The Silent Patient (Book Review) by Rev.Sr.Virgine Sebastian Roche

This book is a great English novel written by Alex Michaelides, and it is about a psychological thriller. The author has created a few characters to move the story along interestingly. First of all, let me tell you about the summary of this novel. Alicia Berenson is a famous painter, and her life is seemingly perfect. She got married to an in-demand fashion photographer, and she lives in a grand house. One evening, her husband Graham 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 speak or give any kind of explanation turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander. This mystery captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. 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 speak unravels the mystery of why she shot her husband and takes him down a twisting path into his motivations.

The Silent Patient seemed, for all intents and purposes, like just another generic psychological thriller book. In many ways, it was, but in other ways, it stood out because of its excellent characters and the depth of the story and its themes. Alicia Berenson is a famous painter who has been admitted to the forensic unit. She has been charged with murdering her husband, Graham. After shooting him, she has never spoken again. Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who accepted a job at the Grove, hoping to work with Alicia. He is obsessed with learning her motive. He knows he can get her to talk. Others have tried and failed. Will he be successful?

Although Alicia does not speak, the reader gets a glimpse into her life through Theo’s discussions with those in her life. The reader gets to learn even more about Alicia through her diary entries. Alicia is an enigma from the start. In the present, she is a shadow of her previous self. But through her thoughts and memories, we begin to put flesh on her bones as we learn about her childhood and subsequent relationship with Gabriel. The deep dive into the psyche of Alicia is quite an interesting journey and definitely adds another layer to the book rather than keeping it as a simple mystery tale. The concept of committing a crime and not attempting to escape, instead going numb, is quite unique. Adding psychology and Greek mythology in crime makes The Silent Patient a treat for mystery lovers.

Overall, I feel that The Silent Patient is a good read with an interesting plot twist. It’s unique in its own way. Emotions that are buried are not dead; they are just dormant for a while, and that has been effectively shown in this. The one-liner given by renowned personalities punched at the beginning of every chapter prepares the readers for what is coming next. Ultimately, this book is an excellent choice for a good reader.