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BETRAYAL of love and freedom
Two powerful men-one at the mercy of bipolar disorder, the other facing life imprisonment-struggle to regain their freedom. The life of Luke Powers has long been punctuated by abrupt changes in fortune, but nothing could prepare him for the possibility of life imprisonment. Facing charges of murdering the love of his life from thirty years earlier, the influential media mogul is powerless to escape his predicament. Is he a murderer? Even he cannot say for sure. Meanwhile, entrepreneur and family man Rick Dellich finds himself stripped of all his rights as a citizen, the result of a mental breakdown. Separated from those he loves, he faces the prospect of confinement to a chemical straightjacket for the rest of the life. Desperate for a true recovery, he commits himself to a psychiatric clinic. Rick struggles to put his shattered life back together, but his deepening search for answers leads him to revelations that threaten to turn his world upside down. Through it all, two women, each offering the possibility of the love that seems to have betrayed him all his life, weave their way into Luke's destiny. Will each man succeed in his quest for love and freedom? Will each man find what he is seeking? Both will face challenges that will destroy or transform them, eventually placing the two on a collision course with one another. Set against a backdrop of four continents, this is a story of power, love, and ultimate freedom.
624 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2009
7 people are currently reading
226 people want to read
About the author
Paul Huljich
6 books21 followersPaul Huljich was born in Auckland, New Zealand. He attended St. Ignatius Convent, St. Peter’s College, and began a degree in Commerce at the University of Auckland.
His enterprise and ambition was evident from a very early age. With a sense that self-sufficiency was important, he did everything from caddying at the local golf club, collecting bottles, mowing lawns and laboring at construction sites to earn his own money.
During his first year at university, his impatience for success led him to start his own business distributing fruit juices to restaurants and establishments throughout Auckland. In between lectures he would don a white coat and drive his delivery truck around Auckland, distributing products and taking orders. As the demands of his first formal business grew, in line with the nature of his ambition, he dropped out of University to give its growth his full focus. He soon developed distribution to include cookies and other food products. During this time he also began to buy run-down apartments and houses, renovating them to add value for resale. With a motto of turning lemons into lemonade, his first business became a great success.
Over time he developed and grew a variety of small and medium sized business interests in a number of different industries. During these early years of his career, he was always on the search for opportunities where he could see a way to add value, sometimes buying businesses in receivership and restructuring their strategies to turn them around. This experience would set the stage for his continued success.
He had two burning ambitions: one was to feed the body, and the other to feed the soul. Through his passion for good food and his belief that food should not only taste good, but also nourish the body, he became one of the early advocates of organic and natural foods. In 1985 Paul, along with his brothers, founded Best Corporation. Paul, serving as Chairman and Joint-CEO, sought to establish a reputation for excellence and superior quality. Best targeted the bacon, ham and pork products industry in New Zealand, an industry that exhibited over-capacity, falling sales, negative growth, poor profit margins, fierce competition, and a reputation for unhealthy products.
Best established a reputation in the pork products industry and used this as a platform for organic products. Best became a huge success and later developed a similar range of products in Australia, investing an enormous amount of resources into research and development for organic foods. Best was instrumental in encouraging farmers to turn their land into organic-farming land in both New Zealand and Australia. The company specialized in a wide range of foods for export, and found great success in developing organic foods for what they considered to be the most demanding market in the world, Japan.
After a successful period of growth, Best Corporation listed on the stock exchange in December, 1991, with an initial market capitalization of $36 million. Two and a half years later, when the Corporation was acquired by a multinational food company, Best de-listed with a market capitalization of $137 million.
Paul Huljich is a person who is able to think outside the square, often replying to the statement “It cannot be done” with the question, “Why not?” His search for excellence was well-incorporated in Best Corporation’s motto, “Good, Better, Best; Never shall we rest; Until our good is better; And our better, best.” He has always believed that the consumer is king and when he witnesses the growing awareness of high-quality natural foods throughout the world, he is proud of his involvement in the initial stages of the organic food industry worldwide.
In 1998, Paul was diagnosed by several psychiatrists as suffering from Bipolar Disorder, also known as manic depression, and experienced a full mental breakdown that year, losing his rights as a New Zealand citizen and b
His enterprise and ambition was evident from a very early age. With a sense that self-sufficiency was important, he did everything from caddying at the local golf club, collecting bottles, mowing lawns and laboring at construction sites to earn his own money.
