The Seducer, by Claudia Moscovici, is a novel about a psychopath. But it’s not a Hollywood-style psychopath who stalks unsuspecting strangers to commit ritual murder. This story is much closer to reality—the reality that many of us were horrified to discover.
The author, Moscovici, knows of what she writes, because she lived through her own nightmare with a psychopath. Because of her experience, she created the Psychopathy Awareness blog, to help people learn about these human predators.
Her thorough understanding of this disordered personality is apparent in the book. The Seducer tells a compelling story of how the psychopaths who live among us pursue their agendas, and how their unknowing targets react.
Michael is young, handsome, clever and has only one real objective in life—sex. Women exist only for his personal gratification, and he is always in pursuit of gratification. Yes, he has a fiancé, Karen, whom he keeps around as a backup plan while in search of other adventures. Then he meets Ana, who is married, although the spark left her marriage long ago. Suddenly Michael has a new goal—making Ana his. He turns on the charm, and Ana responds.
Because this is a novel, Moscovici has the luxury of taking us wherever she wants, and she takes us into the heads of the predator and his targets. The cold, calculated way in which Michael decides his next move is disconcerting, but probably accurate for a certain segment of psychopaths. The reactions of Karen and Ana will certainly ring true for readers who found themselves caught in psychopathic webs.
The story itself is compelling—I always wanted to know what would happen next. Moscovici gradually builds the tension until the surprise twist at the end, which left me feeling like I’d been punched in the stomach. But I also knew the ending could have happened in real life.
From a storytelling perspective, The Seducer is a good read. For those of us who have endured disordered romantic partners, it is validating. And if someone doesn’t really know what a psychopath is, this book can serve as a good education
The Seducer, by Claudia Moscovici, is available on Amazon.com.
Near
She created that blog?! I have known about that blog for a long time now, and I think it was even mentioned on this site before.
Still, I think that blog is very informative. I still like to read it. I was not aware of this book, though. Sounds like it may be fun, but I’m not too sure it’s my type of book.
Although, I do like the sound of some sections from the sociopath’s point of view. I always like when the story takes the perspective of the Less-than-good character.
I bet some people here may be able to relate to it, which may allow them to enjoy it more… Wait, no, that came out wrong. Not enjoy, but.. um, maybe intrigue them more. 😛 It might make some people uncomfortable, though.
I can’t relate at all. I was never in a relationship with a predator. Well, not a romantic relationship.
darwinsmom
It was Claudia’s blog I furst stumbled upon that nailed it for me that I had just been ditched by a psychopath a year ago… something Hare’s list and Wikipedia unfortunately could not do. It’s not that these lists aren’t accurate, but it’s hard to regard someone as unempathic when you’re still mentally in the gaslighting web without precoius victim examples. I totally divulged every bit of info she had on her blog about it, which I soooooooooooooo totally recognized and thought “Yes! Yes! Oh My! He did that too, exactly as described!” and it’s through that blog I found lovefraud.
I read the parts of the book that you could read as preview, but in the end I couldn’t read too much of it. Triggered me back then! It was all too fresh then and I was wrapping my brain around the realization what I had escaped to want to read a fictional tail of emotional turmoil and attraction back then.
It Takes 2
I really like Claudias Blog. Its been very helpful!
It Takes 2
I’ve been reading Lovefraud since I googled the characteristics of what I thought best described a man that I used to know and was very close too. I had no idea what a Sociopath was, never had to know until Him. That was 1.5 years ago.
I’m so extremely grateful for Lovefraud and Claudias blog for pulling me out of the dark. If not for these sites I might never have understood what was going on with Him and pulled myself away.
snowwhite
I read the seducer…..it depicted my story so accurately….except for the ending ….thankfully! I was stunned as I read it….couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Claudia KNOWS exactly how they operate. It’s chilling. I read it when I was about 1 month NC and it really helped me be thankful i escaped the path. I still have now Nd then bouts of cognitive dissonance as I learned through Jennifer st Sandra Browns institute. Phone therapy sessions with her at the institute for relational Harm…are amazing. Finally I found a counselor who know exactly what I’m experiencing. If you can afford the $65 hour sessions, it’s sooo worth it!
Snow p
It Takes 2
Its my story too I’m afraid. I would like to read the book.
I’ve been NC for almost a year but even so I’m amazed how only 2.5 years of knowing the creep continues to haunt me. I suppose it is mostly to do w the Love Bombing phase and then rehashing the bad behavior and trying to figure out how/when/why he acted so differently later on. Not knowing what they are is what makes us crazy until we google and discover the answer. Who knew?! So I excuse myself for not knowing what I was dealing with at the time. But to know and then remain in Contact is just stupid and so I know I’ll never respond to him again.
snowwhite
It takes 2
I didn’t have a clue either. It’s great that you haven’t had contact In a year. Did he try and contact you? Just wondering how you handled it?
I think it’s hard for “normal” people to fathom how someone is so disordered that they have no empathy and who’s only purpose is to use others solely to fulfill their needs. The path I was involved with was an empty vessel….was never satisfied…..no matter how many hoops I jumped through for him…. It was never enough. I saw signs in the beginning but was blinded by the love bombing…..I think anyone would be. Unfortunately we were targeted. I really believe that most people who are targeted would succumb to it. Unless you’ve experienced it you will never know. Thats what makes it so frustrating.
Happy you stayed strong!
one/joy_step_at_a_time
i swear, i am never going to trust another person named michael. that name is SO connected with spathy for me.
It Takes 2
One, Funny you say that…same here. Lol!
It Takes 2
Snow,
Luckily, after almost 6 months of NC and him not trying to contact me either…when he did contact me via email…it was Easy for me to not respond. I thought, ‘he wants to hear from me so he can dump Me next time. As I’m Sure he got angry when I went NC last July. I know he was dumbfounded. But I never told him I researched his behaviors and found he met 9 of 10 Characteristics of a Sociopath.
So he must just think I’m bitter. That’s ok with me though. He’s completely out of my life and that’s all that matters to me.