Books about trauma and recovery? (Similar to Midnight Mass, Sharp Objects)

Hey, all! I'm working on a story, and would some suggestions of possible comp titles!

My piece tackles trauma and recovery. Specifically, recovering from long-term abuse; social isolation/mental health issues due to PTSD/suicidality; and survivors of toxic masculinity-based violence. My characters are ex-soldiers, with the military only present as an allegory for abuse that goes overlooked or misunderstood, and the "otherness" you feel after trauma leaves you changed. Definitely a recovering veteran story, with both characters trying to find a reason to heal, hope, and live again, after what they've been through.

Midnight Mass is a great example. I adore Flanagan's unflinching approach; written from his own experience, he's not afraid to show us the ugly, and let us see the full brunt of what his characters are struggling with. (Riley and Joe are perfect examples, even if their arcs are about addiction, rather than abuse/violence.) He gives it the proper respect and weight that I'm looking for, and the way the characters are literally haunted is fantastic. But my piece isn't fantasy or horror, so I need to veer away from the supernatural (even if I adore it).

Another piece that works well is Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn (and Gone Girl is next on my list). It's slow, lets us see the depth and truth of the brokenness, and has a comforting yet distinctly imperfect ending, which sealed my love for its honesty. It shows the ways we carry trauma, without being excessive about its characters' dysfunctions, yet still showed the ways our past affects us and informs our unhealthy decisions.

What's making my search difficult is that I see a lot of writers either glorify (DC) or gloss over (Marvel) character trauma, and only show what's 'pretty.' I don't want gritty grimdark for the same of it, but I do want honesty about the ugly. Other examples I can think of that handle the topic well are The Last of Us, The Bear, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and The Punisher. All of these characters are pretty morally grey, and they should be! They're not working on the same premise of functionality, and need to find new ways to cope and exist in society after what they've been through.

I almost found a good comp title with The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune. It would have been perfect, if it had ditched the premise of trauma that it ultimately failed to deliver. (Don't say a character's parents died in a murder-suicide, or include exceptionally-written flashbacks of their abuse, only to never bring any of it up again, or let it inform them in the current story.) With that piece, I found the approach cheapened the story, adding a traumatic origin almost for shock value, as a cheap ticket to buy reader sympathy, since it was never relevant. With the almost-entirely-fluff rest of the story, it felt extremely out of place, and even dishonest.

So that's my deal! Give me stories with good, honest, genuine trauma. Make it real, and let it explore how to find a new kind of healing, when you exist on the fringe of acceptable society. Whether it's books, or movies, or shows, hit me with anything you've got. I'm eager to find some great pieces! 😊