During his first year at university, his impatience for success led him to start his own business distributing fruit juices to restaurants and establishments throughout Auckland. In between lectures he would don a white coat and drive his delivery truck around Auckland, distributing products and taking orders. As the demands of his first formal business grew, in line with the nature of his ambition, he dropped out of University to give its growth his full focus. He soon developed distribution to include cookies and other food products. During this time he also began to buy run-down apartments and houses, renovating them to add value for resale. With a motto of turning lemons into lemonade, his first business became a great success.
Over time he developed and grew a variety of small and medium sized business interests in a number of different industries. During these early years of his career, he was always on the search for opportunities where he could see a way to add value, sometimes buying businesses in receivership and restructuring their strategies to turn them around. This experience would set the stage for his continued success.
He had two burning ambitions: one was to feed the body, and the other to feed the soul. Through his passion for good food and his belief that food should not only taste good, but also nourish the body, he became one of the early advocates of organic and natural foods. In 1985 Paul, along with his brothers, founded Best Corporation. Paul, serving as Chairman and Joint-CEO, sought to establish a reputation for excellence and superior quality. Best targeted the bacon, ham and pork products industry in New Zealand, an industry that exhibited over-capacity, falling sales, negative growth, poor profit margins, fierce competition, and a reputation for unhealthy products.
Best established a reputation in the pork products industry and used this as a platform for organic products. Best became a huge success and later developed a similar range of products in Australia, investing an enormous amount of resources into research and development for organic foods. Best was instrumental in encouraging farmers to turn their land into organic-farming land in both New Zealand and Australia. The company specialized in a wide range of foods for export, and found great success in developing organic foods for what they considered to be the most demanding market in the world, Japan.
After a successful period of growth, Best Corporation listed on the stock exchange in December, 1991, with an initial market capitalization of $36 million. Two and a half years later, when the Corporation was acquired by a multinational food company, Best de-listed with a market capitalization of $137 million.
Paul Huljich is a person who is able to think outside the square, often replying to the statement “It cannot be done” with the question, “Why not?” His search for excellence was well-incorporated in Best Corporation’s motto, “Good, Better, Best; Never shall we rest; Until our good is better; And our better, best.” He has always believed that the consumer is king and when he witnesses the growing awareness of high-quality natural foods throughout the world, he is proud of his involvement in the initial stages of the organic food industry worldwide.
In 1998, Paul was diagnosed by several psychiatrists as suffering from Bipolar Disorder, also known as manic depression, and experienced a full mental breakdown that year, losing his rights as a New Zealand citizen and b
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
November 4, 2010
I won this book in the Goodreads First Reads giveaway.
Alright, I just can't take anymore. I've never read a book so in need of an editor in my life. The author apparently has such a low opinion of his reader that everything has to be spelled out - blatantly and repeatedly. There is absolutely no subtlety here. There are phrases so melodramatic they'll make your eyes roll, and paragraphs so dry you imagine the author intended to come back and polish them up later. This book reads like an unaltered first draft - punctation and spelling mistakes included. And it's a shame, because the story had some potential. Unfortunately that potential blew away in the author's long-windedness and histrionics.
This review is also available at my book blog: http://perpetualspiralreviews.blogspo...
Alright, I just can't take anymore. I've never read a book so in need of an editor in my life. The author apparently has such a low opinion of his reader that everything has to be spelled out - blatantly and repeatedly. There is absolutely no subtlety here. There are phrases so melodramatic they'll make your eyes roll, and paragraphs so dry you imagine the author intended to come back and polish them up later. This book reads like an unaltered first draft - punctation and spelling mistakes included. And it's a shame, because the story had some potential. Unfortunately that potential blew away in the author's long-windedness and histrionics.
This review is also available at my book blog: http://perpetualspiralreviews.blogspo...
February 26, 2011
Received for review from netgalley.
I gave this book four stars because I can appreciate what the author was trying to accomplish. However, it was simply too long. There were at least three solid independent books contained in this single tome: one great fictional story dealing with tragedy, one true story of healing mental health, and one final fictional story full of intrigue and mystery.
The message of finding the inspiration in oneself to heal from mental and physical illness is one I appreciate on a personal level. Modern (western) medicine has become so focused on disease that they have stopped supporting and encouraging basic proper health and healthy behaviors. The mighty pharmaceutical industry is never threatened by recession. For every prescription written, they count on at minimum two more future medications to treat the side-effects of the first prescription.
The true story portion of this book can serve as a challenge to this misguided fixation of the quick fix mentality, and show that self-care (not self-indulgence) when done mindfully, can have permanent and dramatic impacts on all facets of health (mental, physical, emotional, spiritual).
