The Chain cover art

The Chain

The Relationships That Break Us, the Women Who Rebuild Us

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The Chain

By: Chimene Suleyman
Narrated by: Chimene Suleyman
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About this listen

 'Jaw-dropping . . . Read then pass it on' STYLIST, Book of the Month
'I was utterly floored by The Chain. It has the pace of a thriller and the weight of poetry' EVIE WYLD
'Urgent, unflinching and yet so full of love and nurture for women and womanhood' JOSIE LONG
'The Chain took my breath away from the first page and did not let go of me till the very last' NIKITA GILL

In January 2017, Chimene Suleyman was on her way to an abortion clinic in Queens, New York with her boyfriend, the father of her nascent child. It was the last day they would spend together. In an extraordinary sequence of events, Chimene was to discover the truth of her boyfriend's life: that she and many other women had been subtly, patiently and painfully betrayed. In this spellbinding memoir, she exposes one man's control over many women and the trauma he left behind, and celebrates the sisterhood that formed in his wake despite - and in spite of - him. Exploring how women are duped every day by individuals, she interrogates how society itself continually allows this to happen. She demonstrates that, no matter how intelligent, educated or self-aware they might be, over time a woman can be played into performing the age-old role of giver and nurturer: self-sacrificing and subordinate.

Both a devastating personal testimony and a searing indictment of persistent misogyny, The Chain is a book for any woman who has questioned her relationship and buried her doubts, for any woman who can't quite identify the source of her unease and for any woman who has been sheltered by the fierce protection of her female friends.©2024 Chimene Suleyman (P)2024 Orion Publishing Group Limited Abuse Con Artists, Hoaxes & Deceptions Relationships Sexual Abuse & Harassment True Crime Women Inspiring Thought-Provoking

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All stars
Most relevant  
Real and raw - all women need to listen to this. Read by author, it is like a conversation with a friend.

The author reads this herself.

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Unputdownable
I hope I can do justice reviewing this book which had me gripped right from the very beginning. What first struck me about it was the author’s incredible skill, workmanship and artistry of the way the language was used to evoke this awe in me . At first I concentrated on the beauty of that as it almost read like a poem. Every word was important I did not want to miss a single one of them. It is a very powerful and compelling story that will resonate with so many of us , very bravely portrayed by the author whose audio version make it even more incredible. Great literary achievement

Unputdownable

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only downside was the narration, a little monotone and at times emphasising quite odd syllables.

powerful story, loved the writing style

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Such a powerful yet triggering listen. So many women have our own chain.
I would highly recommend this book ♥️

Powerful

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First thing to say is this is so beautifully read. It’s an amazing performance and I think it really adds to the story. It’s beautifully written and while the subject matter should be somewhat upsetting, actually I left mainly feeling uplifted by the connection we share as women and our desire to protect each other.

This made me proud to be a woman

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This book candidly described the fallout that many women experienced after dating the same man. Horrifying in parts, it’s impossible to see how anyone can act like he did to another person, let alone many, and without apology as he saw no wrongdoing on his part. It points out things to look for in a partner, and reminds you to trust your instincts, which we are all too keen to explain away in relationships. It also points out the many intricate facets of the patriarchy, which is very confronting but should be heard.
I truly don’t want to disrespect the author but I did find the delivery of the text a little monotonous, with the same timbre and rhythm to each sentence. Each sentence was almost like a stand alone statement. I did get used to this, and the content was engaging so it wasn’t too much of a problem.
Definitely worth a read.

An important read

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This is a tough, but excellent and important, read. Chimene Suleyman writes brilliantly about her awful experience with a manipulative abusive ex-partner, who disappeared while she was in a clinic having a termination, the trauma of coming to terms with his abuse, and the strength she drew from finding other women who had suffered similar abuse from him. She highlights how systemic societal misogyny protects and enables abusers, and shames women into putting up with and excusing abusive behaviour; how, while many men suffer in silence from mental health problems because they fear being seen as 'weak' for struggling, other men weaponise mental health to excuse their behaviour (her ex partner claimed to have agoraphobia and autism, and made her, and other women, feel guilty for challenging his behaviour); and how women, out of necessity, look out for and support each other. A very powerful book.

Incredibly powerful book

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This book is feminism at its best. Even in the darkest times there is hope and strength in numbers; strength in knowledge. Superb.

Powerful

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Amazing book, so raw but beautiful. It’s every woman’s experience. And that’s both sad but so reassuring

Exceptional

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This book has left me almost speechless, not just with anger for such a vile human being but at the sheer ignorance, misogyny and racism that still exists in many levels of society. This must have been a very tough book to write, I wish the author well x

Almost speechless

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