Apathetic

by Heather Muzik

At fourteen, you shouldn’t have to wish that just once when your mother threatened to kill herself, she actually meant it… Lindy has already lived a lifetime of cruelty and neglect—a lifetime of trying to make herself so small she would be invisible to her mother’s whims. Her childhood is long lost to a warped combination of rage and apathy… Here she remains, uncertain of who she is and scare of what she could become. Men are supposed to be strong and powerful… abuse is a man’s game… Seventeen years ago, Chris Marshall was drawn in by Victoria’s lies, and he made her his wife. His entire married life has been rife with her infidelities and destruction—years lost to anger, fear, and ultimately resignation… Here he remains, trapped by Victoria’s sociopathic machinations, where each action has a reaction, and innocence hangs in the balance. Nestled in idyllic suburbia, this is the haunting story of a family terrorized and manipulated by the wife and mother who is supposed to love, honor, nurture, and care for them. In the Marshall house, viciousness reigns, and whatever happens… never tell a soul.

Genres: Contemporary

376 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 25, 2011

About the author

After a childhood spent living in various northern states--New Jersey for half of that (South Jersey, exit 4, to be exact)--she struck out on her own. First stop, Atlanta, Georgia. After attending GA Tech to study Industrial Engineering, she settled down in a small town outside the city where she has remained ever since. She keeps house for one husband, two sons, and a thankless dog (who she adores anyway). The four dirtiest words she knows: wash, cook, dust, iron.

Reviews

[Ce Ce · Rating 1 out of 5]

I apologize for being the lone dissenter...

I found "Apathetic" repetitive. Not particularly honest or soulful - characters with complex, and often contradictory, psychology were flat paper dolls. Gratuitous - I felt I was observing through a passive slightly pornographic lens. Unexpected ending...but by then I was no longer invested...really just wanted to finish the book. Wholly depressing...with no good reason to allow myself to go there.

In contrast, the book I read just prior to this was Simone de Beauvoir's "She Came to Stay". Complex manipulative characters. Psychologically taut and nuanced. Intelligent. Honest. Maddening. Surprise ending that took my breath away...I'm still considering our roles and culpability in relationships inspired by "She Came to Stay". Phenomenal book.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so glad I read this book. It was hauntingly beautiful and so well written. You want to scream at the husband to just beat the snot out of his wife, take the kids and leave but as you get deeper into the story you understand why that isn't possible. This book sucked me in from the first page, cannot wait to read more from this author.

[Elaine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Self-centered narcissistic Victoria wants to be the center of attention – always. What she is losing in age, she makes up for in surgery and lewdness. She’s angry, manipulative, spiteful, and on top of all that, she openly sleeps around and brags about it to her husband. She uses her sex after an argument with him as a tool which he always succumbs to.

Lindy, her daughter is a young lady and coming into her own beauty and Victoria will have none of it. She views her as competition and accuses her of being a slut when in fact, it is she whose body pools out of the top of her bikini or other low-cut very revealing man-eating apparel.

Chris, father to Lindy and Tess, husband to Victoria, makes his own contribution to the dysfunctional marriage by putting up with Victoria’s crap and continually falling for her manipulative sexual advances. This guy’s ‘no’ doesn’t mean NO. He allows her to use him in all forms.

At 42% I couldn’t take any more. There’s only so much I want to read of the same stuff being said in different ways. What could have been a 4 star morphed into about a 2.

[Kimberly Morghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book through in one setting because I just couldn't put it down. It tells the story of a husband and two daughters trying to survive life with a mother who is never more than a few minutes from a psychotic blow up. The characters are well-developed, with a husband who takes the abuse because his only concern is protecting his two girls from their mother's wrath, a teenage daughter who is trying to protect her little sister's innocence, and a little sister who is starting to realize that life at home is not "normal". The character of Victoria, the mother, is only described from the point of view of her victims, so we can see her actions but not understand what is going through her head when she does the awful things she does. Watching the scenes transition from one blow-up to another was a bit like watching a train wreck, with me hoping that the rest of the family would somehow manage to escape from Victoria and get a chance at a normal life. A very intense and compelling book.

[Kristie Worrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently had the opportunity to read Apathetic, the newest release by author Heather Muzik. Having read Celia's Journey and 2 Days Til Sundae, I should tell you how much I was looking forward to it's ebook release. In a word, awesome!

