Escaping the House of Mirrors

For readers compelled by Tanya Selvaratnam’s Assume Nothing or Carmen Maria Machado’s In the Dream House, comes this brutally honest telling of a woman’s escape from an abusive thirty-five-year marriage. Escaping the House of Mirrors is the documented, deeply personal experience of a survivor. It points to a particularly twisted brand of covert narcissism in which the disordered person successfully presents benevolence while effectively dismantling their partner in private. Here, the author's experience is brought to life with excerpts from her journal entries and conversations with her psychologist who helped guide her to emancipation and healing. The narrative aims to illustrate a path out of the fog for any target of narcissist abuse. The book pulls the curtain back on what this particular kind of covert abuse looks like, feels like, and sounds like. Commentary from experts underscores the narrative with current research on trauma and the effects of prolonged control and manipulation on the brain. The author takes a hard look at her participation in her abuse, explores the challenges of detection, and the price that is paid by all within the family system. Most importantly, she includes the strategies and resources that were most effective in her healing. The dark subject is approached with humanity, humor, and a hopeful message about the power of love, connection, and forgiveness.