Breaking Free of Manipulation

A Story of Struggle and Survival After Being In the Grip of a Psychopath

Non-Fiction - Relationships
78 Pages
Reviewed on 03/17/2018
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Lorraine Cobcroft for Readers' Favorite

''Melody'' (not her real name) survived a relationship with a man she believed to be a psychopath. In Breaking Free of Manipulation, she offers us a brief but useful combination of a personal story of her experience and advice for those who may face a similar challenge. Writing under a pen-name, and using fictional names, she wisely disguises identities to avoid defamatory comment or personal hurt to persons who may be connected in some way to the story. This does not detract from a story that others who walk in Melody's shoes may find reassuring.

Melody presents this book as a work of non-fiction about relationships. In her opening, she is careful to ensure that the reader understands this book is based on personal experience, and it is not the work of anyone with professional qualifications or recognized expertise in diagnosing or recommending ways to deal with psychopaths. Melody's goal is to assure others who walk on her path that their experiences are not unique, and that their fears and feelings are entirely valid. She presents, in plain and simple English, information she has uncovered by various means about the habits and behaviour of psychopaths and the likely effect on their victims, and she offers advice on how to defend oneself and how to escape and heal. She notes, correctly, that a fairly commonly-held view that psychopaths are violent, or engage in criminal behavior, is not valid. Like the ''Eddie'' in her story, most psychopaths inflict hurt through psychological manipulation. They play with their victim's self-esteem. They set up scenes to confuse and cause victims to mistrust their own judgements and beliefs. They toy with emotions. Their methods are often so subtly cruel that their victims misread this behavior and doubt themselves.

In a world where it is believed between 1 and 2% of individuals have psychopathic tendencies, one can reasonably hope not to suffer as Melody did, but forewarned is forearmed. And anyone already in a relationship with a suspected psychopath may well find, in Breaking Free of Manipulation, reassurance that their fears are founded and comfort that it is possible to break free and mend. If just one person is helped to find a way through the fog and into the light, Melody's efforts in writing this story will be proven worthwhile.

Emma

I enjoyed Melody's stories and liked how she treats a serious topic without sounding like a victim.