In a few more words: creepy, crazy and spooky (not ghostly spooky, but the kind of spooky that haunts your dreams for a while.) Like Celia's Journey, Apathetic closely examines family dynamics - this time of the Marshall Family. Most people think of men being the "abusers" of the family. Not in this one. Chris Marshall is thrown for a loop when his wife, Victoria, becomes his worst nightmare - for him and his two daughters. Follow this family through their ordeals with Victoria ~ it's a page turner that you're sure not to forget anytime soon.

Keep in mind that this book is not happy-go-lucky like 2 Days til Sundae ~ it is utterly blood curdling and jaw dropping at times. Be prepared!

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read several books by Heather Muzik. This is her latest, and it was quite different, although her voice rings true throughout all of her work. She has brought me to tears with Celia's Journey and in 2 Days 'Til Sundae had me giggling. Apathetic brought a whole new flush of emotions--anger, shock, and frustration. I was moved by the depth of the characters and the emotional turmoil they endure. It is a story of manipulation and abuse, and like many instances of abuse within families, it permeates deeply and continues for years. I was drawn in by this story that shakes the foundation of societal norms.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book through the First Reads giveaway program on Goodreads.

This book pulls you in immediately as it examines some rarely spoken of family dynamics, in which the abuser of the family is a wife and a mother, someone who, because of gender alone we see as caring, loving, not the sociopath she truly is. This book, in parts, will send your jaw plummeting to the ground below.

Muzik’s talent shines brilliantly from each page; she is able to convey emotions that each character feels in this gut-wrenching, emotional read.

[Neil · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is not my normal choice of reading material, but every so often it does me good to broaden my horizons. Maybe this was not the ideal choice of book to do so with. There didn't really seem to be any real plot to the book, rather it seemed to be a litany of one cruelty after another. The characters didn't really seem to have any substance to them either. From the various reviews this seems to either be praised or panned, with no real middle ground. Sadly not one which I would reread at a later stage.

[Jessica Wirth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Painfully Beautiful! I cannot say enough wonderful things about this book. It is dark and definitely an emotionally taxing read, but its one of those that will forever stay with you. From the very first page, the reader is sucked into the twisted, diabolical, abusive and seductive world of Victoria. I would highly recommend this to any (adult) and encourage you to bump it up to the front of your "to read" list.

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstreads Giveaway

This is a great documentation of the ravaging effects of Borderline Personality Disorder. The chaos and unpredictability of the behaviors destroy families and lives. Unfortunately, most stories don't have such a "happy" ending. This book is not for everyone, especially those with unresolved trauma and abuse in their backgrounds. Some of the descriptions were stomach turning which speaks to the power of the writing.

4.5 stars.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow this book was so good. I'm glad that I decided to buy it after a friend said it was good. She was right because this book, even though it was fiction, it still makes you think. My heart was breaking for everyone that was involved. I really liked it and can't wait to read more of Heather's books.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really didn't think I would enjoy this book. It was so well written I was hooked.I couldn't put it down. I had to see what was going to happen. Looking forward to reading moreby this author.
It has been a few days since I finished this book. I am still thinking about the characters. I felt like I knew them personally.

[Ruth · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was just too lurid and slowly paced. There was not much in it to balance the manipulative wife/mother character.

[April M Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great one; couldn't put it down

Highly recommended, eye opener as to the abuse that men and children can endure from a wife and Mother. Great read!!

[Barb · Rating 1 out of 5]

i did not like this book at all

[Josiane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book through the First Reads giveaway program on Goodreads.
So far, I am hooked. This is a MUST READ book.
Just couldn't put it down. I had to know what happen next in this spooky, crazy family. You just can't believe something like that exist in our world. It makes you think, even after you finish reading this book.

[Niki · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was AWFUL! It had no plot. It was almost like the author just said to herself hm, let me think of the most awful person possible and then make a list of all the terrible things they could do. It was super repetitive and really really boring. Victoria was a totally one dimensional character and Chris was just a super wimp. I couldn't wait to be done with this book.

[Vivianne]

Good Gracious. What a story!

I am against violence, bullying, and the mistreatment of people, but I so wanted to haul off and pop Victoria, or at least have someone else do it. This was wonderfully dark and intriguing story. One you will love to hate.

[Karyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really captivating read! I had a hard time putting this down! Good read when you want something light (if you consider domestic abuse by a sociopath "light reading") but very enjoyable.