We had a get-away over the long July 4th weekend and were able to visit with both daughters and all three grands. It was wonderful to see the Colorado Crew for the first time in so long. My husband and I were pretty superfluous when the girls got together and rarely shut up, talking 90 mph the entire time. The cousins, too, were engaged discussing everything over the last year. Fee and I sat back and listened with grins on our faces.
I've been catching up on blogs and household chores since we got home late Tuesday afternoon. How far behind one can get in 4-5 days! The laundry and everything else waited until the next morning.
Once a few years ago, my cousin's wife and I were chatting about chores we disliked, and she mentioned she had changed her attitude about them by thinking about what she did like, not what she didn't. Now, when I fold sheets, the idea that they will be fresh and ready for the next change makes me smile, even struggling to get a fitted sheet on the bed is more a preparation for the comfort of sleeping on it later than the annoying chore it has been in the past.
None of this means I enjoy the tedium of repetitive cleaning. Yes, I love clean sheets and mopped floors and clean bathrooms, but at least the thought of the result takes away some of the feeling of resentment at having to do the same things over and over, day in and day out.
My other go-to on "chore-ing" is an audio book. It doesn't have to be particularly good, but if I can listen while working, I'm not in as much of a hurry to just get through it because the tasks aren't cutting into my "reading" time.
I have been slow to come around to audible books, but my appreciation of them has grown tremendously in the last several months. Not having to choose between reading and sewing is another benefit. I can sit and stitch and listen quite happily. That doesn't mean I prefer audio books, just that I have learned to enjoy them at times.
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from description: Psychologist and criminologist Dr. Gretchen White is a specialist in antisocial personality disorders and violent crimes. She’s helped solve enough prominent cases for detective Patrick Shaughnessy that her own history is often overlooked: Gretchen is an admitted sociopath once suspected of killing her aunt. Shaughnessy still thinks Gretchen got away with murder. It’s not going to happen again.
When a high-profile new case lands on Shaughnessy’s desk, it seems open and shut. Remorseless teenager Viola Kent is accused of killing her mother. Amid stories of childhood horrors and Viola’s cruel manipulations, the bad seed has already been found guilty by a rapt public. But Gretchen might be seeing something in Viola no one else does: herself.
If Viola is a scapegoat, then who really did it? And what are they hiding? To find the truth, Gretchen must enter a void that is not only dark and cold-blooded, but also frighteningly familiar.
Gretchen is a fascinating character even though she describes herself as a sociopath. A lot of her background is hinted at--Gretchen was suspected of killing her Aunt Rowan when she was eight-years-old. The next book will probably go into that background, but at present, her responsibility for her aunt's murder is ambivalent.
Thirteen-year-old Viola Kent is certainly a psychopath, and Gretchen never doubts the diagnosis, but Gretchen doesn't believe the girl murdered her mother Claire. Viola, however, is quite happy to take credit. She feels no guilt or shame for any of her previous violence and is proud of the accusation and happy with the notoriety.
Then Lena Brooks, Viola's lawyer, commits suicide. Lena, one of Gretchen's few friends, has sent some subtle clues that Gretchen didn't pick up on and then leaves a phone message saying that she "messed up" and wants Gretchen to fix it. Now Gretchen is looking both back at a message she didn't understand and committed to finding out what Lena wants her to do.
I was engrossed and read with compulsion even as the differences between sociopathy and psychopathy didn't always match with the DSM and the reactions to some of the incidents didn't make sense to me. Yes, there is a superficial hint about why Viola was kept at home and not hospitalized--it would damage the couple's reputation. Both parents were afraid of Viola, yet Viola attends school where she might be a danger to classmates and her younger brothers are locked in their room for safety. If I believed one of my children was a danger to my other children and/or myself, I think I would seek a better solution than a locked door.
Told from two POV, Gretchen's and Reed Kent's (husband of Claire and Viola's father). Gretchen's portion is told in the present; Reed's is told in non-chronological order.
The plot is complicated, the characters are complicated, and the relationships are tangled, yet the way the plot comes together makes sense. Mostly. Some events are never explained or cleared up satisfactorily. I'd love to discuss the book with someone who read it and still had some of the same questions.
I found the book a compulsive read, and I look forward to more of Gretchen White, but the book isn't without flaws that left me with some questions, and I can't explain the more important ones without giving away too much of the plot.
differences between sociopathy and psychopathy
not all psychopaths are violent
Kindle First Choice/Thomas & Mercer
Psychological Suspense. Aug. 1, 2021. Print length: 367 pages.
I totally agree that audio books make chores more entertaining. I also listen to a lot of (bookish and non-bookish) podcasts.
