I have always wondered at women tolerating physical abuse and yet remaining in a relationship, seemingly forever. These strange relationships are usually sustained by love at good times, or the bondage due to inability to make their own living; or some are too afraid to leave, for the fear of what might happen next, or the fear of falling for another man who might be worse. Women are yet more reluctant to accept the need to move on in life if they also have kids. One or more reasons hinder their escape and might lead to the strength of their psyche withering away, more terrible leading to a sooner death of the victim.
But it is easier to point out women who are physically being abused by their men, rather than the ones that are mentally and sexually abused. These women take ages to realize that they are being abused, and enough late to cause an irrevocable damage to their thoughts and a sound mind. The most difficult part is that the women being intellectually abused by their husband and family won’t be ready to accept even if the matter is explicitly explained to them.
"Journey" is a novel which deals with the abusers and the abused, and the process that it takes to overcome abuse. In this engaging novel, Danielle Steel tells a tale of a successful anchor being abused unknowingly by her husband of 7 years. It takes a mountain of effort for her to realize and accept finally that her husband, the big shot of the TV network that she works for, was actually being abusive since the beginning of the relationship.
Like all the Danielle Steel plots, the characters in this novel also has second chances of prospering and leading a happy life. The anchor Maddison finally finds her soulmate very differently than where she was searching for, and also finds her long lost daughter out of sheer chance.
The novel explains how an abuser needs a victim to feed his ego, and how predictable all the abusers behaviors are. Although disturbing, it is a happy ending novel and thus a good read.