I gave this book four stars because I can appreciate what the author was trying to accomplish. However, it was simply too long. There were at least three solid independent books contained in this single tome: one great fictional story dealing with tragedy, one true story of healing mental health, and one final fictional story full of intrigue and mystery.
The message of finding the inspiration in oneself to heal from mental and physical illness is one I appreciate on a personal level. Modern (western) medicine has become so focused on disease that they have stopped supporting and encouraging basic proper health and healthy behaviors. The mighty pharmaceutical industry is never threatened by recession. For every prescription written, they count on at minimum two more future medications to treat the side-effects of the first prescription.
The true story portion of this book can serve as a challenge to this misguided fixation of the quick fix mentality, and show that self-care (not self-indulgence) when done mindfully, can have permanent and dramatic impacts on all facets of health (mental, physical, emotional, spiritual).
November 15, 2010
This book was interesting in many ways. The first being the depth which people who have these kinds of disorders have to go through in order to survive in everyday life. The pain and turmoil of the two main characters is evident throughout the book. This was one of the things which the author did great through the entire novel. The only things which really bothered me about the book was the length, I felt the point would have been delivered just as well with a slightly shorter book. As well as the many references to the business world, which the author is obviously well aware, was sometimes, I felt, distracting from the actual story line. Overall though, this was a good novel with a good message and was amazingly well written.
Want to read
August 27, 2010this was a featured book on Goodreads. The author has a video describing his own struggles with mental illness. This is my kind of book!
November 9, 2010
Thanks Goodreads for the book I won. Betrayal of Love and Freedom was a really BFB and is divided up into 3 parts. Really interesting read.
Must be terrible to suffer from this mental illness.
Must be terrible to suffer from this mental illness.
December 27, 2010
I have never been so highjacked by an author before! What a self serving guy. No real insight into bipolar just the sanctimonious author.
June 14, 2020
It was fate that this book would find me. It was left on my front doorstep randomly and mysteriously. A force told me that I should read it. I savored the three PARTS of the story as well as the epilogue. It's a novel 'based on a little bit of truth' by the author Paul Huljich of Auckland, New Zealand. The author also introduced me to the music of his son, Simon Spire (www.SimonSpire.com) in the Acknowledgement pages of the book. I especially like his songs WHISPER FROM THE DARK and TODAY (available on SPOTIFY)...great tunes.
I could relate to much of it and found it very mind bending and helpful for 'living life' fully as it reminds us that we are rich as human beings and that we have so much to live for. Here are just 'some' of the sentences that impacted me:
LUKE'S STORY
He shut his eyes for a moment, losing himself to the sun and the wind.
He couldn't stop himself from wondering what might have been if...
Slowly though, the tension between them dissolved and was replaced by a truce-like calm.
What was he doing here? How could he get out? There was no answer to this question.
Sometimes he would awaken hard and straining from an erection. He would take his penis in his hand and rub it, obeying the instincts that had guided life since the dawn of time.
If you can't win, walk away with dignity, and wait for the moment. It always comes.
He could not write to her in the same way. Instead, his letters were full of news, detailing what he was doing rather than what he was feeling. There seemed to be a block between his heart and his mind, and his brain refused to commit to paper the myriad of emotions that welled inside him for her. There was an empty space inside him that she had filled. Now, he was hollow again.
The Chinese believed it was beneficial to live on a mountain overlooking water, for there lives The Dragon, and both dragon and water mean wealth.
You can tell everything about a man (or woman) by the way he/she plays.
Chess: "If you don't take it seriously or if you make stupid moves, or you're too tentative, you're a bad business risk. But if you're mature, prepared to give up some ground, have a game plan, and are determined to stick to it, then you're someone to be reckoned with."
"You are embarking on a great journey. Do not underestimate the power of the driver."
She had heard a Charles Aznavour song, "To die of Love," and finally she understood what it meant.
"Never be afraid. Never say 'I cannot' or 'they won't let me'."
"Bright shines the moonlight on the water,
Perhaps reflected from frost on the ground,
Lifting my head I gaze at the bright room,
Bowing my head, I think of my family home."
--Li-Po, a great poet from the Tang Dynasty.
There was a certain edge of excitement for both of them that keeping the affair secret brought to the relationship.
He made a mental note to write to 'x' while he was away, explaining that he had met someone else, and wishing her well, but some part of him knew he would not write. It was better to leave things as they were through his neglect."
"She seemed like a good idea at the time. But good ideas have a shelf life."
