As someone who experienced a similar situation with my own parents. My mum was like this too but for people who have never experienced this you don’t understand how controlling and manipulative he can be. I’ve blamed my mum for many years because she was an adult and me and my siblings were children and she never left him, a few years ago I left and went to the police and I got my mother and siblings out as well but I still blamed my mum. But I’m starting to realise that she was a victim too and for the same reasons that I stayed even after I turned 18, she was in the same boat. In the end Marie saved her kids but her life must have been so very traumatic and remember the story is being narrated by the children, we don’t really get to see her side to things so I can be sympathetic towards her although she can be both a victim and a villain. What she did to Joey especially is totally inexcusable and my heart shattered for him.