Doomed

In 2011’s Damned, Chuck Palahniuk introduced us to a unique perspective on the afterlife via his character Madison Spencer, the deceased daughter of the world’s most popular acting couple. Spencer familiarized herself with the ins and outs of Hell, and came to find a sense of belonging that she lacked during life. In Doomed, Spencer returns to Earth as a ghost, and is forced to reflect on the world she knew while she was alive. The novel—part two in a planned trilogy—takes place largely in flashbacks, and Palahniuk takes unapologetic stabs at the hypocrisy and insincerity of celebrity activism via Spencer’s reminiscences on her family’s life, and raises questions concerning fate, morality and human nature along the way. Palahniuk, who became a household name after his novel Fight Club was turned into a film in 1999, has always been known for his shocking visceral descriptions, and Doomed is no exception. An episode from Madison’s childhood during which her grandfather’s penis is violently removed takes up nearly 50 pages.