Trauma
Knopf - Knopf
Release date: 2008-04-01
Hardcover
Author: Patrick Mcgrath
American Contemporary Fiction - Individual Authors +, Fiction, Fiction - Psychological Suspense, Fiction / Literary, Psychological, Thrillers, Literary, Adult children of dysfunctional families, Death, Psychiatrists, Psychological aspects
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Trauma
Date undefinedI immediately was drawn into this book. It's characters were well drawn, the plot although going back and forth in time was compelling and I didn't see the end coming. Charlie is almost heart-breaking, as he suffers through relationships in spite of being a psychiatrist trained in helping others through their problems.
An excellent novel!
Trauma
Date undefinedTrauma is an intense book. It thoroughly grips you and refuses to loosen up on it's hold, long after you complete the book. The book is only 210 pages in length, but the pages are written so well that it is impossible to feel cheated. I don't want to give away plot details, so I'll just end by saying that everyone should read this book. It is well worth your time and money.
Trauma
Date undefinedA probing psychological study of a man's deterioration is the subject of this novel. Charles Weir is a successful but troubled psychiatrist, brought up in a dysfunctional family on Manhattan's upper West Side. His older brother, a successful artist, is more of an antagonist than a supportive sibling. His mother favors Charles' brother, creating conflict. The ne'er-do-well father leaves the family.
Charlie, after leaving Johns Hopkins, takes a prestigious position at a hospital treating Vietnam veterans. His reputation grows. The sister of one of the patients befriends Charlie; ultimately they marry and have a daughter. Then her brother commits suicide and everything begins to fall apart. Seven years later Charlie is introduced by his brother to a beautiful woman; they form a relationship until it too falls apart. When Charlie's mother dies, his ex-wife offers solace, and he begs her to return. These relationships and more are explored in depth by the author in this psychological thriller.
Subsequent events plunge Charlie into a mental abyss as past remembrances and traumas are unveiled. Written with deep insight into the human psyche, the author delves profoundly into the egos and development of the various characters with a penetrating eye. Recommended.
