A review by kquixotic
Post-Traumatic by Chantal V. Johnson

dark emotional sad tense fast-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

3.5

I wanted to think carefully before writing this review because I struggled to like this book, but I felt like a jerk about that.

This is a very realistic (and sometimes TOO real) observation of the life of someone who has survived sexual assault, racial and gender-based trauma. I am generally compelled by such characters, but I was annoyed with Vivian as well as all of her friends. Admittedly, this could have been because I recognized a lot of myself in many of her traits. That’s something I’m willing to muck around in IF there’s a good story happening within and around the characters. 

But I kept looking for a plot and simply couldn’t find one. Every trail felt like a sub-plot, and I never understood where we were going. It just felt like gratuitous interloping in the life of someone (understandably) struggling with family, romance, career and mental health, literally to no end. 
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