Review of Breaking the Chain

[Heather Uczynski]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Breaking the Chain" by Patricia Rossi.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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This is a book about the legacy of family dysfunction. I could relate to the character, Bernie, since I am a retired psychologist and have practiced therapy for twenty-five years. I was also able to relate to Bernie because I have suffered from clinical depression and spent time in a mental health facility.

I really enjoyed the way the author told this story, weaving back and forth between Bernie's story and the story of her mother, Meg. As often happens with family dysfunction, the children affected typically either repeat the dysfunction as adults or move 180 degrees into overcompensation. Neither of these reactions is a healthy one, setting the stage for generations of family dysfunction.

It was interesting to be privy to Bernie's inner world as she experienced her three-week stay in the mental health facility. The range of mental illness in the characters who inhabited the mental health facility with Bernie was a realistic portrayal.

I found the counseling sessions to be clinically accurate as was Bernie's emotional progression throughout her stay. Her difficulty in knowing who she really wanted to be was understandable considering her upbringing. Bernie's obsession with the children and the garden was a mystery until very late in the book.

The chapters devoted to Meg's story were especially compelling, with the character, Agnes, being the most difficult with which to empathize. As a result of being an abuse victim herself, Agnes was emotionally unequipped to be a mother, and her children suffered terribly as a result.

In researching this author, I did not see any evidence of a mental health background, which surprised me since Bernie's mental health and the facility were written so accurately. This book was most interesting, as well as well-written and edited. I only found two typos in almost four thousand words written.

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Breaking the Chain
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