Post-Traumatic A Novel
Post-Traumatic A Novel by Chantal V. Johnson, published by Little Brown on March 21, 2023, is a 320-page exploration of personal and psychological challenges faced by a young lawyer. The narrative follows Vivian, who appears to be a success as an advocate for mentally ill patients in a New York City psychiatric hospital. However, beneath her professional facade lies a struggle with the memories of a difficult childhood and the pressures of her identity as a Black Latinx woman in America.
Readers will find a story that delves into themes of family life and the complexities of navigating trauma. As Vivian confronts her past, she grapples with her coping mechanisms, including humor and relationships, particularly with her best friend, Jane. The book presents a unique survivor narrative, blending elements of psychological fiction with humor, as Vivian embarks on a journey toward healing and self-discovery. Chantal V. Johnson’s debut offers a fresh perspective on resilience and the intricacies of personal growth.
Official synopsis Publisher
In this “deeply original” (Elif Batuman) and “violently funny” (Myriam Gurba) story, a young lawyer finally confronts her dark past so she can live in a more peaceful future.
To the outside observer, Vivian is a success story–a dedicated lawyer who advocates for mentally ill patients at a New York City psychiatric hospital. Privately, Vivian contends with the memories and aftereffects of her bad childhood–compounded by the everyday stresses of being a Black Latinx woman in America. She lives in a constant state of hypervigilant awareness that makes even a simple subway ride into a heart-pounding drama.
For years, Vivian has self-medicated with a mix of dating, dieting, dark humor and smoking weed with her BFF, Jane. But after a family reunion prompts Vivian to take a bold step, she finds herself alone in new and terrifying ways, without even Jane to confide in, and she starts to unravel. Will she find a way to repair what matters most to her?
A debut from a stunning talent, Post-traumatic is a new kind of survivor narrative, featuring a complex heroine who is blazingly, indelibly alive. With razor-sharp prose and mordant wit, Chantal V. Johnson performs an extraordinary feat, delivering a psychologically astute story about the aftermath of trauma that somehow manages to brim with warmth, laughter, and hope.
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