"There are choices we can make for ourselves, and choices that are made for us. There is little to say that one is better than the other, though perhaps there is some satisfaction in making one's own mistakes."
He withdrew into his own Twilight Zone, where emotions ceased to exist.
RICK'S STORY
'Where is the evil in you' she had said to him one day with a quizzical expression on her face. 'Everyone has evil in them. But I can't seem to be able to find it in you.'
"You're a very unusual man. You have considerable power, but you choose not to use it."
He had grown accustomed to getting out of bed and thinking over his current business situations until the day began, but he found himself unable to muster the strength to rise.
Each small problem in his life kept repeating in his mind, and each seemed overwhelming in its own right.
I happened to reopen my diary at the same page last week. And now it's so clear, plain as day: the only two things I care about in this life, and the two things that I felt were now utterly absent in my life. The same phrase, written three times: "Love and Freedom."
How can a single test measure a person's abilities? I've already proved myself on enough occasions for this lifetime...
His thoughts returned to Forrest Gump, a character who had immediately captured Rick's heart when he had watched the movie with his family. Forrest was a true hero, refusing to be defined by what others saw as severe limitations. He was his own man and lived freely.
(His mother was right. Life is like a box of chocolates.)
It was never too late to be true to oneself; YOUR life was still in YOUR own hands.
Food should be enjoyable, and it should be good for the body. It should enhance our lives, not limit them.
"I'm Captain Kirk, this is the Starship Enterprise, and we are going where no man has gone before!"
His mind was foggy, scattered. I know there must be more to it than just work. If I want to get out of here, I have to keep peeling back the layers until I reach my core. I have to know my core. I hate this place.
I can fight to become a better man. I can rebuild myself. The choice is mine alone. It's up to me.
Many of those suffering from acute or manic depression took refuge in some kind of addiction...sex, work, gambling also provided escapes from an uncomfortable existence.
He had been to the edge, and it was an experience he was not prepared to repeat.
I feel like a circus clown, he thought as he reflected on the number of projects he was juggling.
He hated being seen as 'different'. I guess I can't have it both ways, he concluded.
He was aware he was no longer a standard case with anyone: he was a wild card. An unknown quantity.
His only choice was to LET IT GO. He did his best to forget the warmth of their affection for each other and the simplicity of their love. He almost succeeded. But the unresolved hurt, the abrupt withdrawal of the one who had stolen his heart nagged at him insistently.
His memories of past relationships faded until they were all just a fondly-remembered period of his earlier life: the drama of young love; the mystery of a woman 's heart.
I could relate to much of it and found it very mind bending and helpful for 'living life' fully as it reminds us that we are rich as human beings and that we have so much to live for. Here are just 'some' of the sentences that impacted me:
LUKE'S STORY
He shut his eyes for a moment, losing himself to the sun and the wind.
He couldn't stop himself from wondering what might have been if...
Slowly though, the tension between them dissolved and was replaced by a truce-like calm.
What was he doing here? How could he get out? There was no answer to this question.
Sometimes he would awaken hard and straining from an erection. He would take his penis in his hand and rub it, obeying the instincts that had guided life since the dawn of time.
If you can't win, walk away with dignity, and wait for the moment. It always comes.
He could not write to her in the same way. Instead, his letters were full of news, detailing what he was doing rather than what he was feeling. There seemed to be a block between his heart and his mind, and his brain refused to commit to paper the myriad of emotions that welled inside him for her. There was an empty space inside him that she had filled. Now, he was hollow again.
The Chinese believed it was beneficial to live on a mountain overlooking water, for there lives The Dragon, and both dragon and water mean wealth.
You can tell everything about a man (or woman) by the way he/she plays.
Chess: "If you don't take it seriously or if you make stupid moves, or you're too tentative, you're a bad business risk. But if you're mature, prepared to give up some ground, have a game plan, and are determined to stick to it, then you're someone to be reckoned with."
"You are embarking on a great journey. Do not underestimate the power of the driver."
She had heard a Charles Aznavour song, "To die of Love," and finally she understood what it meant.
"Never be afraid. Never say 'I cannot' or 'they won't let me'."
"Bright shines the moonlight on the water,
Perhaps reflected from frost on the ground,
Lifting my head I gaze at the bright room,
Bowing my head, I think of my family home."
--Li-Po, a great poet from the Tang Dynasty.
There was a certain edge of excitement for both of them that keeping the affair secret brought to the relationship.
He made a mental note to write to 'x' while he was away, explaining that he had met someone else, and wishing her well, but some part of him knew he would not write. It was better to leave things as they were through his neglect."
