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Book Review of Trapped in the Mirror: Adult Children of Narcissists in Their Struggle for Self

Trapped in the Mirror: Adult Children of Narcissists in Their Struggle for Self
tatjana avatar reviewed on + 27 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3


It is one thing to find and expose some of the sources of pain within the context of one's life; it is another to suggest ways to change information into a tool that one can use to move forward.
Ms. Golomb does the former very well in the first half of her book, Trapped in the Mirror. Unfortunately, as with many therapists and bookd, there are few tools to actually transform one's self in the second half of the book, leading the reader through stories about trekking through India and Tibet with a sherpa to find herself. Self help is riddled with such books. Define the problem and leave you hanging while the author tells you how they came to terms, often contradicting the the statements made at the beginning.
Uh... Seriously? India?
I closed the book at the point when she wrote, "The child of Narcissistic Parents must heal in whatever way she can..."
You don't say?

That being said, the first half of the book is completely worth the read. Absolutely worth going through, so long as you know that in the end it is still up to you to fix it. You may have lots of aha! moments.

Don't buy it. Swap it or check it out at the library.