The Damaged by Simon Law is a psychological thriller that blends in an eerie dose of horror. Drawing from a natural disaster that actually occurred in 1987, he builds a plot that is as dark as it is disturbing. A young boy faces two tragedies at once leaving him damaged beyond repair, while giving him a great distaste for men who live on the street. The book might start with a relatively soft undertone, but as it progresses the tone transforms into something completely different.
The year is 1987 and Matthew is as happy as a young boy can be. He’s the only child of two loving parents and he doesn’t have a care in the world. But as Britain faces the worst storm in over three hundred years, he senses that something is going to change. However, instead of losing his parents to the storm, they are brutally murdered by a tramp who is in search of shelter, leaving Matthew traumatized and mentally unstable.
Twenty five years later Matthew is released from the mental institution and is assigned a nurse, Tammy. Twice a day she makes rounds to his house in order to administer his medication. Unfortunately, Tammy is so caught up with her own demons that by the time she realizes Matthew hasn’t been taking his meds, it’s too late. Apart from becoming obsessed with Tammy he is out for revenge.
One thing that is painfully clear as I reached the middle and end sections of this book is the transformation that takes place. The reader cannot help but sympathize with the young boy who wets his pajamas as the blood of his mother gathers around his feet. The same can be said for Tammy, given her own personal loss. But this sympathy is short-lived as Matthew gives in to the “demon” that follows him as Tammy retreats into a self-absorb way of thinking.
Praise has to go to the author’s gradual pacing of the story, in addition to his choice of words. With great patience he drags the reader into a dark place where agony and pain becomes part of everyday life. What impressed me the most is his ability to speak through the mind of Matthew and the way he rationalizes. His interpretation of somebody with such psychological damage is very convincing.
Not to give away any spoilers, but at some points Matthew speaks to his mother. He even envisions what she looks like naked, which makes him aroused. Matthew reacts with disgust of course, but it says a lot about his mental condition and the effect her death had on his mental stability. There are also some parts where the reader will have to make the connections. For example, is the demonic entity that speaks with Matthew real or is it simply part of his condition?
It’s gruesome, unnerving, captivating and suspenseful, all the makings of a classic tale! Some pages will be harder to read than others and the reader should expect moments where the stomach turns in a hundred different directions. Frankly, it’s difficult to think that there are horror fans who won’t enjoy this book, because Law doesn’t alienate his readers with complicated phrases. Instead, he maintains a quality everyone can appreciate.
Reviewed by Damnetha Jules
Damnetha is a staff writer, horror book and movie critic.
Simon Law, Author, was born October 23 1983 in the town of Crawley, Sussex, England.
Law first became a published writer in 2009 with the release of his début novel ‘Bringing Forth the End of Days’, an apocalyptic novel set in his home town of Crawley. Although his early works were mainly Science Fiction, Law now concentrates his writing primarily in dark fiction and horror. During his studies at the local community college, Law focused his education mainly on maths and science, obtaining high qualifications in both, but says he only discovered his passion for writing later in life. After leaving college in 2001, Law became part of a small film production team and was involved in many low-budget productions such as ‘Attack of the Martian Dinosaurs’ and others, before the team finally disbanded in 2007. In his spare time, Law likes to dabble in photography, animation, and music production. He is an avid fan of Stephen King, Richard Laymon, and dean koontz, and also enjoys classic literature from authors such as Edgar Allen Poe, Bram Stoker, and H.G.Wells.
