“The Silent Patient” by Alex Michaelides
Uncovering the truth behind the silence
I'd seen "The Silent Patient" on several "best of 2019" lists so was very curious to read it.
Thrillers is one of my favourite genres, and it had been a while since I've read one as unpredictable as this one. I really enjoy when there is a twist in the story that makes you go "Wait…what just happened???" - and without a doubt this is one of those.
It's a psychological thriller full of suspense and that can't-put-it-down feeling. It's also a light read - you really go through it very quickly. It certainly helps that its chapters are very short, so you just keep on going.
Because it's a thriller, I shouldn't give away too much about the story, so here's the gist of it. Alicia Berenson is a famous painter accused of murdering her husband Gabriel, a fashion photographer. After the trial she is committed to the Grove, a secure psychiatric unit in London. She hasn't spoken a word since the murder so the truth of what happened that night remains a mystery, situation which deeply intrigues psychotherapist Theo Faber and drives him to find a way to become her therapist.
The book is divided into five parts, with a mix of entries from Alicia's journal leading up to that tragic night and Theo narrating the story himself. Through this narrative readers get to know what the therapy sessions between them were like, the information that Theo gets to uncover while trying to learn more about his patient, and also what was happening in their personal lives. We get to know the complexity of both characters, the difficult lives they've had, and the challenges that they were both facing in their respective marriages.
As I do with most thrillers, I went through the story trying to solve the mystery by myself and thinking about all the possible scenarios that could happen. When I was close to the end and reached the story's twist, I was surprised because to be honest I didn’t expect it to go that way at all. I even had to go back and re-read it to confirm that I had fully understood what I'd just read. I have to say - while reading it there was something in the story that to me didn't totally fit in the narrative, something that kept me wondering "why is this part of the story?". So, after reaching the twist, I also went back and re-read a few of the previous chapters and it was until then that that specific situation finally made sense to me.
I liked the book and recommend reading it if you are into psychological thrillers and are looking for a light read. It is certainly a page-turner that kept me hooked since the beginning.
Thanks for reading!