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A review by honeyreads1066
Post-traumatic by Chantal V. Johnson
challenging
emotional
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
3.0
I wanted to read more contemporary fiction and I thought this would be the one for me. While I found it interesting and finished it, I think I just expected to like this significantly more.
This book follows Vivian, a lawyer with a dysfunctional family and a dysfunctional way of thinking. After it all becomes too much she begins to spiral blowing up her life in the process.
One thing I did love was the way Vivian was written. Getting into her head felt so much more intimate than in other books I've read. Her thinking I didn't agree with and also the way she after but she felt real and messy and I was so engrossed by her that I felt embarrassed and hurt when certain things happened. Honestly, that is the way to write the main character. While I didn't like her which I never do with main characters anyways I did find myself rooting for her towards the end and sympathies and empathising with her.
I also loved the monologues that Vivian had. Vivian as a character was aware of the way she sounded when she went off on one but honestly, I didn't mind it. It felt like talking to someone significantly smarter than me and some bits of it made me think about my perceptions of certain things which I appreciate. There were certain interests she had that went completely over my head but that was hardly a big issue.
I think I expected more to happen in a way. The way this seemed was that some massive event makes Vivian spiral and from then it gets a bit crazy but it was very much a build-up thing. I just wished that something bigger happened to prompt the later events and I found myself halfway through hoping something big would happen.
Also, the ending felt a bit rushed and unfinished. I felt like a lot was skipped through very quickly and I wish there was some more time spent on Vivian's healing, I think I would have benefitted a lot from that. Also in the same vein, there were some things that I wish there was a little more depth put into. A lot of Vivian's past experiences affect the way she acts now but they seemed very glossed over.
Overall I got a lot more out of this book than I didn't expect. I did enjoy it and would recommend it, especially so I can discuss it with someone else.
This book follows Vivian, a lawyer with a dysfunctional family and a dysfunctional way of thinking. After it all becomes too much she begins to spiral blowing up her life in the process.
One thing I did love was the way Vivian was written. Getting into her head felt so much more intimate than in other books I've read. Her thinking I didn't agree with and also the way she after but she felt real and messy and I was so engrossed by her that I felt embarrassed and hurt when certain things happened. Honestly, that is the way to write the main character. While I didn't like her which I never do with main characters anyways I did find myself rooting for her towards the end and sympathies and empathising with her.
I also loved the monologues that Vivian had. Vivian as a character was aware of the way she sounded when she went off on one but honestly, I didn't mind it. It felt like talking to someone significantly smarter than me and some bits of it made me think about my perceptions of certain things which I appreciate. There were certain interests she had that went completely over my head but that was hardly a big issue.
I think I expected more to happen in a way. The way this seemed was that some massive event makes Vivian spiral and from then it gets a bit crazy but it was very much a build-up thing. I just wished that something bigger happened to prompt the later events and I found myself halfway through hoping something big would happen.
Also, the ending felt a bit rushed and unfinished. I felt like a lot was skipped through very quickly and I wish there was some more time spent on Vivian's healing, I think I would have benefitted a lot from that. Also in the same vein, there were some things that I wish there was a little more depth put into. A lot of Vivian's past experiences affect the way she acts now but they seemed very glossed over.
Overall I got a lot more out of this book than I didn't expect. I did enjoy it and would recommend it, especially so I can discuss it with someone else.