Traumaland by Josh Silver is a thought-provoking and unsettling exploration of trauma, emotional numbness, and the human desire for thrills. Seventeen-year-old Eli, struggling with the aftermath of a near-fatal car crash that has left him emotionally numb and with no memory of the months following the event, is searching for a way to feel something again. His desperation leads him to Traumaland, an underground club where people like him—emotionally detached and seeking a thrill—enter virtual reality simulations of nightmarish scenarios, experiencing the trauma of others through the eyes of various characters.

As Eli immerses himself in the story of a boy named Jack, he uncovers a darker truth about the club and embarks on a dangerous journey to confront the source of his own trauma. The novel pushes the boundaries of YA speculative dystopia, with its unapologetic focus on teenage mental health and the harrowing effects of trauma. Silver offers an unflinching commentary on how society consumes trauma for entertainment—through horror films, dystopian stories, and the voyeurism of real-life tragedies in media—and challenges the reader to consider what happens when trauma becomes all too real.

What makes Traumaland particularly compelling is its ability to hold a mirror up to the reader, asking uncomfortable questions about our own consumption of others' pain. Silver’s exploration of the consequences of this behaviour is both disturbing and enlightening, making it an important read for those interested in the intersection of mental health, society, and entertainment.

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I didn’t love this. It was a bit too extreme and ‘out there’ for my liking, and I didn’t gel with the protagonist particularly well. Two stars from me, but thanks to the publisher for giving me access to this ARC in return for an honest review.

Josh Silver is back and better than ever. This brilliant sequel to Happy Head is just as enthralling as its' predecessor and I have no doubt will be just as big as it's successor.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of Traumaland by Josh Silver! I devoured this book in one sitting—I simply couldn’t put it down. From start to finish, the plot was gripping, filled with twists that kept me hooked.

The main character was so compelling, and I truly appreciated the way mental health was portrayed with depth and authenticity. Silver masterfully balances the tension, making every chapter feel like a heartbeat away from something explosive. And that ending? Completely unexpected and absolutely mind-blowing!

If you love psychological thrillers that keep you on edge, Traumaland is a must-read. Highly recommend!

I cannot thank OneWorld Publications & NetGalley enough for sending me an ARC of this phenomenal book, in exchange for an honest review - I have this minute also pre-ordered a physical copy of it because I am OBSESSED with this story!

I am lost for how to adequately express how much I love this story but without giving spoilers - and you should avoid spoilers if you can, because the mysteries unravelling throughout are truly masterful and I genuinely don’t want to ruin the journey for you.

We follow Eli’s first person perspective as he explores his own mental health and memory loss - delving into TraumaLand, a disturbing underground club offering experiences to help the emotionally numb to feel again. I will caution right off the bat that this book contains a lot of potentially sensitive topics around mental health & injury in heavy detail (I’ve listed other Content Warnings below, but those are the two big ones throughout the story). Other than that, I don’t want to risk ruining anything for you - you HAVE to experience this for yourself, it’s an incredible ride!

Josh Silver has made some very clever narrative choices (first person & fourth-wall-breaking narrative by the endearingly dark and sarcastic misfit MC Eli) that made this book all the more gripping, and hooks the reader immediately! The pacing for the first c40% is good, but then it suddenly ramps up and I couldn’t put it down. And the character work is wonderful, just the right amount of development (or sometimes lack thereof) to make the story hit home.

This is a perfect storm of wicked humour, pain, longing, mild horror and conspiracy - think old school Palahniuk, but with a more compelling & heartfelt plot, and incredible cover art! A truly unique, engrossing & devastating story, and I am very excited to rant at all of my friends about how much I loved it for years to come.

Given how many difficult topics this story involves, I am writing a pretty extensive list of Content Warnings below - but I must caution you that at least one of these may constitute a MAJOR SPOILER. I only include it for those who find CWs helpful, so if that doesn’t apply to you, please STOP READING HERE!


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Content Warnings including SPOILERS:


- alcohol use (briefly alluded to)
- bereavement including loss of a sibling (described in detail)
- car crash (crash, injuries & scars described in detail), and hit & run fatality involving a child
- chronic pain
- drowning
- manipulation & gaslighting by loved ones and by people in a position of authority
- mental health difficulties (described in detail throughout) - including being forcibly detained & physically restrained using unnecessary force in a psychiatric hospital unit - experiences depicted include PTSD, post-traumatic dissociative amnesia, disassociation, depression, emotional numbness, mania, psychosis involving auditory hallucinations & violent outburst
- suicide attempt and self-harm (acts not described in detail, but injuries/scars are)
- violence, torture, vomit, choking, blood & burns (all described in detail)

I had no idea what I was getting into with this book. I read the blurb, sure🤷🏽‍♀️, but that did not prepare me for this. And honestly? I loved every second of it. 🤯📖💥

One thing I really enjoy in books is therapy—characters actually facing their problems🗡️🛡️, working through them. Or reading about the emotions of characters and seeing how they articulate them. I don’t even know why I love it so much, but I just do. 🧠💭💬 And Traumaland🐇 started off right there. Then the mention of sociopaths and psychopaths had me skeptical 😬 because I’d read another book about sociopathic murderers before and hated it, so I was really hoping this wouldn’t be the same. Spoiler: It wasn’t. 🙌👏

This book is crazy. 🤯 I can’t even explain it. I just kept thinking, What am I reading?! in the best way possible. It’s so different, so genius. The whole idea of the “simulations”? Mind-blowing. 🧩🔥 My brain was working overtime trying to piece everything together, and I still couldn’t keep up. I never expected the story to go in this direction, and I was absolutely fascinated.

