Author: Alex Michaelides
Genre: Mystery; Adult
Rating: 8/10
Alicia Berenson shot her husband in the head only to never speak again. Years later, psychotherapist Theo Faber is confident that he can not only get Alicia to talk, but to tell him the truth.
The synopsis of this book hooked me right away. It’s almost like a cliffhanger, promising a shocking reveal, and I was both eager and nervous to see whether it would deliver. Moreover, I thought the crime was both baffling and intriguing, and I could not guess which direction it was headed towards.
I felt that the story was separated into two branches. Firstly, we have the mystery of Alicia Berenson and her diary entries. These were interspersed between the narrator’s point of view, which not only included Theo’s interactions with Alicia, but also his day to day life.
The book really delves deep into Theo’s story and character. I found it fascinating how his actions seemed rational and sane, yet his thoughts and voice reflected how damaged and unhinged he might actually be. I could tell we had an unreliable narrator situation and it felt like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop.
The book surrounds the complicated topics of psychology and mental health, and the scenes struck me as genuine and realistic, making me wonder whether the author studied in the field. He did! Alex did post-graduate work in psychology and even worked in a secure psychiatric unit for two years. I find it extremely interesting when people who have professional experience and expertise in a real world field of study write a fiction book about it. This is especially true when the topic itself is subjective and enigmatic. I feel like I have gained some knowledge on the subject, as well as some enlightening insights.
“Remember, love that doesn't include honesty doesn't deserve to be called love.”
Though this book was marketed as a psychological thriller, I really felt that it was more of a mystery. We were constantly being given bits and pieces of information, making us guess and then second guess ourselves. Personally, I really enjoyed the suspense, uncertainty and build up.
Psychological thrillers have a way of featuring life uncensored and raw, reminding us of how messed up humans can be behind their masks of propriety. This is especially true when it comes to thrillers that focus on the human psyche or domestic thrillers. However, this book was not as morbid as others I have read, and this may be good or bad depending on the reader.
In my opinion, I felt that the book could have used more darkness and intensity, especially for the story it is telling. Certain details of the book felt a bit brief and I wish they were explored more in depth. Something else I was not a big fan of was that there was a lot of telling instead of showing.
Finally, the most important aspect of any thriller, the big twist/reveal. I’m not going to say much because of spoilers, but I found it original, creative and most importantly, satisfying.
As a whole, The Silent Patient was a solid thriller. There could have been more twists and turns, but what we received was not disappointing in any way. This is definitely one of those books you would find yourself reading chapter after chapter of.
Reviewed by: N.G.Rainwater (1st Reading)
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