Book Review: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons!

  For the past few years I have been obsessed with thrillers. The twistier the better. As I began to expand my reading horizons I settled on the crime thriller. But as a student of Psychology, I will always have a special place in my heart for the psychological thriller. With the Silent Patient I was treated to one of the best thrillers that I have read this year.

  The Silent Patient is Alex Michaelides' debut novel, and it is published by Celadon Books. In this tense and shocking thriller we are introduced to the Grove, a large psychiatric hospital home to many patients, some of notoriety. Within its walls lives a silent patient, named Alicia Berenson. After being convicted of murdering her husband, Alicia was remanded to the hospital's care. There she has lived a reticent life for many years, baffling psychiatrists. She is said to be dangerous and prone to attacking people. These are the qualities that psychotherapist Theo Faber is interested in. He believes that she is holding back and not telling the whole truth of her husband's murder.

  Upon his arrival at the hospital, Theo begins to get acquainted with the staff and patients. Alicia is aloof and seems not to care or notice Theo. Faber is at odds with his own personal life lately, dealing with his wife's infidelity. The hospital begins to be a distraction for him, as well as Alicia Berenson's life. Against his superior's wishes, Theo starts to unravel a tattered tapestry of lies and deceit. But what he does not realize is that meeting Alicia Berenson may be the end of him.

  That is all I will say of the book's plot, because it is so intricate and loaded with surprises that I do not want to ruin the experience for my readers. The Silent Patient is a deadly serious suspense novel that grabs you by the neck and strangles the life out of the time around you. I was so engrossed in this book that I managed to finish it in a day. What happened to the time, I cannot tell you. The narrative is slick and buries nuggets of information in its sentences, daring you to solve the twist. Alex Michaelides uses his screen writing skills to craft a plot that is cinematic. The details of the Grove, the descriptions of Alicia's paintings, and the character development is very strong. When I reached the end I was hit with two reveals that had me reeling. 

  I read the Silent Patient in part with the audio narration of actors, Louise Brealey and Jack Hawkins. Hawkins does the majority of the narrating as we follow Theo on his search for the truth. Brealey is Alicia Berensen in diary entries that flash back to the days before her husband's murder. This duo was incredible. I was entranced by their performances and felt as if I were listening to recorded confessions in a police case. The emotion and vivid voice work was top-notch.

  In the end the Silent Patient was a five star debut from Alex Michaelides that left me stunned. It was a viceral look into the psychological thriller that brought something fresh to the genre. I was immensely entertained and cannot wait to see what other novels Michaelides writes. Put this on the top of your Summer reading list. I highly recommend this novel. 

  Have fun reading this week. Let me know in the comments below what you are reading this week.

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