Traumaland

Fresh from the success of his dystopian HappyHead series, Silver’s new novel is a mind melting psychological thriller which delves into the stark realities and scars of mental health and trauma, juxtaposing them with a sinister virtual reality. This is fuelled by a visceral horror movie scape that is being manipulated for nefarious ends.

With twists and turns and skulduggery reminiscent of Tom Pollock’s White Rabbit, Red Wolf, troubled teen Eli navigates his damaged psyche and uncovers dangerous secrets and lies following a serious accident. Hoping that his therapist Melinda can help him heal, he is frustrated and becomes fixated by trying to feel emotions again. This leads him to risky behaviour as he goes down the rabbit hole to find the opposite of wonderland. Sucked into a nightmarish immersive underground club called Trauma Land where people go to vicariously experience horror and fear Eli faces rows of doors and choices like a monetised version of the 1980s interactive storytelling format. Drawn to a mysterious boy called Jack, he thinks he might be able to unlock his lost memories. But can he handle the truth?

Cranking up the tension, like with HappyHead, Silver takes the reader on a challenging journey where they don’t know whom to trust. Influenced by his work as an actor and new career as a mental health nurse, there are elements of both these arenas in this stirring novel. The theatrical iconography of Trauma Land is startlingly reminiscent of 1990’s film Donnie Darko, which is about a sleep walking teen haunted by the image of a demonic rabbit. It also draws on the dystopian world of The Matrix while Eli’s attempts at recall also bring to mind 2000’s Memento where the unreliable narrator tries to piece together what has happened.

Cinematic references abound with slasher movie cosplay and disturbing imagery amidst a Fight Club vibe. Using a structure of flashbacks and a Chinese box story effect, Silver creates a frightening study of the human need to be scared, the manipulation of vulnerable teens and the exploitation of the mind. Not for the faint hearted it even keeps the reader guessing at the end. Traumaland is a breathless roller coaster ride through a twisted virtual reality world where everything is not as it seems. Aptly reflecting concerns about the ethics of augmented reality in the 21^st Century, it asks what would happen if the craving to feel alive was taken too far and will appeal to older teens looking for a stimulating, thought provoking thriller with tender queer representation.