The suspense? Insane. 😱 The eerie, almost unsettling atmosphere? Perfect. 👀💀 I had chills at some parts because the tension was just that good. And don’t even get me started on the plot twists—this book does not let you breathe. 😵‍💫🔄 Every time I thought I had a grip on things, another twist would hit, flipping everything upside down. The unpredictability was next level.

It’s one of those books where you sit there when you’re done, staring at the wall like… What just happened?! 🤯🤔 I finished it and immediately wanted to reread just to pick up on everything I know I missed the first time.

Thanks Netgalley and the author for the ARC. 🐇💬💯🔥

This was a brilliant read, I couldn't put it down! It felt like I was wearing a Traumaland headset whilst I was reading it, the writing was so vivid.
In a landscape of endless trauma shows, it dealt with the subject of trauma as 'entertainment' in a very original and engaging way, it was like an episode of Black Mirror for young adults.
It is such a clever examination of society, both the concept of the 'quick fix' and how it can be weaponised by those in power and of the isolation that so many feel, when we are are seemingly more 'connected' than ever.
There was a point that I started to question the speed at which things started to get resolved, as it felt at odds to the rest of the novel, however after reading further it made sense.
I felt exhausted (in the best way after reading it), and am still thinking about the many questions that it poses.

Traumaland is a book that engages the reader and it becomes difficult to set the book down as it has heaps of intrigue and mystery. I found this novel much darker than previous works from this author. It left me with mixed feelings as the portrayal of mental illness seemed more of a spectacle rather than an authentic or compassionate reflection. I also struggled to connect with the main character, which made the ending less impactful.

3.5 stars
Great for fans of the tv show Black Mirror!
I really enjoyed the narration of the main character, very dead pan and apathetic. Great representation of mental illness and how trauma affects us. Unfortunately the story was let down by poor pacing. The beginning was a bit slow but not bad, but then at the 40% mark it became really rushed and I do think this should have been a longer book. It did slow back down to a medium pace closer to the end though. Plot felt a bit messy at times and I was originally going to rate this 3 stars but then the ending boosted it to a 3.5.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC to review.

Traumaland, a standalone psychological thriller by HappyHead author Josh Silver, is a brilliant and gripping read. Silver's own experiences as a psychiatric nurse brings a nuanced yet confronting perspective on how we process trauma, as well as the voyeuristic nature of humanity. I couldn’t put this novel down—the final shocking twist was well-earned and made for a deeply satisfying conclusion.

Traumaland by Josh Silver
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I've lost count of the number of opening sentences I've written and deleted for this review so far. I'm still processing and probably will be for a while. I also don't want to give too much away because Traumaland is plot-driven and full of potential spoilable moments. But it's also hugely character-driven and I could talk about Eli forever. As someone who has experienced trauma and therapy, I related to Eli maybe a little too hard. For a book with 'trauma' in the title, the narrative voice Silver has lovingly crafted for Eli is rich with dark sarcastic humour and hilarious asides that break the 4th wall, giving me major Fleabag vibes. I feel it's impossible to not fall in love with Eli immediately and that's really important for the story because you have to root for him. Frankly, if you don't, you're the psychopath.
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I realise I've not really mentioned the plot yet because I'm terrified of ruining anything for potential readers (PSA everyone needs to read this) but I will give you a glimpse. Eli is 17 and he's experienced head trauma following an accident that ensued as a result of his manic behaviour. He is left numb, literally unable to feel emotions. He's desperate to feel something, anything again but is convinced that the easiest way to do this is to force negative emotions by doing bad things. In the pursuit of this, Eli discovers a dangerous underground club called Traumaland where revellers get high on other people's trauma. But it's ok because the trauma is all fictionalised and acted out by professionals... Or is it? That's all I'm willing to give you. What I will add is if the quote "meet me in Montauk" means anything to you, you're going to want to read this book.
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There's no point being coy about this; Silver is a master at his craft. Happyhead and Dead Happy pushed some boundaries in terms of what YA speculative dystopia could be. His relentless focus on teenage mental health is honourable and extremely important in giving young readers the representation they crave and the reassurance that they are not alone. Traumaland goes a little bit further. What Silver does with this novel is show us how sick it is to revel in others' trauma, and then hold up a mirror to the reader to make us realise that's exactly what we're doing when we watch horror films, or read dystopian novels, or even watch the drama unfold on a British street in one of the popular soaps. We consume trauma for entertainment, but it's ok because it's not real. Silver asks what happens when it is real? Would we turn away?
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This novel is obviously going to come with some triggers, but if anyone needs reassurance before picking it up, a lot of the potential triggers occur off page. In fact, Silver leaves you to fill in a lot of the gaps for yourself, so you almost choose the level of brutality for yourself. Silver's experience as a mental health nurse means that he knows the effect this stuff could have on readers, and so he's very good at finding the balance of what to show and what to imply. I will never not read one of his books. Thank you to Rock the Boat for sending us a proof. It's already looking a little dog-eared as our librarians are taking turns with it.

I was so close to DNFinf this book, but I'm so glad I didn't as the literal next chapter blew my mind! This gives off very much Black Mirror vibes that I fell in love with once the story got moving. The ending left me in utter shock, and I will be needing a sequel!

3.5

Loved this book, loved the story, the characters, the twists and turns. Everything about it was just insane in the best ways!