[slight possible spoilers about Belle Burden's *Strangers* and about *Lie To Me*, used as examples of what I'm looking for]
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I'm looking for fiction containing characters that are sociopathic or narcissistic (and possibly at least somewhat self aware about that) but who mostly "pass" as acceptable within their social circles.
esp manipulative characters.
not so much the over-the-top types (altho interested in those as well)
rather the more subtle characters.
the ones who perform "normalcy" competently but actually dgaf about others or about ethics/morals, or they barely gaf.
I just listened to "tell me lies" and thought the Stephen character was well done. I wanted to see what other writers had done using characters w similar personality types
I spent my life reading fiction and nonfiction
obviously I've read a ton of novels and stories with these types of characters
I've just never specifically focused on this character type before and now I sort of want to do my own private survey sampling.
I'm not necessarily looking for books at the *American Psycho* level
tho that's ok too. (read it already)
More, seeking books w characters who appear to engage in normal relationships and have normal motivations. (not so much bodies in the basement) ...
but the apparent normal life is a deliberate manipulative performance for these characters.
non-fiction such as memoirs are also good.
(I consider the husband in Belle Burden's recent memoir *Strangers* to be one of these in some respects, tho he's apparently the opposite of self-aware ...
if he's taken as a "character in a book",
he comes across as a bit emotionally pathetic, internally;
tho externally, I suppose he's successfully manipulative ...
he does appear to naively buy into the fictional self he's created and performs, until the moment that "self" no longer suits his purposes).
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the motivations for these characters might include
being controlling or deceptive without being caught or called out
"winning" and continual game playing where an honest or honorable person might not get a "public win"
the ego boost or status boost of "playing" everyone and every situation around them, while everyone else seems unaware.
gaming the world for unearned admiration or success and thinking that's a win
thinking that honest or straightforward or empathetic types are losers, sheep, prey, fools.
thinking that perhaps it's almost kind to take advantage of such "normal" people, since such people are supposedly clueless about real life anyway.
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I hope this wasn't too long a post!
thx to everyone who reads it.
ps also interested in/looking for tv film etc that contains such characters.