Reviewed by Rod McLary
Dead Happy is the sequel to HappyHead which told the tale of Sebastian Seaton [Seb] who, along with ninety-nine other teenagers, was sent to a new and radical program to solve ‘the national crisis of teenage unhappiness’. Through a course of gruelling challenges, Seb discovers that he has qualities which up until then were unknown to him – determination, resilience and intelligence. Seb also forms a romantic relationship with Finn the ‘bad boy’ of the group.
Together, Seb and Finn begin to suspect that HappyHead is not all it claims to be. They learn that some staff have subverted the program into one of eugenics where the ten most successful of the teenagers are paired for breeding purposes. At the conclusion of the HappyHead program, these ten teenagers [five couples and collectively called ‘The Ten’] are sent to ElmHallow – a small isolated island – for the next part of their journey. Seb’s partner is Eleanor who is determined to win any and every challenge to claim the ultimate prize – and will drag Seb along with her if she needs to.
But underpinning all of what Seb says and does is the question: where is Finn? The reader soon finds out. Finn is one of the ‘Bottom Percentile’ – those five teenagers who performed least well at HappyHead and are now at ElmHallow to serve the ‘Ten’. Finn has been allocated to Seb and Eleanor.
Thus the scene is set for a dystopian thriller as Seb realises more and more the extent of the contamination of the original program into one which is far more sinister and dangerous. Told in Seb’s unique and engaging voice, the tale unfolds, and it is one of emotional manipulation and coercion as the Ten are put through challenges which to the reader are frightening and possibly deadly. Seb is an engaging protagonist and has a sharp sense of humour which serves him well as he deals with these challenges. Adding to the authenticity of his speaking directly to the reader are the asides he makes as he conforms to the expectations of the program while telling us the readers what he really thinks.
The author – Josh Silver – has freely spoken of the mental health challenges he has faced through his life; and empathises with young people – especially LGBTI teenagers – who are experiencing similar challenges. Seb although a fictional character also struggles with his mental health and his journey through HappyHead and ElmHallow could well be read as a metaphor for his life journey. The narrative is told with sensitivity and authenticity – and the reader feels with Seb and his compatriots the struggles they experience as they attempt to please their leaders.
The obverse side to this is the treatment meted out to the ‘Bottom Percentile’ – those who are identified as the failures. Again, perhaps a metaphor for how society perceives those who are less successful and how they are marginalised and discriminated against.
Dead Happy, while primarily pitched at the YA demographic, has a broader appeal with an engaging protagonist with a romantic interest, a thrilling and dystopian narrative, and a happy ending. What more could a reader ask for.
Dead Happy
[2024]
by Josh Silver
Rock the Boat
ISBN: 978 0 86154 782 1
$19.99; 408pp