A while back I ended an abusive relationship through the confidence I won back from characters in a book. I was always an outspoken person and thought I had too much self respect to wind up in an abusive relationship. Until i did, it wasnt imediate it was over time. little things that i just lost the will to keep fighting over made me more and more submissive to him. I started to loose myself and family or friends who got the rare chance to see me often said things like "I dont recognize you" or "you never smile anymore". When my daughter was born things became so much worse. My ex would have to get up early for work and so that meant we needed to be quiet while he slept. With a newborn baby that is extremely hard to do so I spent every single night keeping myself awake so that if the baby cried I could take care of her without him waking. I would spend those nights weeping silently wondering how I was going to get us out of this HELL. One night I was looking up something to read online and came accross a book called The City Of Bones by Cassandra Clare. I began reading and became so entwined in the shadowhunter world and the characters excited and inspired me. I felt the female characters were who I used to be and the courage and determination of the character "Clary" helped me realize my own confidence to change the situation that I was in. I left with what I could carry and now I am safe and happy with my daughter who is now almost 5 years old. I am forever indebted to Cassandra Clare, the magical world she envisioned and the strong characters she created gave me my life back. Still in the back of my mind if self doubt starts to bubble up I think of how I can be more like "Clary" and it gives me so much peace.