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sarahmore_books 's review for:
Sociopath
by Patric Gagne
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
OMG I loved this! The prologue already had me hooked! A sociopath therapist?? With a family she loves? I studied psychology and even I held the common misconceptions about sociopaths. I struggled to differentiate sociopaths from psychopaths, but this memoir served to teach me compassion and understanding for sociopaths that I never expected to learn, but I am so glad I did! It was a must-read for developing compassion towards a misunderstood group in society. The author (a PhD in psychology by the way) even cites that 5% of people are sociopaths! That demonstrates the importance of understanding and empathizing with such a significant proportion of society. They deserve understanding and emapthy as much as anyone else. I loved the analogy of sociopaths as emotionally-disabled, similar to those with learning disbailities. They care, they just care differently.
Themes: look beyond a diagnosis or label, if you can't find treatment you can create your own, advocate for yourself and find a way to love yourself as you are
Style (1): It was clearly written in the author's voice and it worked perfectly for the memoir. Her narration matured appropriately along with her age in the story and her humor and wit shone throughout the prose.
Plot (1): The author aptly chose moments of her life that depicted her struggles with sociopathy, including how it impacted her relationships (with her family, boyfriend, friends, clients). She also described her own attempts at self-designed "prescriptions" and solutions to address the overwhelming pressure sometimes arising from her apathy. Given the lack of support available to sociopaths and even the inept or often missing definitions of "sociopath," it was truly admirable and evoked compassion in me towards sociopaths.
Atmosphere/Setting (1): The setting fit all parts of the book.
Characters (1): The most developed character is clearly the author and FMC on whose life the memoir is based. Other characters remain somewhat superficial, but it wasn't missed since the FMC was so fascinating. Getting inside a sociopath's mind provided a unique insight that I never thought I would experience.
Enjoyment (1): Loved it! It was educational--a must-read--but it was also entertaining due to the author's honesty and wit.
Themes: look beyond a diagnosis or label, if you can't find treatment you can create your own, advocate for yourself and find a way to love yourself as you are
Style (1): It was clearly written in the author's voice and it worked perfectly for the memoir. Her narration matured appropriately along with her age in the story and her humor and wit shone throughout the prose.
Plot (1): The author aptly chose moments of her life that depicted her struggles with sociopathy, including how it impacted her relationships (with her family, boyfriend, friends, clients). She also described her own attempts at self-designed "prescriptions" and solutions to address the overwhelming pressure sometimes arising from her apathy. Given the lack of support available to sociopaths and even the inept or often missing definitions of "sociopath," it was truly admirable and evoked compassion in me towards sociopaths.
Atmosphere/Setting (1): The setting fit all parts of the book.
Characters (1): The most developed character is clearly the author and FMC on whose life the memoir is based. Other characters remain somewhat superficial, but it wasn't missed since the FMC was so fascinating. Getting inside a sociopath's mind provided a unique insight that I never thought I would experience.
Enjoyment (1): Loved it! It was educational--a must-read--but it was also entertaining due to the author's honesty and wit.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking
Minor: Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail