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.
Louise,
This is a really good point that you brought up about addicts vs personality disordered.
And telling the difference between the behaviors and if the behavior is due to the addiction or a personality disorder.
Many/most addicts, particularly those whos addiction has escalated to the point where the addiction dominates their lives….They lie, cheat, steal, manipulate, & “use” most everyone they come in contact with to their advantage. On the “surface” (anyways) they certainly don’t show compassion or empathy to their family members or loved ones.
If you knew the person BEFORE they became an addict you might know that all this “addictive behavior” is totally out of character for the person you knew.
Addiction CAN and DOES make good people do things that they would never do if they were not addicted to a substance.
Addiction CHANGES who people are.
However many personality disordered are also addicted.
If you knew a spath BEFORE the addiction….. chances are that you wouldn’t see a DRASTIC change in their behavior.
They would still lie, cheat, steal, use most everyone they came in contact with, etc….Maybe take it up a notch and be more violent than before….
Addiction with a spath, about the only thing I can think of is that it would be harder to “see” the mask actually slip?
I would like to hear what others might have to say about this?
witsend:
Yeah, exactly and that is what I am saying. Even the hardcore addict who is lying, cheating, stealing, manipulating and using everyone just to get their fix…does that mean they are a spath? I don’t think so…not always. They are being driven by their addiction and will do anything to get the drug. It doesn’t mean they have a PD. Thanks for engaging with me on this…very interesting topic.
Louise,
Yes the hardcore addict isn’t always a spath. HOWEVER and this is the important part…Although their behavior is driven by the addiction, that is the REASON for the behavior, it isn’t an EXCUSE for the behavior.
Reason/excuse. Fine line. It is still toxic behavior.
Until an addict accepts responsibility & OWNS his/her addiction, and accepts their powerlessness over the addiction by going to treatment….The behavior will usually progress and get worse.
Loise,
Addiction is a progressive disease.
witsend:
I totally agree…the addiction does not excuse the behavior…not at all.
It does get worse…
Every spath I have known has one or more ‘addictions’: sex, work, drugs, violence, porn, hording, food, exercise. Every one of them had a mania about something or other. So, it is really difficult to dissect.
Agreed, though, if you knew them ‘before’ the addiction, and there wasn’t change after, in rotten behavior- then likely the addiction is secondary to their personality disorder.
Living in the darkness of hell does make one self-medicate. They are running from their self-imposed darkness as fast as they can.
Slim
Slimone,
I believe that you have a very valid point. Most spaths will have an addiction that is secondary to the personality disorder.
Even if their addiction seems “lost” in the evilness…It is probably there somewhere if you look hard enough.
louise, you said:
“Louise says: cathyann: I know what you are saying. I have seen both”men who drink or do drugs yet don’t hurt people and sober men who hurt people all the time. I just wonder if there is a subset who are addicts and not spaths”their behavior is due to the ups and downs of the drugs highs and lows and not because they are spaths. Does anyone else have opinions on this?”
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I agree with you. Just because someone is, for example, a drug addict, does not make them a spath with a mental disorder. There IS a subset of addicts who are not spaths. Absolutely. Their behavior IS due to the drugs and not a ‘natural’ behavior problem as in mental disorder.
I know addicts who are wonderful people and then I have seen addicts who are the vilest things that can walk the planet. And, in reverse, I don’t believe that all spaths are drug addicts, although, MOST of the ones “I” know are. They bury themselves in their addiction to escape the responsibility for their actions. That is why they do it. And, of course, it only MAGNIFIES their already UGLY persona.
I am at a crossroad, in my experience, at the moment…
It’s empowering and ‘enlightening’…
Thank you all for being here for me.
Dupey ~ xxoo
Yeah, well my spath’s addictions are alcohol and work and possibly sex.
I actually was based on this book.