"She seemed like a good idea at the time. But good ideas have a shelf life."
"There are choices we can make for ourselves, and choices that are made for us. There is little to say that one is better than the other, though perhaps there is some satisfaction in making one's own mistakes."
He withdrew into his own Twilight Zone, where emotions ceased to exist.
RICK'S STORY
'Where is the evil in you' she had said to him one day with a quizzical expression on her face. 'Everyone has evil in them. But I can't seem to be able to find it in you.'
"You're a very unusual man. You have considerable power, but you choose not to use it."
He had grown accustomed to getting out of bed and thinking over his current business situations until the day began, but he found himself unable to muster the strength to rise.
Each small problem in his life kept repeating in his mind, and each seemed overwhelming in its own right.
I happened to reopen my diary at the same page last week. And now it's so clear, plain as day: the only two things I care about in this life, and the two things that I felt were now utterly absent in my life. The same phrase, written three times: "Love and Freedom."
How can a single test measure a person's abilities? I've already proved myself on enough occasions for this lifetime...
His thoughts returned to Forrest Gump, a character who had immediately captured Rick's heart when he had watched the movie with his family. Forrest was a true hero, refusing to be defined by what others saw as severe limitations. He was his own man and lived freely.
(His mother was right. Life is like a box of chocolates.)
It was never too late to be true to oneself; YOUR life was still in YOUR own hands.
Food should be enjoyable, and it should be good for the body. It should enhance our lives, not limit them.
"I'm Captain Kirk, this is the Starship Enterprise, and we are going where no man has gone before!"
His mind was foggy, scattered. I know there must be more to it than just work. If I want to get out of here, I have to keep peeling back the layers until I reach my core. I have to know my core. I hate this place.
I can fight to become a better man. I can rebuild myself. The choice is mine alone. It's up to me.
Many of those suffering from acute or manic depression took refuge in some kind of addiction...sex, work, gambling also provided escapes from an uncomfortable existence.
He had been to the edge, and it was an experience he was not prepared to repeat.
I feel like a circus clown, he thought as he reflected on the number of projects he was juggling.
He hated being seen as 'different'. I guess I can't have it both ways, he concluded.
He was aware he was no longer a standard case with anyone: he was a wild card. An unknown quantity.
His only choice was to LET IT GO. He did his best to forget the warmth of their affection for each other and the simplicity of their love. He almost succeeded. But the unresolved hurt, the abrupt withdrawal of the one who had stolen his heart nagged at him insistently.
His memories of past relationships faded until they were all just a fondly-remembered period of his earlier life: the drama of young love; the mystery of a woman 's heart.
August 23, 2020
I read 400 pages and then gave up. The book is divided into three parts. The first part: I could live with. The second part: difficulty breathing in the words. The third part: I decided to abandon it. The concept/theme (people who live with bipolar disorder) is very important but either the writer should have weaved a better storyline or written a non-fiction about his experiences and fight. At its current state, it is a mesh between the two and a badly one (my opinion of course).
December 29, 2023
Liked the romance lol. Otherwise it was a bit messed up - but also based on the authors real life experience, and uses NZ places! Used the medication negligence example for a uni assignment so that was good haha.
June 7, 2017
Started out interesting and then got boooooring. Repetitious and self serving. Disappointed.
February 3, 2020
Couldn't really get past the first chapter... The writing needed more editing.
November 27, 2012
Do you ever feel you don't have the energy to do everything that is demanded of you? Do you ever lay awake at night worrying about your problems? Have you ever thought that if just one more disaster occurs you'll completely loose it? If so, this may be just the novel for you. As the fact page at the end of the book points out, "An estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older - about one in four adults - suffer from a diagnosed mental disorder in a given year." The idea of `loosing it' is remarkably real and not fanciful at all.
Huljich could have written a self-help book, but by framing the subject as fiction he has astutely made it much more approachable for the ordinary reader. We quickly get attached to these characters and stick by them as their lives fall apart, lurching from one disaster to the next (as in the case of Luke Powers), or wildly spinning out of control (as in the case of Rick Dellich).
Of course this is fiction and Huljich has included some plot elements that are a little `larger than life' in order to excite the reader. The world of crime and conspiracy, for example, eventually comes into play. `Big money and big business' features heavily in the plot, though Huljich himself, being a very successful businessman, would probably tell you that this is normal life. For the ordinary reader this high-flying world can be stimulating and different.
