willaful

This was an absolutely excruciating read (listen); a hellish tragedy all the way through. But I'm very impressed with how the author managed to create a psychopathic character who has some genuine vulnerability and pathos, without ever watering her evil deeds down. (Perhaps that makes her by definition not a psychopath, but she's certainly pathological in some manner.) What Levana does to others is unbearable and utterly hateful, but it's hard not to feel a stab of pity for her; even one of the characters she hurts the most can't help but feel it. She's so pitifully stunted, an ego driven child who was never nurtured enough to grow up. I don't think I could ever bear to reread this, but I admired it.