Lilibet Bombshell's Reviews > Sociopath: A Memoir

I haven’t read a memoir in a long time, and when I usually read memoirs I tend to stick with funny ones; however, I’ve been on a quest for most of my adult life to better understand sociopathy, psychopathy, and antisocial personalities. Why? Well, some of that curiosity came from dining on a steady true crime diet since I was a pre-teen (I wanted to be a forensic psychologist at one point in time). Then I had some fears early on in my first-born’s development that he might have some issues with being antisocial and wanted to understand him or be prepared to help him. The biggest burst of interest came when one of my best friends postulated that I myself might be on the spectrum of sociopathy and it might be worth looking into (in case you’re wondering, we don’t know–I have too many psychological comorbidities to tell).

When I read the synopsis for this memoir I just knew I needed to read it, because it was a memoir and not yet another pop psychological nonfiction book regurgitating case studies and factoids where I end up rubbing my temples and wishing I was just reading empirical data because at least then I could maybe trust the author wasn’t blowing smoke. I was intrigued: A memoir by a sociopath, cracking herself open and spilling her guts and sewing herself shut again. How compelling.

If you’re wondering: This is an absolutely wonderful book. It’s brutally honest and unflinchingly raw. Gagne shares parts of herself with us readers that she hid for years from anyone. She opens up about absolutely everything, like a fortress that throws open all its doors and proclaims, “Yes, I have a great many skeletons and they are all hidden here! Please stroll about and tour what it’s like to live your life as a sociopath!”

Why did she do it? Because representation matters. Those of us with major mental health issues don’t get a lot of nonfiction material written for us, by us. Gagne grew up in constant psychological stress because no one knew what a sociopath was, even if they threw the word around freely. Now, thanks to her, there’s a book on the shelf where people can find some answers.

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: 5 Star Review/Memoir/Nonfiction