“You can’t change other people. You can’t fix them. And frankly, it isn’t your job to.”
Every November disaster strikes in Wolf Ridge, a small town in Vermont. A hunger for violence takes over the whole place, always taking some victims. Last year, Wyatt lost her mum as she was murdered in their home. This year, her best friend Cash—the guy she can’t help but love and who also lost his mum some years ago—seems to have the “sickness”. A class project however, will force Wyatt to spend time with Cash’s nemesis Porter and put some distance between herself and Cash. She will also start to uncover some secrets about herself, her mother, and the town itself. She’ll start questioning everything in her life.
The premise of a haunted town, a place where people have an evil side and thirst for violence in them once every year was certainly exciting. However, whilst the execution was well done, something was lacking. The development and pace of the novel were very well done, the narration kept you hooked and the plot pulled you along from one chapter to another. But, some things felt rushed, especially towards the end, after some twists in the story take place. It gives very little time for a proper resolution since the mystery is resolved so quickly.
The characters were also well written and their emotions felt very real which is one of the strong points in the book. There’s a huge amount of teen angst but you can’t help but root for Wyatt anyway. Even though she definitely grows and comes to respect herself more by the end of the book, she could’ve done with a little bit more of character development. The other characters are also well portrayed and the relationships were interesting yet hard to read in some parts.
Since Taylor Swift is mentioned a bit in the book, it’s worth mentioning that actually, the song Tolerate It describes Wyatt’s relationship with Cash quite well. That struggle of wanting to be loved by someone who doesn’t really pay attention to what you do for them nor reciprocates your love towards them. On the other hand, her relationship with Porter, although not perfect, seems a little bit healthier.
Talking about unhealthy relationships, it must be said that The Violent Season is full of toxic and harmful behaviour. There’s this uncomfortable reminder that maybe people are inherently bad and everyone has some bad parts in them. With mentions of self-harm, suicide, murder, and sexual assault, this book could definitely be triggering for some.
Overall, The Violent Season is a very solid debut that explores dangerous relationships and the effects these can cause. It’s a novel that will keep you hooked all the way, the need to connect the dots to unravel the mystery paired with the fast-paced writing make it hard to put the book down. To be fair, you might not get exactly what you came for, and you’ll be left wanting more answers and development since the main aspect of the book is never really answered but you’ll be highly satisfied with what you get.
The claustrophobic and intriguing feel of this story as well as Walter’s ability to keep the reader on their toes the whole time makes The Violent Season worth reading. A quick, intense, and thrilling read good for those craving a book full of tension this spooky season.
The Violent Season is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of October 5th 2021.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
An unputdownable debut about a town marred by violence, a girl ruined by grief, and the harsh reality about what makes people decide to hurt each other. The Violent Season is a searing, unforgettable, and thrilling novel that belongs on shelf with Sadie and Girl in Pieces.
Every November, the people in Wolf Ridge are overwhelmed with a hunger for violence–at least that’s the town rumor. Last fall Wyatt Green’s mother was brutally murdered, convincing Wyatt that this yearning isn’t a morbid urban legend. but rather a palpable force infecting her neighbors.
This year, Wyatt fears the call of violence has spread to her best friend Cash–who also happens to be the guy she can’t stop wanting no matter how much he hurts her. At the same time, she’s drawn to Cash’s nemesis Porter, now that they’re partners on an ambitious project for lit class. When Wyatt pulls away from Cash, and spends more time with Porter, she learns secrets about both of them she can’t forget.
And as the truth about her mother’s death begins to emerge from the shadows, Wyatt is faced with a series of hard realities about the people she trusts the most, rethinking everything she believes about what makes people decide to hurt each other.
