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nordstina's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
In Post-Traumatic, Vivian is a lawyer working with mental health clients, and as the book progresses the reader gains more and more insight into her coping mechanisms for the trauma she experienced through her childhood (and ongoing strained relationship with her family as a result). It's an unflinching look at the mind and thoughts of someone struggling. She presents a front to others, for example heavily researching interests prior to having conversations in order to present an engaged and knowledgable front. She seeks validation particularly in men. She is incredibly focused on physical appearance and food (major trigger warning for readers as ED behavior runs rampant throughout the novel). We see her fragile supports falling away over time. This debut novel does an impressive job of entering the mind of someone struggling with trauma, and is willing to present Vivian in unfavorable light at times. She's a complex character, and I appreciate the journey the reader goes on with her.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Eating disorder, and Fatphobia
Moderate: Child abuse and Drug use
annreadsabook's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
POST-TRAUMATIC is a visceral and unflinching look at trauma and all of its dimensions, and overall quite the impressive debut novel from lawyer/writer Chantal V. Johnson. POST-TRAUMATIC intimately portrays one Afro-Latina lawyer’s struggle with both the trauma she sustained growing up and her family’s continued dysfunction.
Johnson’s novel seats the reader in the heart of a thoroughly non-linear struggle with not only the trauma of horrendous concrete events, but the ongoing trauma of being Black in the United States, where one’s life is constantly bombarded with a million small and large affronts and indignities. I found interesting Johnson’s question of what one owes one’s family, particularly applied to Black and brown people whose families are often wounded and divided by the State and other intervening forces. Can one live fully while still engaging with the people who were active participants in your trauma? Is cutting out of the family altogether the “right” solution? What is necessary for one to move beyond the pain—and is that even possible?
Sometimes the dialogue, particularly between Vivian and her best friend Jane, came across as unrealistically verbose and academic, and it felt as though the characters in those scenes were only vehicles for directly conveying the author’s own thoughts. I’m not sure it’s necessarily a problem in its own right, but from a stylistic perspective it could become a bit tiresome (although perhaps these moments were modeled on Socratic dialogue, which would make sense considering Johnson’s a lawyer!) I would also like to throw out a strong word of caution for anyone considering this book, as it deals very heavily with fatphobia, ED, sexual abuse, mental illness and forced institutionalization.
Overall, however, this is a strong debut and I will definitely be on the lookout for Johnson’s work in the future.
Johnson’s novel seats the reader in the heart of a thoroughly non-linear struggle with not only the trauma of horrendous concrete events, but the ongoing trauma of being Black in the United States, where one’s life is constantly bombarded with a million small and large affronts and indignities. I found interesting Johnson’s question of what one owes one’s family, particularly applied to Black and brown people whose families are often wounded and divided by the State and other intervening forces. Can one live fully while still engaging with the people who were active participants in your trauma? Is cutting out of the family altogether the “right” solution? What is necessary for one to move beyond the pain—and is that even possible?
Sometimes the dialogue, particularly between Vivian and her best friend Jane, came across as unrealistically verbose and academic, and it felt as though the characters in those scenes were only vehicles for directly conveying the author’s own thoughts. I’m not sure it’s necessarily a problem in its own right, but from a stylistic perspective it could become a bit tiresome (although perhaps these moments were modeled on Socratic dialogue, which would make sense considering Johnson’s a lawyer!) I would also like to throw out a strong word of caution for anyone considering this book, as it deals very heavily with fatphobia, ED, sexual abuse, mental illness and forced institutionalization.
Overall, however, this is a strong debut and I will definitely be on the lookout for Johnson’s work in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, and Forced institutionalization
travelseatsreads's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Post-Traumatic is an intense, messy and quite dark character study which focuses on trauma and the longstanding impact it has had on our protagonist, Vivian. This is a book which a lot of people may not get or indeed be in the right head space for right now but for those who find it at the right time it is a powerful look at the aftermath of trauma on the mind and body which will have a deep and meaningful impact. While it's not a book I can say I technically 'enjoyed' reading I certainly took so much from it and am so glad I read it.
It's quite astonishing that this is a debut novel because in all honesty the level of writing is quite unlike any I've read before. I was completely struck by how Johnson was able to convey the feeling of hypervigilance so well within the pages and on so many occasions I felt myself there at one with Vivian in a state of over analytical hyper vigilant stupor. The constant unease of hypervigilance is an incredibly hard state to even describe yet somehow Johnson makes it jump straight from the pages.
Trauma and its effects seems to be quite a fashionable topic within fiction at the moment, however, for the most part the stories are woven around a girl who is deeply broken, unable to function or even in some cases has resorted to enforcing her own trauma on others. Chantal deserves huge praise for showcasing a girl who has experienced overwhelming trauma and is still living. Sure, she may be damaged and have a multitude of bad coping mechanisms that cause her to make many bad choices, but within Vivian the author shows us someone can experience a huge amount of trauma and still be a fun, vibrant and contributing person.
Something which is also rarely spoken about normally yet is dealt with amazingly within Post-Traumatic is the concept of estrangement from a biological family or family members. On the rare occasion you see it referenced within books it's a throwaway side plot with little significance and is usually down to something trivial making it seem like a totally taboo concept. However, Chantal gives it the full fleshed airing it deserves and really questions at what point is blood thicker than water and when is the right time to step away. Post-traumatic highlights the importance of self-care and having the ability to walk away from hugely damaging situations despite the social stigma and creating your own chosen family which is right and safe for you.
