Reviews tagging 'Body shaming'

Post-Traumatic by Chantal V. Johnson

29 reviews

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

selfdubbed's review

challenging dark emotional funny 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Rape, and Self harm

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

pun1sher's review

3.5

Huge tw before I proceed to the actual review: if you struggle with body image or an ED, please make sure not to pick this book up in a vulnerable state of mind. There's graphic descriptions of disordered eating, body shaming and judging.
Most people won't like this book. To be honest I'm not sure if I did. In a way it reminded me of The year of rest and relaxation, but if the narrator wasn't so gross and annoying. Vivian was definitely a structured character. In parts she's hard to like, but at the same time I did emphasize with her

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder and Body shaming

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

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

muddymind's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Body shaming, Sexism, Panic attacks/disorders, Fatphobia, Rape, Misogyny, and Child abuse

Moderate: Pedophilia and Drug abuse

angelahambaobao's review

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective slow-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

5.0

Reading this book is like unapologetically diving into the deepest, worst parts of your brain.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Body shaming and Sexual assault

juliabrewer's review

challenging dark 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming and Eating disorder

raelong12's review

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective tense 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Sexual content, Fatphobia, and Body shaming

Moderate: Mental illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, and Child abuse