ReplyDeleteI don't really know or understand the differences between sociopathy and psychopathy, so I probably would not have picked up on that. There have been other things however, in my reading life, that have taken me out of a book because I felt that the author didn't get it right OR even if they did get it right, they didn't convince me of it.
Yes, podcasts are another great way to listen while doing the mindless and repetitive daily tasks!
DeleteMaybe the author is conflating the terms at times to further her plot and keep Gretchen's diagnosis ambiguous. She does mention the Hare scale. There was another thing that felt "left in the wind," that I'm so curious about!
I like to listen to audiobooks while I'm pulling weeds in the garden. I don't like yardwork, but the time flies and I get into a Zen feeling while I listen to my books and dig up those pesky weeds.
ReplyDelete:) Weeding takes no mental effort and is boring, isn't it? And listening to a book can make that chore a lot less irritating! :)
DeleteChores yes that is a good way to look at it. Even cooking (which I like) can get depressing the way the food just finishes and you've got to think of what to make again!
ReplyDeleteI am still not into audio books.
Listening to an audio book, as opposed to visually reading it, makes a difference in many ways. Although my audio book enjoyment is recent, as I listen, I know that inflection, tone, etc. are often different from the way it would be if I were reading it. The narrator influences the way you feel about a character or a situation. Edmund Wilson once said, "No two readers ever read the same book." Maybe the same reader would find an audio book and the print book quite different. That's probably confusing, but I mean that I might find the print and the audio book very different because the narrator and I don't interpret the same words the same way.
DeleteGlad to hear you'd a wonderful 4th July holiday, Jenclair.
ReplyDeleteAh, chores are still chores, lol. And I like the way you think of the final results than thinking of the working part. That'll definitely change how we look at things differently. Speaking of audio books, I still can't find myself getting the hang of it. I suppose I still prefer seeing the prints than hearing it. :p
:) I just finished trying to explain the concept of the way the words sound in our heads as opposed to the way the narrator interprets them. I've listened to some great narrators, but others make me re-word what they've said in my own head. In general, I still prefer printed books, but I've found audio books a great way to make laundry and long car rides more entertaining.
DeleteA Familiar Sight does sound a bit complicated, maybe the author was trying to juggle too much which is why not everything got cleared up satisfactorily. But Gretchen intrigues me. I might put this one on my TBR list. And I need to try your idea of trying to concentrate on the positive result when I'm doing all those tasks I don't really enjoy...like laundry, and cleaning. Anything to make those tasks less onerous. :D
ReplyDeleteOh, Gretchen intrigues me, too. The writing is good (I've read several examples of poor to mediocre writing lately, so this was a plus), and I liked the characters which is always a big draw. I didn't mention Detective Marconi--her character was relationship with Gretchen was another positive for me. I will definitely be reading the next book!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you had a great 4th of July! We stayed home. A lot of our neighbors did fireworks, so we had quite the show! Most of our dogs were unbothered by it all, but we had one that got pretty scared. She got lots of extra love, though.
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking about trying audiobooks again and listening while doing chores sounds like the perfect time to attempt it.
We couldn't miss the opportunity to see our kids, but with the new variant causing problems, I'm ready to again avoid much public interaction. Dogs do have a hard time with fireworks, but glad you were able to calm the one that was frightened.
DeleteYour review hits on something that I've noticed in a few other novels. Sometimes the authors have not done their homework and they label sociopaths and psychopaths incorrectly based on the behavior that follows. A couple of the crime novels I've read in the last couple of years even used the term interchangeably. Sociopaths are everywhere, and we run in to them everyday. Psychopaths, thank goodness, or not as numerous. :-)
ReplyDeleteThe author presents a view that goes with the characters and plots she has created, but it is misleading because the view is so limited. Sociopaths can form friendships, not all psychopaths are sadists and murderers. I find that frightening as well. The study about CEOs and psychopathy is from 2016, but connections had been made earlier. I wonder what percentage of politicians fall in either category--sociopath or psychopath....
DeleteI wish I could come around to audio books, but whenever I try my mind drifts away. Maybe I should give it another try...
ReplyDeleteI'm unfamiliar with this author, but the book sounds good. Thanks for the recommendation :)
I've tried audio books a couple of times, but only recently come around to them. So much depends on the book and the narrator! I do a lot of hand sewing and embroidery and an audio book provides something to listen to as a do the mindless stitching. :)
DeleteHow wonderful that you got to see your family! But I get it, how is it possible to get so behind in a few days. It took me quite a while to come around to audiobooks too and now I enjoy them for driving. Still haven't quite gotten into them when I craft but I probably should try them out a bit more.
ReplyDeleteI can only listen to audio books when I'm doing something that doesn't take much thought. For driving or as a passenger, audio books are great! Especially since my husband doesn't talk much when driving, and I'm the passenger getting bored. :)
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