Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Post-Traumatic by Chantal V. Johnson

11 reviews

kimikreil's review

challenging dark emotional funny sad tense medium-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Rape, Child abuse, Cultural appropriation, Body shaming, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Violence, Addiction, Cursing, Drug abuse, Animal cruelty, Fatphobia, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Vomit, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Alcohol, Drug use, Misogyny, and Panic attacks/disorders

narrnaul's review

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

she is so real.
seriously this is a very reflective and emotional book. i’ve never seen someone so accurately describe how your thoughts can generate a sort of mental sinkhole that is very hard to escape and can sometimes feel endless. like that’s literally how i think too whoa!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Child abuse, Mental illness, Eating disorder, and Sexual violence

creativerunnings's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Cultural appropriation, Eating disorder, Classism, Death, Alcohol, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

jtpgdavey's review

dark informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Misogyny, Eating disorder, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Body shaming, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Fatphobia

Moderate: Cursing, Racism, Gaslighting, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Homophobia

Minor: Pedophilia, Lesbophobia, and Adult/minor relationship

sneha_sarcar's review

challenging dark emotional tense slow-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, and Mental illness

filmnoirz's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

the main character, vivian, was insufferable more often than not but it was so difficult to not be sympathetic towards her. not an excuse for any of her actions, but i understood how her past lead her there and even saw a bit of myself in her. the comments about fatness and body issues were harsh and uncomfortable, and the ending felt a bit rushed. however, i think it’s an interesting read that covers the effects of past abuse and the “obligation” to the family.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia and Eating disorder

Moderate: Drug use and Drug abuse

Minor: Violence, Child abuse, Sexual violence, and Physical abuse

siriface's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Grief, Mental illness, and Suicide

ebonyrose's review

dark emotional funny reflective sad 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

4.5

I have a soft spot for unlikeable, insane, wretched women characters in novels. I love them. Love when they are irredeemable, crass, and awful people. And, even so, the main character of this novel was almost too much for me. She was so...abhorrent. Judgemental, mean, vindictive, selfish beyond measure and very unpleasant. But Vivian was also sharp, funny, fierce and deeply traumatized. It was hard not to get pulled into the deepest and darkest recesses of her mind and not begin to root for her, just a little at first. And then a lot. Post-Traumatic has a meandering plot following Vivian's life as a psych ward lawyer, pothead and dating addict, but this is a character study first and foremost. The plot is really very secondary to the deep interiority of this novel.

I was struck by the writing in this novel. It is that distinctly millennial style - sharp and darkly funny, with such crystal clear and honest observations about people and relationships that it almost takes your breath away. So many moments in this novel where I'd stop and think I thought I was the only fucked up monster whose ever had a (weird/ violent/ bizarre/ scary/ devastaing etc etc) thought like that?! In the vein of Normal People, or Luster or Insatiable, reading this book was cathartic, frustrating, frightening, and illuminating all at once. I won't forget it any time soon.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Dysphoria, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Classism, Sexual assault, Violence, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual harassment, Grief, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Drug use, and Misogyny

jaiari12's review

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Fatphobia

Moderate: Child abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

katieb1034's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Rape, Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence