Easily my favourite read of the last 3 years.

As a survivor of domestic violence, and a woman who has been gaslit, manipulated and coerced through my teens into my 30’s, I wasn’t sure how well I would handle this book, but it was unputdownable.

Every girl over the age of 14 should read this to help steer them into understanding just how gaslighting works. Delilah writes Ella in a way that will resonate with teenage girls, and allows women to recognise their younger selves.

Every boy over the age of 14 should read this to understand when their behaviours are NOT ok. Ella’s boyfriend is a text book character that most people will have experienced in one way or another.

As for Momster- she is everything you tell yourself you won’t be when you grow up, until it happens to you. She is tangible, relatable and you are cheering her on through every battle, physical and mental.

The Violence itself is a terrifying concept written into an incredible adventure, too real to be post-apocalyptic but just enough out there to make you think it could happen.

I absolutely loved this book, thank you Delilah.

Why is it that when men act out it’s always someone else’s fault?”

Chelsea is trapped in an abusive marriage to David. Every day, his belittlement of her and his anger increases. Their two daughters Ellie and Brooklyn know to sleep with a baracade at their bedroom door. Her mother, Patricia, cares more about her status at the country club than the danger Chelsea is in. It’s an impossible situation. That is, until a new pandemic appears. People are silently attacking and killing people with their bare hands. Will Chelsea who is already all too familiar with violence, find an escape in a pandemic?

At 576 pages long, The Violence isn’t a quick read, nor is it an easy read but it certainly is a gripping read. The plot unfolds through Chelsea, Ellie and Patricia’s narratives and each holds a mirror up to society and how women can be treated as second class citizens, property and status symbols throughout their life. There is a strong feminist message throughout and lots of salient passages that I found myself highlighting as I read. The experience of reading The Violence is a bit of an antithesis for me- the tension and the gore in the book makes for uncomfortable reading, but at the same time, some of the characters are so awful that actually I wouldn’t shed any tears if the were the victim of someone “storming” whilst infected with The Violence.

It was a bit far fetched at points and a little repetitive at others but the characters arcs were spot on and I loved how my opinion of one of the characters changed as the chapters stacked up. The ending was fantastic.

It’s a good addition to the thriller, speculative and dystopian genres. I am glad I read it and it will stay with me for a while, I am sure.

Quick, there’s another pandemic only this once causes uncontrollable violence. Fortunately there’s a warning about animal cruelty so I was able to avoid it despite it all being retold again later in the book. All the men were brutes and all the women doormats in this extremely l o n g missive. I for one am getting very bored with authors whether it be fact or fiction who must push their own beliefs and ideologies. As far as I’m concerned it’s absolutely pointless as it all gets skimmed! The story would have been so much more powerful had it been a novella or at least condensed to a third of its current length.

*Spoilers*An expertly crafted novel about violence and abuse, written with sympathy to those who have been abused, and unknowingly carry it on.

I liked how all three POV characters went from suffering their very different abuses to standing up to them, or realising how they've continued the cycle of abuse. Each one represented the beginning, the middle and end of how abuse effects someone. I think this shows that, no matter where you are in the cycle, there is always a way to escape it. It's not easy, as the book shows, but it is possible.

I liked the arcs of Chelsea and Ella, who made tough choices but they felt like the right ones.

I considered Chelsea to be the main character, who's actions drove most of the plot forward. I loved how she ended up joining a wrestling group.

My favourite transformation was Patty, who at first appears uncaring and nasty, but as the story went on you began to understand why. The fact that she reverts back to who she always was meant to be, rather than the mask she'd created, was really enjoyable to see. I also really enjoyed reading about her relationships with Brooklyn.

The ending was really satisfying, and I liked how the main villain was simply defeated. It gave weight to Chelsea's emotional journey, and didn't undermine it by having David almost win in the end. It was exactly the way the story should end, and left me very happy.

Delilah S. Dawson's novels are always a joy to read, even when dealing with difficult themes. She takes care with her characters and stories, and I always look forward to reading her work.

The story is told from multiple POV, mainly from Chelsea, Ella and Patricia. We follow these three women as they set out on a journey of self-reflection and growth. Each woman's storyline is powerful and heartwarming, I couldn't help cheering for all of them.

The beginning of the book was a chore to get through and some parts are drawn out to long. At first I felt the wrestling storyline was a little far fetched, but it actually works. I am glad I hung in there because it really is an interesting plot and it gets much, much better.

This is a great book if you like thriller/horror but it has many trigger warnings.

I absolutely LOVE everything about this book and have recommended it to three different people before even finishing it. This is such a story of triumph and love. I feel like I can't say more without spoilers, but you need to read this book.

Don't be intimidated by the title, just dive in. But do it in the morning, because you just can't put this book down. For every woman sobbing in the bathroom, wondering what she did wrong, why it was her fault, THIS ONE IS FOR YOU. A triumphant story of a future pandemic, a woman escaping a violent abuser, stumbling into a group of other broken toys, and emerging a BLAZING PRO-WRESTLING STAR. (And for those, like me, who didn't understand before, it explains why people love pro wrestling). Buy this book, pass it around to your daughters and friends.

I really loved the storyline of this novel, even in parts where I thought things were about to take a drastic downturn. I was not a fan of the main character, she was either too meek or too outlandish, but the rest of the characters were well developed and likable.

My only complaint with this novel was the CONSTANT political references. Apparently every issue, both real and fictional, were president Trumps fault. I felt the repeated jargon took away from the storyline.

WOW. The Violence takes zero expected turns, and you just have to hold on for the ride. It's a story of unwinding generational curses, of surviving--but not just surviving. THRIVING. A family of women let down by the ones who were supposed to protect them find their own ways through the Violence pandemic to come to terms with their roles in each other's lives. Two mothers learn how their actions or inactions have affected the younger generation. Ella, the elder daughter, finds her own strength in a way that is heartbreaking and inspiring. And 5 year old Brooklyn, the younger sister, is a perfect baby angel who must be protected at all costs, even while those she loves lose everything they knew and create something stronger while they navigate the second pandemic in 5 years.

Chelsea is an absolute triumph, and so is this book.