BOOK REVIEW : THE SILENT PATIENT BY ALEX MICHAELIDES

Unexpressed emotions will never die. They are buried alive, and will come forth later, in uglier ways.

– SIGMUND FREUD

TITLE : The Silent Patient

AUTHOR : Alex Michaelides

GENRE : Psychological Thriller / Mystery / Suspense

FR RATING : 4 stars

SYNOPSIS

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 spotlights 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….

FR REVIEW

I am a great fan of Thriller/Mystery/Suspense genre. So this book was a no-brainer for me as it had garnered quite the attention and buzz. I picked it up thinking it’s going to be one of those books with the constant twists and turns that will have me at the end of my seat. But this book is a slow-paced thriller with a mind-blowing twist that I did not see coming.

The Silent Patient is a story about Alicia Berenson, a young artist who murders her husband, Gabriel Berenson brutally and refuses to speak after the act. They were the picture-perfect couple who were madly in love with each other. What could have gone wrong?

Theo Faber; the forensic psychologist narrates the story. He presents himself as someone who is troubled and believes most psychologists are fucked up, whether they admit it or not. We get to see Theo’s side of the story through his narrations and Alicia’s side through her diary entries.

Alicia’s portrayal is of a troubled young woman with secrets in her past. She is seen to be struggling with her emotions and having moments filled with immense stress and anxiety throughout the novel. Her journal entries play a pivotal role in uncovering some of the questions around her life.

Theo is fascinated by Alicia’s story and believes he will be able to make her talk. He manages to get a job at The Grove; the same psychiatric facility where Alicia is kept. He feels connected to her on some level and wants to find out the reason for her silence.

This story unravels as more and more information comes out through Alicia’s journal entries. With each chapter, more questions arise in the minds of the reader. It’s a thriller meant to keep you intrigued to the end.

MY THOUGHTS

I positively enjoyed the book and got hooked until the end. I loved the twist and did not see it coming at all. The story is intriguing and compelling. However, I did have some issues with the book. Some of the characters like Paul (Alicia’s cousin), Yuri (head psychiatric nurse) left a lot of questions unanswered. Yuri’s interactions with Theo regarding Alicia were confusing. The motivation Paul had; to get money from Alicia is not addressed. Despite these enigmas, I still appreciated the story. I can understand why some people were disappointed. The hype surrounding the book was huge. Did it live up to the hype? No. Was it an enjoyable read? Yes. I would positively recommend this to all the fans out there who enjoy the slow-paced Mystery.

What did you guys think about The Silent Patient? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section down below. If you liked my review; like, comment, subscribe and share my post with your friends. Enjoy!