I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Violence on February 1, 2022 
Three generations of abused women must navigate their chilling new reality as a mysterious epidemic of violence sweeps the nation in this compelling novel of self-discovery, legacy, and hope.
“A gorgeously creative and surprisingly gleeful story about the way violence infects every aspect of American life.”—Sarah Langan, author of Good Neighbors
“A novel that defines this era.”—Stephen Graham Jones, New York Times bestselling author of The Only Good Indians ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF 2022—CrimeReads
When Chelsea Martin kisses her husband hello at the door of their perfect home, a chilled bottle of beer in hand and dinner on the table, she may look like the ideal wife, mother, and homemaker—but in fact she’s following an unwritten rulebook, carefully navigating David’s stormy moods in a desperate nightly bid to avoid catastrophe. If family time doesn’t go exactly the way David wants, bad things happen—to Chelsea, and to the couple’s seventeen-year-old daughter, Ella. Cut off from all support, controlled and manipulated for years, Chelsea has no resources and no one to turn to. Her wealthy, narcissistic mother, Patricia, would rather focus on the dust on her chandelier than acknowledge Chelsea’s bruises. After all, Patricia’s life looks perfect on the surface, too.
But the façade crumbles when a mysterious condition overtakes the nation. Known as the Violence, it causes the infected to experience sudden, explosive bursts of animalistic rage and attack anyone in their path. The ensuing chaos brings opportunity for Chelsea—and inspires a plan to liberate herself and her family once and for all.
This book was really good, very tight, super intense… and I don’t think I can finish it. I don’t know what I was thinking when I requested it, other than I’m a fan of Delilah in general. Thrillers are not my cup of tea, usually. I’m anxious by nature so I don’t enjoy making myself extra tense for fun.
I think I got between 40-60% of the way through the book, and I’m tempted to do something I would normally never do: read the end and see how it turns out before continuing. This book is not rom-com, romance novel, happily-ever-after fluff. Despite having supernatural elements, this is *not* fantasy. It is deadly serious. Generational trauma stemming from emotional and physical violence is absolutely real, even if the Violence referred to in the book is not. Every generation somehow manages to find new and different ways to fuck up the next generation, and that fact seems to be the foundation of the whole story.
Having been in an abusive relationship in the past, and with choking being a particularly sensitive trigger for me, I simply cannot continue with the book knowing that David – the abusive husband and father – has a 100% chance of showing up again. I want to know how it ends. This book has been haunting me since I put it down several weeks ago. So when I’m feeling stronger I might just skip to the end to see how the story turns out so that I can hopefully let the whole thing go.
This book has such a good premise. It is absolutely saying valid and worthwhile things. Unfortunately, my personal history screams at me louder than the book’s message, so I won’t be able to finish this one. However, if you enjoy this genre and think you can handle the subject matter, I’d absolutely encourage you to give it a try.