Huljich has a real talent for story telling. The book is actually two novels in one. Part One tells the story of Luke Powers, a man seemingly fated to suffer pain in all his close relationships. The plot progresses for age 11 to well into young adulthood. The section depicting high school life at the prestigious "Lloyds College" is particularly vivid, engaging authentic. It is no surprise to find that Huljich actually attended St. Peter's College, Auckland, and in fact is listed on the honour roll. Part Two tells the story of Rick Dellich, a man caught in the grip of Bipolar Disorder. The plot begins with Rick already incarcerated in a mental institution. Much of the story is told in flashbacks. In this way, what would otherwise be a very extended study of suffering, is broken up into smaller segments. Without this technique the institution section would have been too overwhelming for most readers. Huljich captures in detail exactly how it feels to be branded `insane' and to have your rights taken away. If you have relatives in a similar circumstance, this part of the book alone makes it well worth buying, as it gives great insight into the sufferer's experience. This part of the book is fictionalised, but strongly based on Huljich's own life story. In Part Three the two stories intertwine and are wrapped up in an interesting conclusion.
Huljich's style is clear and straightforward, which is what most reader's desire. We do not feel we are reading an art text, with showy devices. Occasionally a line of dialog is in another language, Maori or Chinese, but the meaning is easy to work out and does not substantially disturb the flow. We are not left wondering, "What was that about?" Huljich regularly manages to surprise us by ending chapters on an emotional note and by beginning chapters with an unexpected plot twist or unforseen point of view.
As I noted above, this is not a self-help book, though some very useful advice is given, such as the importance of exercise. Huljich rather concentrates, in both stories, on the psychological experience of suffering. If you want to know more about what you can practically do to aid your mental state, particularly if you are depressed, try Unstuck: Your Guide to the Seven-Stage Journey Out of Depression by James S. Gordon, MD. Gordon emphasises behavioural change rather than medication, as Huljich does.
This is a great effort as a first time novel. It is interesting and authentic, as well as entertaining. Most of all it manages to turn a socially taboo subject into a very approachable read.
Huljich could have written a self-help book, but by framing the subject as fiction he has astutely made it much more approachable for the ordinary reader. We quickly get attached to these characters and stick by them as their lives fall apart, lurching from one disaster to the next (as in the case of Luke Powers), or wildly spinning out of control (as in the case of Rick Dellich).
Of course this is fiction and Huljich has included some plot elements that are a little `larger than life' in order to excite the reader. The world of crime and conspiracy, for example, eventually comes into play. `Big money and big business' features heavily in the plot, though Huljich himself, being a very successful businessman, would probably tell you that this is normal life. For the ordinary reader this high-flying world can be stimulating and different.
Huljich has a real talent for story telling. The book is actually two novels in one. Part One tells the story of Luke Powers, a man seemingly fated to suffer pain in all his close relationships. The plot progresses for age 11 to well into young adulthood. The section depicting high school life at the prestigious "Lloyds College" is particularly vivid, engaging authentic. It is no surprise to find that Huljich actually attended St. Peter's College, Auckland, and in fact is listed on the honour roll. Part Two tells the story of Rick Dellich, a man caught in the grip of Bipolar Disorder. The plot begins with Rick already incarcerated in a mental institution. Much of the story is told in flashbacks. In this way, what would otherwise be a very extended study of suffering, is broken up into smaller segments. Without this technique the institution section would have been too overwhelming for most readers. Huljich captures in detail exactly how it feels to be branded `insane' and to have your rights taken away. If you have relatives in a similar circumstance, this part of the book alone makes it well worth buying, as it gives great insight into the sufferer's experience. This part of the book is fictionalised, but strongly based on Huljich's own life story. In Part Three the two stories intertwine and are wrapped up in an interesting conclusion.
Huljich's style is clear and straightforward, which is what most reader's desire. We do not feel we are reading an art text, with showy devices. Occasionally a line of dialog is in another language, Maori or Chinese, but the meaning is easy to work out and does not substantially disturb the flow. We are not left wondering, "What was that about?" Huljich regularly manages to surprise us by ending chapters on an emotional note and by beginning chapters with an unexpected plot twist or unforseen point of view.
As I noted above, this is not a self-help book, though some very useful advice is given, such as the importance of exercise. Huljich rather concentrates, in both stories, on the psychological experience of suffering. If you want to know more about what you can practically do to aid your mental state, particularly if you are depressed, try Unstuck: Your Guide to the Seven-Stage Journey Out of Depression by James S. Gordon, MD. Gordon emphasises behavioural change rather than medication, as Huljich does.
