Horrible Character

I am currently reading the book "Empire Falls" by Richard Russo. It took me quite a while to get into it. It was on the recommended reading table at my library. There is a character in the book who is disabled from a young age after being hit by a car. She is totally a stereotypical character of a "cripple" which is how everyone things of her. She is painted as someone to pity and loathe. Poor Cindy, is how most of the town thinks of her. She is not at all motivated to do physical therapy and is described as both spoiled and weak. She is also someone who has spent half her life in mental hospitals. She tried to kill herself over the main character in the book the only person who even remotely showed her any friendship when she was growing up, which he did because his mother convinced him that poor Cindy's life was so miserable that he out to be kind to her, being a good Catholic, which he was. She declared her undying love for him in high school and he has been afraid of her ever since, but when she comes back to town after a long absence he invites her to a football game in spite of himself. She is also the daughter of his boss, the richest woman who owns half the town. God! The whole thing is so stereotypical. I have been feeling angry the last few days and I realize it is because of this book. The way this character is portrayed is exactly how I fear that others see me. (Minus the mental hospital part: I have never been in one). However, she also reminds me of an ex-boyfriend who had CP and spent a good deal of time in mental hospitals after I broke up with him. He was constantly threatening to kill himself over me. Ugh. I don't want to think of him. A few times I thought of not finishing the stupid book, but I can never do that. I always have to see how it turns out even if I hate it!