2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #2 discussion

Nicola Adamson’s personality split because she couldn’t handle the guilt over her role in her sister’s murder. Beth emerged in times of need or extreme stress and returned when Nicola learned of the planned excavation. Your thoughts about personality disorders of this type? Plausible or not?

I remember reading Sybil back in the day. There appears to be a lot of disagreement among the professionals about true split personalities. Regardless, Nicola/Beth seems believable to me. I didn't question their actions.

Gee, I wouldn't want to make a comment on this type of personality disorder waayyyyy out of my experience or understanding.

As a book it was a fitting denouement though. I never saw that coming at all. But when I checked back the clues actually were there.

I’ve always believed it was possible and I checked with hubby who gave me sort of a science-y explanation as to why it’s possible. He acknowledged that the psychiatric community isn’t of one accord on the diagnosis but most agree that extreme and persistent trauma inflicted upon someone at a very young age could very well cause a disassociation in a still forming brain.

Nicola was a lot older so there’s that. But, the combined effect of guilt and trauma made it believable.

Sharon, I remember Sybil too. It was the first time that the public widely acknowledged this type of disorder. I'm not sure how much stock I put in it, but I do believe that it has been used a lot as a fiction device, especially in mystery stories. I get a little annoyed when I start to suspect that an author has used it as a way out of a plot hole.

True Lynn, but in this case I don't think it was a convenient way to solve the crime. It seemed that the author had devised the plotlines with this as the central twist.

Lynn I agree that some authors use the MPD to fill a hole. If it isn't done well it is a little annoying. In this case, it worked for me. It surprised me too.

I actually like how this author handled it. The clues were extremely subtle, a gradual process where most of us still weren’t going there. When it was revealed, yes it was an “aha” moment but one where we could reach back and see the clues were always there. It felt clever to me versus being a handy device.

I think my distaste for the split personality plot device comes from seeing it used in cheesy ways in television shows rather than how it has been used in books.

It’s really used to death on TV.

Yes.

Jonetta wrote: "It’s really used to death on TV."

Agreed.
It also comes across as so fake on TV perhaps because it is difficult to portray visually. Books are able to provide more nuance through POV.