
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides is a psychological thriller that follows the story of Alicia Berenson, a renowned artist who is found with her dead husband, tied to a chair and shot multiple times in the face. Alicia never speaks again and is sent to a mental institution. Theo Faber, a forensic psychologist, takes a job at the facility to treat Alicia and unravel her secrets. The book is filled with twists and turns, red herrings, and a surprising conclusion, making it a gripping and engaging read.
The novel is centered around the relationship between Alicia, the silent patient, and Theo, the psychotherapist determined to make her speak. As Theo delves deeper into Alicia's case, the story unfolds through entries from Alicia's diary and Theo's own perspective. The plot weaves together themes of mental illness, trauma, and suspense, keeping the readers guessing until the unexpected twist at the end. The Silent Patient explores complex characters and intricate storytelling, making it a compelling and thought-provoking thriller.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include depictions of murder, mental illness, self-harm, and emotional trauma.
From The Publisher:
**THE INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER**
"An unforgettable-and Hollywood-bound-new thriller... A mix of Hitchcockian suspense, Agatha Christie plotting, and Greek tragedy."
-Entertainment Weekly
Alex Michaelides's The Silent Patient is a shocking psychological thriller of a woman's act of violence against her husband-and of the therapist obsessed with uncovering her motive.
Alicia Berenson's life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London's most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word.
Alicia's refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London.
Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations-a search for the truth that threatens to consume him....
Ratings (678)
Incredible (102) | |
Loved It (211) | |
Liked It (176) | |
It Was OK (96) | |
Did Not Like (72) | |
Hated It (21) |
Reader Stats (1146):
Read It (699) | |
Currently Reading (9) | |
Want To Read (359) | |
Did Not Finish (17) | |
Not Interested (62) |
26 comment(s)
Plot twist
When I first started reading I had a hard time with the unprofessional conduct of the psychotherapist. As a therapist myself, it was a very big put off. The only way I was able to continue reading was by imagining him as a detective instead. Still, I was quite disgusted by the obsessive behavior he portrays, which I'm sure comes from bias due to my profession. That said when the twist came, I was very confused. I hated the ending. I felt there was no real conclusion, but hey, at least I finished it. It may have kept me reading which is more than can be said for some books I've started, but I didn't feel like it was worth the read; a bit of a waste of time that left me fuming.
I listened to the audio version and enjoyed this book. I'm glad I didnt guess the "twist" and did enjoy the story.
What a wild ride that turned out to be! Greatly rewarded for stepping out of my genre comfort zone. Highly recommend.
Disappointed. I tend to avoid books that receive a lot of hype. For a psychological thriller there was no thrill. The characters felt flat and did not generate much empathy from me as the reader.
I don’t get the hype. Predictable.
****4.5****
Review Soon
So twisty
Maybe I’m a dolt but I didn’t see it coming. Well played. Alex.
THE PLOT
Alicia has the perfect life until one evening after her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word. Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist and he is determined to get Alicia to talk and explain why she shot her husband.
MY OPINION
I read this book in a couple of hours, so that says something. But after finishing it I was kinda mad. Everyone has hyped up the plot twist and I was dying to know what it was. I was suspicious of every character, but after finding out the twist I was honestly let down. I didn't feel connected to the characters and the writing really wasn't anything special. I think this book is between 2-3 stars, I honestly can't decide.
About the Author:
Alex Michaelides was born and raised in Cyprus. He has a MA in English Literature from Trinity College, Cambridge University, and a MA in Screenwriting from the American Film Institute in Los Angeles. The Silent Patient was his first novel. It spent over a year on the New York Times bestseller list and sold in a record-breaking fifty countries. He lives in London.
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