Traumaland

Seventeen-year-old Eli has been in a near-fatal car crash. As the anniversary looms, his therapist and family struggle to help him deal with the fall out. The accident has left him emotionally numb, with no memory of the months following the crash.

Desperate to feel something again, Eli winds up at an underground club called Traumaland. But this is no ordinary nightclub. Here he joins crowds of other emotionally numb people, all seeking to experience a new thrill by entering virtual reality simulations of nightmarish scenarios through the points of view of various characters.

When he enters the story of a boy called Jack, he discovers a darker truth to the club. A truth that sets Eli on a dangerous journey to find the source of his own trauma.

Content warning: Contains strong violence and/or strong or discriminatory language. Listener discretion advised.

2026 The Carnegie Medal for Writing Outstanding book written in English for children and young people Long-listed

©2025 Josh Silver (P)2025 Bolinda Publishing

Reseñas de la Crítica

'As thrilling as it is heartbreaking, Traumaland grabs you from page one and never lets go. A true gem to be savoured and shared.' (David Arnold, New York Times bestselling author of Mosquitoland)

'An absolutely wild read which becomes tenser with each page, this operates on two levels – a captivating thriller and a deep delve into the way society deals with trauma.' (Ravena Guron, bestselling author of This Book Kills)

'Heart-breaking, unflinching and stunningly dark, I absolutely inhaled this book and can’t stop thinking about it.' (Kathryn Foxfield, author of Good Girls Die First)