Damned (novel)
Encyclopedia
Damned is a 2011 novel by Chuck Palahniuk
, which was published by Jonathan Cape (UK) on 1 September 2011, and published by Doubleday (US) on October 18, 2011. The plot concerns Madison Spencer, a thirteen year old girl who finds herself in Hell
, unsure of why she has been sent there for all eternity, but tries to make the best of it.
It is based on the structure of Judy Blume
novels, particularly Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. The author has described the novel as "if The Shawshank Redemption
had a baby by The Lovely Bones
and it was raised by Judy Blume
." and "it's kind of like The Breakfast Club
set in Hell." Palahniuk said the novel was written as a way to deal with the death of his mother from breast cancer
in 2009.
The novel was met with a number of highly positive reviews following its publication.
opens with Madison "Maddy" Spencer waking in Hell
, unsure of the details surrounding her death
(she believes she has died of a Marijuana overdose). Maddy quickly gets to know her nearby cellmates. The group (loosely modeled on the character traits in "The Breakfast Club
," ie. a rocker, a nerd, a beauty and a jock) take Maddy on a tour of Hell.
In Hell, Madison works as a telemarketer, calling the living during mealtimes and asking them to answer inane survey questions. Throughout the novel, we see Madison's interactions with the living as well as the dead as she tries to piece together the events surrounding her death, and figure out how best to cope with the idea of spending the rest of eternity in Hell.
Chuck Palahniuk
Charles Michael "Chuck" Palahniuk is an American transgressional fiction novelist and freelance journalist. He is best known for the award-winning novel Fight Club, which was later made into a film directed by David Fincher and starring Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, and Helena Bonham Carter...
, which was published by Jonathan Cape (UK) on 1 September 2011, and published by Doubleday (US) on October 18, 2011. The plot concerns Madison Spencer, a thirteen year old girl who finds herself in Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
, unsure of why she has been sent there for all eternity, but tries to make the best of it.
It is based on the structure of Judy Blume
Judy Blume
Judy Blume is an American author. She has written many novels for children and young adults which have exceeded sales of 80 million and been translated into 31 languages...
novels, particularly Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. The author has described the novel as "if The Shawshank Redemption
Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption
Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption is a novella by Stephen King, from his collection Different Seasons . It has been hailed by critics as King's "greatest work", and "masterpiece". The novella was adapted for the screen in 1994 as The Shawshank Redemption, itself a lauded film, nominated for...
had a baby by The Lovely Bones
The Lovely Bones
The Lovely Bones is a 2002 novel by Alice Sebold. It is the story of a teenage girl who, after being raped and murdered, watches from her personal Heaven as her family and friends struggle to move on with their lives while she comes to terms with her own death. The novel received much critical...
and it was raised by Judy Blume
Judy Blume
Judy Blume is an American author. She has written many novels for children and young adults which have exceeded sales of 80 million and been translated into 31 languages...
." and "it's kind of like The Breakfast Club
The Breakfast Club
The Breakfast Club is a 1985 American teen drama film written and directed by John Hughes. The storyline follows five teenagers as they spend a Saturday in detention together and come to realize that they are all deeper than their respective stereotypes.-Plot:The plot follows five students at...
set in Hell." Palahniuk said the novel was written as a way to deal with the death of his mother from breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
in 2009.
The novel was met with a number of highly positive reviews following its publication.
Plot
The novelNovel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
opens with Madison "Maddy" Spencer waking in Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
, unsure of the details surrounding her death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
(she believes she has died of a Marijuana overdose). Maddy quickly gets to know her nearby cellmates. The group (loosely modeled on the character traits in "The Breakfast Club
The Breakfast Club
The Breakfast Club is a 1985 American teen drama film written and directed by John Hughes. The storyline follows five teenagers as they spend a Saturday in detention together and come to realize that they are all deeper than their respective stereotypes.-Plot:The plot follows five students at...
," ie. a rocker, a nerd, a beauty and a jock) take Maddy on a tour of Hell.
In Hell, Madison works as a telemarketer, calling the living during mealtimes and asking them to answer inane survey questions. Throughout the novel, we see Madison's interactions with the living as well as the dead as she tries to piece together the events surrounding her death, and figure out how best to cope with the idea of spending the rest of eternity in Hell.