Part 5/7:
Many who have followed Gilbert's career are aware of her complex and often dark nature. Critics have long characterized her as a shape-shifter, a fraud, and someone who manipulates those around her. Reports recount Gilbert herself admitting to destructive tendencies; she wrote an essay for the Times where she openly confessed to breaking into people's lives, breaking up relationships, and siphoning emotional and intellectual "currency" from others.
In her own words, she describes a pattern of theft—stolen relationships, exploited confidences, and emotional drains—that she then used for personal gain. She admits to leaving wreckage behind, dismissing her behavior as part of her flawed but authentic self.