This book came highly recommended and at first, I just couldn't comprehend why everyone was talking about and recommending “The Silent Patient”. After picking up an e-copy of the book, I know why. The book is different but an engaging yet twisted kinda different.
About The Book
Alicia Berenson, a famous painter, shoots her husband and remains eerily silent, never speaking a word again. Her case is tried in court and the judge concludes that a silent person can not be convicted for a crime she neither agrees to nor disagrees with.
Forensic psychotherapist, Theo Faber, is determined to uncover the truth behind Alicia’s silence and the events that lined up to her crime but the question is why was he so eager?
This psychological thriller by Alex Michaelides weaves a complex web containing themes like trauma, mystery, mental health and human psyche; keeping readers on edge to the very end.
The presence and activities of Theo Faber in this piece reminds me why wise people usually urge others to remain mute about the things going on in their lives as they do not know who the enemy or the friend is.
One thing I really enjoyed about this book was the palpable tension and suspense as the author skillfully crafted the narrative. Many scenes in this book had made me feel like I was so close to uncovering the truth behind Alicia’s silence but every single time, it was just a dead end.
The most amusing part is that some of the things I considered as ‘dead ends’ were in fact pointers to the grand discovery. Subtle and very overlookable pointers. I only realised that these dead ends were pointers after I finished reading the novel. To reiterate, the book was beautifully crafted.
Alicia Bereson’s predicament throws more light on what so many people go through in the world today. She had a very terrible childhood and this obviously contributed to the woman that she grew up to become. When certain things were happening in her life, she talked about it to both the people closest to her and the ones that were just acquaintances. The close ones brushed it off saying it was a normal thing with her. If only someone that meant a lot to her–like her husband– had actually listened and taken her seriously, I believe the tragedy may have been prevented.
Talking about tragedy, without giving out too many spoilers, I would like to point out that Alicia’s husband–Gabriel Berenson– was in a way responsible for his own death.
Moving on, this novel revolved around Alicia Berenson and Theo Faber and as such, the detail given to their characters was optimum. However, I feel like the other characters were lacking. Take Gabriel's brother–Max Berenson– for instance, he played a major role in Alicia’s past and to an extent, her present yet the readers didn't know so much about him, talk less of why he acted the way he did.
Also, I would like to point out that the ending of the novel was an eye-opener; however, it didn't live up to the buildup of events from the novel. With the way the novel was crafted, I guess I expected a more jaw-dropping and flabbergasting ending but that wasn't exactly the case.
Recommendation.
The Silent Patient is an interesting and thought-provoking thriller novel. With its clever plot twists and well crafted tension scenes, the novel was a compelling read that kept me guessing to the end.
Was it worth the hype and incessant recommendation? There's only one way to find out.
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Liebe🤍