I loved the way these elements were explored and I loved the cunning way Chelsea got herself free. The growth all the women show is incredible, particularly Patricia. While I know some reviews say that was a bit far-fetched, I respectfully disagree. I can absolutely see a scenario wherein reality smacks someone in the face and humbles them. We got to see a lot of her doing a lot of self-exploration, and tbh I wouldn't mind a book all about Patricia. I felt she was the most dynamic character in the book. Though a lengthy book, it never felt too long or laborious. With a few exceptions (see below), I never felt bored or like the story was dragging on.
Now for what I didn't like...Overall it felt like the author was trying to do too much with regard to touching on every hot button issue. We have misogyny and abuse, which were addressed masterfully and I even appreciated how she touched on the inevitable consequences of late-stage capitalism. What didn't hit for me was the harkening back to the disaster that was Trump, police brutality & corruption, classism, etc. I have no issue with any of these things being explored but they clearly were not the focus of the cook. She wasn't able to further bare out the full implications of any of these things, so it felt a bit trite and like she was trying to get it all in. In some ways it felt like performing wokeness for clout. (I would be considered a "woke" person, so I don't say wokeness as a slight, moreso the way it was done.) The wrestling bit, while I understand its function, was more than a little ridiculous and as a result, I skimmed a lot of that section. While I enjoy a happy ending as much as the next person, this one felt a little rushed. It's odd to say anything was rushed about a nearly 500 page book but I'm not sure how else to describe it. In some ways I knew a big reunion was what we were building to throughout the book, but once we got there it struck me as a bit too neat & tidy. It didn't seem realistic or particularly true to the chaos of the rest of the book.
Overall I would recommend this book and I enjoyed Dawson's writing style. I just wish she'd have picked one or two themes and stuck to them instead of trying to say something about every ill society has.