This is a great effort as a first time novel. It is interesting and authentic, as well as entertaining. Most of all it manages to turn a socially taboo subject into a very approachable read.
November 17, 2010
This book was written in three parts. Part 1 is the story of Luke who is facing murder charges. Part 2 is Rick’s story who is struggling with Bipolar disorder, and part 3 is when the two story’s combine.
I absolutely loved reading Luke’s story; it was a real page turner for me. The romance was so intense, passionate and heartbreaking. I thought it was a wonderful read, but I also felt annoyed at the same time. Just when the story was at its peak, it stops suddenly and Rick’s story begins. I really wanted to know of Luke’s fate but unfortunately I didn’t find out until the conclusion (which was another 200 pages).
Rick’s story was based on true events. Even though it was very sad reading about his mental illness, it didn’t capture my attention as much as the first story.
By the time I got to part 3, I had given up completely. It was far too long and I lost interest. I think I would’ve enjoyed it more if it was written as two separate novels.
This is the first book I won from Goodreads and I thank Goodreads & Paul Huljich for giving me the opportunity to read this novel.
I absolutely loved reading Luke’s story; it was a real page turner for me. The romance was so intense, passionate and heartbreaking. I thought it was a wonderful read, but I also felt annoyed at the same time. Just when the story was at its peak, it stops suddenly and Rick’s story begins. I really wanted to know of Luke’s fate but unfortunately I didn’t find out until the conclusion (which was another 200 pages).
Rick’s story was based on true events. Even though it was very sad reading about his mental illness, it didn’t capture my attention as much as the first story.
By the time I got to part 3, I had given up completely. It was far too long and I lost interest. I think I would’ve enjoyed it more if it was written as two separate novels.
This is the first book I won from Goodreads and I thank Goodreads & Paul Huljich for giving me the opportunity to read this novel.
August 5, 2011
Huljich must have self published this book, it is wild and crazy, annoying, interesting and all over the place with 612 pages. Huljich uses his own life as a basis. He was diagnosed as bipolar, was messed up by bad prescriptions, went psychotic and then slowly recovered, healing himself with diet and attitude. There are two main protagonists Luke and Rick, they meet each other briefly as teens, but each takes half of the book, and they seem unrelated. Luke’s family dies, and he grows up in New Zealand, and becomes a great businessman, living in China then the US, but having unrequited love. His former Chinese lover ends us dead and he is convicted. Rick also becomes a successful businessman, but slowly goes crazy only to find himself again. There is interesting detail about the landscape of New Zealand and Taiwan. But it is really an unwieldy mess. I got tired of what great businessmen these two were, and there were oddly graphic sex scenes thrown in. Skip it.
March 20, 2011
The Betrayal of Love and Freedom is a very long novel but well worth the read. Part one is the story of Luke and the tragic loss that occurred to him when he was 11 years old. Part two is the story of Rick and the mental illness that could have totally destroyed him. The third and last part of the novel shows the interconnection between the two stories.
I should never read other people's reviews before starting a book because it affects my expectations. I expected this book to be very long and drawn out and, at times, not very interesting. Instead I found it to be an excellent read a book that gets you thinking about mental illness and the lot we draw in this life. It was compelling and a real page turner. I couldn't put it down.
Thanks Goodreads for sending me this book for free - I would have gladly paid the $16 list price.
I should never read other people's reviews before starting a book because it affects my expectations. I expected this book to be very long and drawn out and, at times, not very interesting. Instead I found it to be an excellent read a book that gets you thinking about mental illness and the lot we draw in this life. It was compelling and a real page turner. I couldn't put it down.
Thanks Goodreads for sending me this book for free - I would have gladly paid the $16 list price.
January 28, 2011
This book was a refreshing change of format...
This book is about the lives of two men Luke and Rick. Their lives are broken down into two parts within the book. Part one is about Luke's story, which is very amazing and exciting to read about. Part two is about Rick's story, which drags a bit (but is very interesting all the same). The final part of the book, their lives cross paths once again (as they do during part one).
A portion of the book is based on the Huljich's real life experiences, which I believe is written through the eyes of Rick. I feel that Luke is Huljich's alter-ego of sorts, which might be why that part of the book provides so much more excitement.
Paul Huljich has overcome amazing odds in the world of psychotherapy and should be commended for his inner strength. I am so glad he shared his story in the way that he did.
This book is about the lives of two men Luke and Rick. Their lives are broken down into two parts within the book. Part one is about Luke's story, which is very amazing and exciting to read about. Part two is about Rick's story, which drags a bit (but is very interesting all the same). The final part of the book, their lives cross paths once again (as they do during part one).