Despite, the book showcasing such dark and intense subject matters there is an overwhelming sense of humour and wit bubbling through its pages. Vivian exhibits a survivor's gallows humour and is able to make jokes where others would shirk away in horror. Her deeply witty and satirical take on things shows to allow her to detach from her previous traumas and live some days with pure enjoyment and those moments are truly refreshing to read.
On top of the topics I've mentioned above the book also deals brilliantly with issues of race, intersectionality, shame, attachment issues and so many more of the other impacts trauma can have on a person but I have to stop typing at some point.
This can only be described as an essential read, it is an overwhelmingly brilliant debut unlike any I've seen before. Just please be mindful of your own headspace before going into it.
(Very happy to discuss trigger warnings or content etc. with anyone who is considering picking it up)
It's quite astonishing that this is a debut novel because in all honesty the level of writing is quite unlike any I've read before. I was completely struck by how Johnson was able to convey the feeling of hypervigilance so well within the pages and on so many occasions I felt myself there at one with Vivian in a state of over analytical hyper vigilant stupor. The constant unease of hypervigilance is an incredibly hard state to even describe yet somehow Johnson makes it jump straight from the pages.
Trauma and its effects seems to be quite a fashionable topic within fiction at the moment, however, for the most part the stories are woven around a girl who is deeply broken, unable to function or even in some cases has resorted to enforcing her own trauma on others. Chantal deserves huge praise for showcasing a girl who has experienced overwhelming trauma and is still living. Sure, she may be damaged and have a multitude of bad coping mechanisms that cause her to make many bad choices, but within Vivian the author shows us someone can experience a huge amount of trauma and still be a fun, vibrant and contributing person.
Something which is also rarely spoken about normally yet is dealt with amazingly within Post-Traumatic is the concept of estrangement from a biological family or family members. On the rare occasion you see it referenced within books it's a throwaway side plot with little significance and is usually down to something trivial making it seem like a totally taboo concept. However, Chantal gives it the full fleshed airing it deserves and really questions at what point is blood thicker than water and when is the right time to step away. Post-traumatic highlights the importance of self-care and having the ability to walk away from hugely damaging situations despite the social stigma and creating your own chosen family which is right and safe for you.
Despite, the book showcasing such dark and intense subject matters there is an overwhelming sense of humour and wit bubbling through its pages. Vivian exhibits a survivor's gallows humour and is able to make jokes where others would shirk away in horror. Her deeply witty and satirical take on things shows to allow her to detach from her previous traumas and live some days with pure enjoyment and those moments are truly refreshing to read.
On top of the topics I've mentioned above the book also deals brilliantly with issues of race, intersectionality, shame, attachment issues and so many more of the other impacts trauma can have on a person but I have to stop typing at some point.
This can only be described as an essential read, it is an overwhelmingly brilliant debut unlike any I've seen before. Just please be mindful of your own headspace before going into it.
(Very happy to discuss trigger warnings or content etc. with anyone who is considering picking it up)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
noaolivie's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Forced institutionalization
booksuperpower's review
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
2.75
Post-Traumatic by Chantal V. Johnson is a 2022 Little, Brown and Company publication.
The synopsis for this book is quite compelling, but I couldn’t have guessed the type of novel I was about to experience.
The story is hyper-focused on Vivian, a young woman who is a ball of live wires. Her backstory is – as you may have guessed- traumatic. As an adult, Vivian is trying to cope with issues stemming from her family, both past and present, as she navigates her friendships, romantic encounters, and her career.
Vivian is funny- despite the pressures bearing down on her, but I had to wonder if her sense of humor was more of a coping mechanism. Vivien is a sympathetic character, but could also be challenging and not especially likeable at time- and full on contradictions. I tried to understand and connect to Vivien, but the writing style made me feel like I was watching things unfold from the cheap seats instead of up close and personal.
As the story deepens, Vivien’s issues edge closer to the surface, and she spirals further into her anxieties and insecurities- fracturing the fragile grip she has on her life.
At the end of the day, I wasn’t quite sure how to feel about this novel. On one hand, I think I get what the author was going for, but on the other hand, I'm not sure the execution fully succeeds, or if a broader, mainstream audience will grasp it or embrace the writing style... Or it could just be me.
*The novel deals with self-esteem, mental health issues, and body image concerns.
The synopsis for this book is quite compelling, but I couldn’t have guessed the type of novel I was about to experience.
The story is hyper-focused on Vivian, a young woman who is a ball of live wires. Her backstory is – as you may have guessed- traumatic. As an adult, Vivian is trying to cope with issues stemming from her family, both past and present, as she navigates her friendships, romantic encounters, and her career.
Vivian is funny- despite the pressures bearing down on her, but I had to wonder if her sense of humor was more of a coping mechanism. Vivien is a sympathetic character, but could also be challenging and not especially likeable at time- and full on contradictions. I tried to understand and connect to Vivien, but the writing style made me feel like I was watching things unfold from the cheap seats instead of up close and personal.
As the story deepens, Vivien’s issues edge closer to the surface, and she spirals further into her anxieties and insecurities- fracturing the fragile grip she has on her life.
At the end of the day, I wasn’t quite sure how to feel about this novel. On one hand, I think I get what the author was going for, but on the other hand, I'm not sure the execution fully succeeds, or if a broader, mainstream audience will grasp it or embrace the writing style... Or it could just be me.
*The novel deals with self-esteem, mental health issues, and body image concerns.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use
Body image issues, frequent pot use
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