Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

Post-Traumatic by Chantal V. Johnson

21 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

chasinggrace's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective slow-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

Vivian is so relatable to the female psyche that you want to hate her, but you can’t, because staunchly hating her would ignore how much you have in common with her. 

The writing is refreshingly modern without being cringey (which doesn’t mean that you won’t cringe at Vivian, but to her credit, she is funny). 

I really think this book is a fantastic snapshot of the modern anxious woman and how she must navigate a world that is positively fucked. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Body shaming, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Forced institutionalization, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Rape, Classism, Medical content, Fatphobia, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Addiction, Sexism, Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, Racism, and Sexual content

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

stellahadz's review

dark emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

4.75

I loved the writing style of Post-Traumatic. Johnson articulates the main character Vivian's thoughts in a sharp and concise but also accessible and easily picturable way. Vivian has been through some shit, to put it mildly, but instead of focusing heavily on the traumatic events of her past, the book deals with the way they inform the present-day events of her life. There's something refreshing about Johnson choosing to focus on Vivian's development and how she learns to care for herself; it's an antidote to "trauma porn," which can sometimes feel overdone and somewhat voyeuristic. While Vivian's thoughts and behaviors are extreme, the way she relays her feelings and interactions with friends and romantic interests is deeply relatable. I especially loved the scenes where she and her best friend, Jane, discuss their lives and shared experiences. Post-Traumatic is a "slice-of-life" novel, but with a dark-humor twist. It's a fantastic debut novel and I look forward to reading more of Johnson's work.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Eating disorder, Sexual content, Child abuse, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Body shaming, Pedophilia, Homophobia, and Animal cruelty

schwelo's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

This is a story about surviving trauma, taking control back, and struggling when old coping skills no longer work. There are moments of darkness and anxiety, but it’s told with a kind of brutal honesty and wit that keeps you engaged in the story and understanding the main character’s perspective even as her life unravels and she finds a new path forward.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, Body shaming, and Child abuse

narbine's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective slow-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

I’ve never had a book retell PTSD & hyper-vigilance so well. The worrying that others are going to harm you. The weird feelings you get when you see affectionate parents and also scolding adults towards children. 
(minor spoiler)

The therapy scenes were truly well done as both a person who receives therapy and is a therapist. The questions of being a Black girl in therapy and wondering how the race of the therapist will impact your work.

There was a realness and rawness I have not experienced in other books before. The protagonist was messy and not always likable, but that’s what made me love her and root for her. Again, the realness and the ickiness that comes with humanity and trauma. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Body shaming, and Mental illness

Moderate: Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Eating disorder, and Infidelity

Minor: Animal cruelty and Police brutality

eslsilver's review

challenging dark reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fatphobia, Child abuse, Eating disorder, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Racism, Stalking, Rape, Toxic relationship, Drug use, and Kidnapping

sha's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

0.5

I liked a few quotes (hence the .5 stars), but none of the characters were likeable and the pace was so slow. Plus a cat was killed and that immediately makes it 0 stars for me. Also wow look at the tigger warnings. I wish I didn’t read this.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, Rape, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Body shaming, Drug use, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, and Toxic relationship

octobermontoya's review against another edition

dark funny reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Post-Traumatic is a survivor story, although it isn't always in-your-face obvious. The story revolves around Vivian, a straight, Afro-Latina, millennial lawyer/patient advocate who works in a New York psychiatric hospital. Most of the book follows Vivian as she contends with her relationship with her biological family, her attempts to self medicate with alcohol, weed, and men, and her eventual

PTSD diagnosis

. The book is full of Vivian's dark sense of humor, which she shares with her best friend, a queer Black woman (Jane) who is also a survivor. Vivian is relatable in that she's messy and anxious, and it's easy to root for her even when she's making embarrassing and unethical decisions. Before getting the audio book, I read a review which described Post-Traumatic as cool and stylish, and despite the seriousness of central themes of the book, I agree with those adjectives. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Alcoholism, Forced institutionalization, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Police brutality

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