A portion of the book is based on the Huljich's real life experiences, which I believe is written through the eyes of Rick. I feel that Luke is Huljich's alter-ego of sorts, which might be why that part of the book provides so much more excitement.
Paul Huljich has overcome amazing odds in the world of psychotherapy and should be commended for his inner strength. I am so glad he shared his story in the way that he did.
December 21, 2012
Everytime I sat down to read this book, I found myself struggling to get through the overwhelming details thrown at the reader. I think that the author's greatest flaw in this novel is simply telling too much. It seemed as though the story would have had more of an impact if a large portion of the oftentimes trivial details and descriptions were left out. That being said, Betrayal of Love and Freedom was an interesting look into the struggles of someone with this terrible disease. It just seems that the main character's story could have been expressed with far fewer words, and a bit more left to the reader's imagination.
Added Note: I won a copy of this book in the Goodreads First Reads giveaway.
Added Note: I won a copy of this book in the Goodreads First Reads giveaway.
January 23, 2011
I'm not really sure how I feel about this book.
The over all plot of the story was alright, I loved Luke's story; it was really interesting and really a page turner. Once I got to Rick's story everything seemed to just slow down. I found it really hard to get through Rick's story and all I wanted to do was get through and finish Luke's story. Once I got to the third part I was just ready to be done with the book. I feel everything really got dragged out, and often one paragraph said the same thing 3 different ways.
The over all plot of the story was alright, I loved Luke's story; it was really interesting and really a page turner. Once I got to Rick's story everything seemed to just slow down. I found it really hard to get through Rick's story and all I wanted to do was get through and finish Luke's story. Once I got to the third part I was just ready to be done with the book. I feel everything really got dragged out, and often one paragraph said the same thing 3 different ways.
December 4, 2012
Pt 1 moved quickly, decent enough plot. Pt 2 is plodding and the author's premise that mental health issues need no medicinal intervention is disturbing. May work for the author personally but not for all of us. Forced my way thru Pt 2 to Pt 3 only to be sorely disappointed. Pt 2 had NO bearing on the novel. The characters met briefly in Pt 1 and that was it for their interaction. Pt 3 was poorly written (as was Pt 2). Did the editor stop working after Pt 1? Seems so. I cannot recommend this title.
February 19, 2013
This is the story of Luke and Rick.This story is told in two parts.Luke suffered a tragic loss when he was 11 years old. Part two is Ricks story of the mental illness which could have totally destroyed him.The final part of the book tells the interconnection between the two stories.It really showed me a new perspective about mental illness. And how people who suffer with it deal with it day by day. A very informative book, i highly recommend it.
December 2, 2010
A well written book with characters that draw you in. I found this book very hard to put down and the life of Luke Powers is captivating. Slightly repetitive in the middle in what I'm guessing is autobiographical sections yet still interesting. The ending is sharp, attention getting and is satisfyingly suspenseful.
December 24, 2010
As someone who has had experience of dealing with a person who was bipolar, this book was incredibly interesting. Luke's story needs to be made into one bigger book and the experiences outlined in part two were eye-opening. Be warned that some parts are quite graphic and can be quite difficult to read, but this is only because they've been so well written.
March 17, 2011
This was a wonderful book, the journey was painful, yet well written. What a scary disorder and thought to have your control taken from you. What a survivor and human character. This was an excellent book and I would recommend it to anyone.
Want to read
November 2, 2010Unable to rate this as I have not received a copy even though I apparantly was selected as a winner in early September!
Copy arrived 28th October - now on my towering "to be read pile"....watch this space :)
Copy arrived 28th October - now on my towering "to be read pile"....watch this space :)
November 15, 2010
Compelling story - I agree with other comments that there is a lot of spelling out for the reader, but this didn't offend me it. I found it got me to know the characters more. I think the author is very brave for writing such a story.
January 11, 2011
Disappointing. It's made up of two different stories. In one story the main character suffers from mental illness - biploar. In the other story the character just has a screwed up life. I had higher hopes for this book!
Want to read
June 27, 2010I heard that this book was interesting.
Want to read
September 8, 2010Just won this book with Goodreads. Will review it as soon as I read it.
ditched
December 16, 2011Won this in a Goodreads giveaway, couldn't finish it.
August 18, 2014
I really loved parts one and two. The third part was too all over place and I couldn't even finish reading the last couple of chapters. I wish part one and two were their own separate books.
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