The actual review I put up on Amazon: 5 stars and positive comment (with my name on it and in today’s date, should you wish to read it). But rather than make it a repeat, it seems more useful here to offer food for thought.
Did you ever think, or know, that your father was affected from a young age by narcissistic personality disorder? Do you know what effects the narcissist has on his victims? It is terrible and inhuman what they can do to those around them: they consciously manipulate people for purely personal gain, they destroy them, and if anyone tries to oppose them they go so far as to kill (chilling but illuminating that icy ‘I thought you were going to shoot yourself’).
You were his most affected victim because you had enough character not to succumb and enough strength to try to stay close to him for years. She was his condemnation. Although the victims are not to blame: without help it is very difficult to realise who and what one is dealing with.
One cannot save oneself from these people except by fleeing and by completely severing relationships, there is no other way (this is what psychiatrists tell us), and in any case one comes out devastated and with very deep scars, it takes years to rebuild oneself.
That you were strong is shown by the fact that you are doing it: when you talk about it, you realise that the pain is still enormous, but just talking about it and sharing it is very good and helps a lot.
You have all my sympathy, I wish I could hug you and make you feel better. However, I can offer you some light: it’s very hard and it takes years, but you get through it.
With esteem.
Maria Cristina Piazza, 2/4/24
