Post-Traumatic
Post-Traumatic is a 2022 American novel released by Little, Brown and Company. This debut from author Chantal V. Johnson was included on the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize longlist. The narrative follows a successful attorney working in a psychiatric hospital who contends with hypervigilance and intrusive memories rooted in a violent upbringing. Johnson completed the book while maintaining a full-time legal career. Upon publication, it garnered predominantly favorable reviews.
Plot
Vivian, an attorney based in New York City who advocates for mentally ill patients confined to institutions, privately endures Complex-PTSD symptoms caused by family violence. The novel juxtaposes this struggle with Vivian’s darkly humorous internal narration and her relationship with Jane, a close friend and Black academic.
After experiencing a distressing family reunion, Vivian severs connections with her relatives, prompting doubt among her friends and exacerbating her emotional turmoil. A public incident followed by a wellness check initiated by family concerns leads her to begin therapy aimed at confronting her traumatic past. During this period, she rekindles her friendship with Jane and embarks on writing fiction.
Reception
Vulture lauded Johnson’s "witty and maximalist" prose, drawing parallels to Sylvia Plath and emphasizing the novel’s sociopolitical commentary intertwined with personal unraveling. Publishers Weekly granted it a starred review, describing it as "brutally funny and poignant," while Kirkus recognized its thought-provoking nature but mentioned moments of excessive wordiness. The New York Times referred to the work as an "emotionally complex debut."
The Nation underscored the book as a significant examination of Black womanhood alongside trauma’s physical manifestations. Boston Review praised its portrayal of trauma as structural rather than purely individual or clinical, resonating with modern perspectives that approach mental health crises through systemic frameworks. The novel avoids simplifying trauma into a singular narrative, instead raising persistent questions about its essence.