The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides had me turning pages like a madwoman to get to the conclusion. I did not foresee the twist coming, and I was immensely satisfied with the ending overall. I would highly recommend this book to everyone that loves psychology, murder mysteries, and suspense. This was an easy 5-star rating for me. Keep reading for my spoiler-free review. I've kept it short and sweet, I am afraid I will say too much and give something away.
This story unravels the mystery of Alicia, an artist who is happily married to a man by the name of Gabriel. Her life appears absolutely normal until she murders her husband, is committed to a psychiatric hospital, and never speaks again. It is not until psychotherapist, Theo, becomes obsessed with her case that the truth about Gabriel's death starts to come out.
The Silent Patient was the perfect thriller for me. This book was full of juicy questions and gave the answers in all the right ways. Why does Alicia become silent? And why does she kill her husband? It is the perfect set up to delve into psychology (an interest of mine), through a criminal lens.
The best part of this book was the twist. There is so little I can say about this book without giving things away. The ending was beautifully planned out, and my jaw was to the floor as all the puzzle pieces finally fall into place. I did not predict how Alicia's story would play out, but I was cursing myself afterward for not picking up on things sooner. For those of you who decide to pick this book up, if you find things slow in the beginning, I promise you that the twist is worth it.
The author created excellent parallels between the two main characters, mixing Theo's present-day accounts and Alicia's past journal entries. By including Alicia's journal, the audience gets to hear her perspective, without her having to speak. It allowed me as a reader to form a connection with her and become increasingly intrigued with her side of the story.
The Silent Patient is the most satisfying thriller that I have read in a long time. I would highly recommend it to people who enjoyed I Let You Go by Claire Mackintosh or The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn. If you have already read The Silent Patient and want something similar, I would highly recommend both of the above.
Yours Literarily,
Lauren.
Comments