Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsStop waiting just buy it.
Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2020
tl;dr SHORT, EASY, INFORMATIVE. BUY IT.
I would highlight the entire book given the chance - first time readers, maybe just stick with post-it notes and bookmarks unless you want a book filled with neon yellow pages. It has taken me 25 long years to fully realize the horrific circumstances I was raised under, and that said circumstances were NOT normal and NOT okay. As I am writing this, I am a couch surfing, homeless grad student. Believe me it is the FAR superior option compared to buckling under the abuse and manipulation I have endured for so long. It has been a scary emotional transition, but I can say with confidence now that I am no longer dependent on my abusive narcissistic parents. I am MUCH better off. I almost feel FREE. This book answered the questions I had, and reassured me that I am not the "crazy one" as it has been put so many times by my family. It gave me the courage to finally break away. I now have a fresh start, housing lined up in a few short weeks, and the entirely unexpected but greatly appreciated support of loving friends (I never in my wildest dreams believed I would be worthy of such support - another lie ingrained into my brain for decades).
If you're struggling with inner conflict, questioning if you're literally INSANE for thinking that maybe your parents truly DON'T have your wellbeing as their priority and instead are driven by their own narcissistic ego, BUY THE BOOK. Worst case scenario? It doesn't apply, and you can explore other avenues. It changed my outlook. It helped save me from an early grave. And it was a hell of a lot cheaper than the thousands I've spent on therapy (which of course, I still recommend!).
Good luck. You are loved and you are deserving of love, whoever is reading this.
2021 update: maintaining my boundaries and keeping the narcissists in the dark, I have earned my doctorate. i have a job lined up. yes, i am in ABSURD & DISGUSTING amounts of student loan debt to the tune of 6 figures and then some. but I am free. I am fully in control of my own life and will be the sole deciding factor in my own future. This book has guided me into navigating an adulthood determined by myself and not my narcissistic biological mom and dad - who would have had me on a much darker path. Particularly with drugs. and in case you're concerned, 6 figures is a STANDARD amount regardless of major these days in grad school.
