The Silent Patient
Ratings1,238
Average rating3.8
4/5 - I've heard about this book from so many booktubers, so I thought I would read it for spooky season. And it didn't disappoint. It was more of a mystery, but the plot twist at the end was WILD as I would not have guessed it. I think my problem with mystery books is that I am always trying to figure out the plot twist instead of enjoying the book for what it is. That's a me problem, unfortunately. Nonetheless, a really good read.
Summary: When Alicia Berenson is found at the scene of her husband’s murder, she doesn’t speak a word. She maintains her silence through the criminal investigation and court proceedings that follow, through her conviction and sentencing, and, so far, for the entirety of her institutionalization at The Grove. Psychologist Theo Faber, however, believes that he may be able to get to the bottom of what really happened between Alicia and her husband and get her to finally creak her silence.
The plot twist in this had me sitting straight up on my couch with my hand over my mouth in shock oh my god
Great book, struggled to put it down. I could relate to a lot of the themes/content which made it both a difficult and amazing read at the same time. I was convinced I knew the twist just over halfway through but the ending took me entirely off guard, it was brilliant. This one's going on my re-read list!
I really liked the buildup in the first half, kept me hooked to the audiobook. Later on when the author went more into Theo's personal life, I was kinda like “I don't care about Theo. Tell me what happened to Alicia.”. Little did I know that was all another buildup for the finale. Great listen and would recommend. 4/5.
The missing star is because of various holes in the plotlines that were not closed. (Max abusing Alicia, Paul borrowing money from Alicia, Jean Felix). Also, in the first few chapters Theo says the entrance to The Grove is so strict that won't even let him take his lighter but in later chapters everyone seems to be smoking inside The Grove.
That's the truth. I didn't kill Gabriel. He killed me.
All I did was pull the trigger.
I had really high expectations from this book as I've been meaning to read it but sadly, it didn't give that way I wanted it to give. Was it me? Is it because I've read too much Agatha Christie and I'm expecting it to be that?
Alicia talked. I kinda wish she didn't. That'd be sooo smart to reveal Theo's involvement while still keeping the plot's uniqueness (her not talking). Kind of a let down cuz that was def one of the book's selling point and I was expecting a big brain tactic from the author to preserve this.
Theo quickly found his way onto my suspect list. I knew there was something about his character that suggested he was more involved in the murder. Around halfway through the book I kinda clocked that and was, at this point, just waiting for the big reveal. Unfortunately for me, the ‘big' reveal was not as ‘wow' as I expected it to be.
It's veeerrryyy sad that I can't stop comparing this to Christie. That is on me and I apologize.
Nevertheless, I wasn't able to put down this book the moment I started reading it and for that I give my kudos to the author. If you are new to thriller books, I'm sure you would enjoy this.
The Silent Patient is a captivating psychological thriller that expertly builds suspense and keeps readers guessing until the final page. Alex Michaelides's prose is elegant and atmospheric, drawing readers into the enigmatic world of Alicia, a renowned artist who mysteriously stops speaking after a horrific crime.
The novel's exploration of trauma, guilt, and the blurred lines between sanity and madness is thought-provoking. The dual narratives of Theo Faber, the therapist determined to unlock Alicia's silence, and Alicia's chilling artwork create a compelling tension.
However, while the plot is undeniably gripping, a few plot holes emerge as the story progresses. Some of the revelations feel somewhat contrived, and certain character motivations lack depth. Despite these minor flaws, The Silent Patient remains a compelling and entertaining read that will leave readers pondering the complexities of the human mind.
3 stars only because I wasn't bored. Very Greek history of the author to have a Turkish woman be terrible.
Started out with some quite nice prose, but nice prose can't mask a typical silly thriller plot. I found myself agreeing completely with all the 1 and 2 star reviews. Bit I've decided to round up to 3 because, whilst this was nonsensical typical thriller nonsense with some added good grief WTF, I was neither bored nor quite certain where the twist would be.
That being said, I've read books where the nonlinear was handled much better.
So, in conclusion: not great but sufficiently entertaining, which is really all i can hope for with thrillers.
Okay so I thought I hated this right? Turns out the ending is quite an interesting one, not too shabby at all
Wow. This was a wild read. I did not expect the ending. Theo went through great lengths to ensure that Alicia didn't recognize him and tell the story of when Gabriel died. This was a long drawn out story, but the ending was definitely worth the wait. This took me on a wild ride, I really thought It was never going to get to the plot twist. I thought the story was about Alicia but it's more about Theo and his self preservation.
The first half of the book was so interesting and captivating, leaving me wanting to find answers to know the truth, but as the book goes on it kind of lost my interest and confused me at times. Mid through the book is so drawn out that by the time the big twist and reveal happens I'm more confused than ever and had to re-read some parts. Definitely an unreliable narrator book which was a twist I didn't see coming. The ending didn't leave me satisfied at all, just annoyed because it could have been done so much better. Overall an ok book.
Contains spoilers
I read this in one day, so, there's that! Definitely better than The Maidens, but not better written or more interesting, just slightly less stupid. Michaelides has a lot of really interesting nuggets of ideas but either won't or can't execute them effectively. He is also allergic to subtlety. The twist IS a cool idea but it was cooler when Agatha Christie did it like 100 years ago.
I was also amused/frustrated that he makes such a big fuss over what a fascinating and unique person Alicia is, only for her POV chapters to be SOOOOOOOOOO banal. Slightly bitchy at worst. I started Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh today, too-- now that is a gnarly fucking book unafraid to get real weird with it. And I'm on, like, page 30. Anyways. I do give props to the author for writing a real page-turner because that's a skill. But having read two of his books now it's clear that all he can do is write the exact same thing over again. Shut up about Greece and weed, my God.
Also I'm pissed because Michaelides overuses the em dash so hard that he makes ME self-conscious about MY overuse. I literally deleted an em dash from this review. 😤
I gasped.
This book was an amazing read, truly captivating. It's plot is really complex, with carefully thought-through characters amd a rich world surrounding the story. My review can't possibly do any justice to this book.
Psychological thrillers >>>>>
Contains spoilers
💬: “Perhaps some of us are simply born evil, and despite our best efforts we remain that way.”
― Alex Michaelides, The Silent Patient
📖Genres: mystery, thriller, psychological thriller, suspense, mystery thriller, psychological thriller
📚Page Count: 336
🎧Audiobook Length: 08h 44min
👩🏾🏫My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 3.5/5
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TW - <spoiler>Stalking, Violence, Alcohol, Blood, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder</spoiler>
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides is a psychological thriller about a woman who shoots her husband and then she becomes silent, refusing to talk to anyone. Alicia Berenson is a famous painter and she's married to a photographer, Gabriel. One night when Gabriel came home late, there was an altercation and he was then shot 5 times in the face. Criminal psychologist Theo Faber is determined to figure out the mystery to Alicia's story, he starts seeing her in sessions so he can unravel the mystery.
The story took too long to get exciting, I didn't care about any of the characters or the storyline until about 55% of the way through. I found myself not really caring about any of the characters until I was a little over halfway through the book. Things felt very slow and they didn't feel really thrillers like until halfway through the book. I didn't DNF this book because I was reading it so I could discuss it with a friend, if I had read it on my own I might have DNFed it for taking so long to get interesting.
That ending was really good! I was trying to figure the mystery out before the story told me and I could only figure one part of the mystery out. I was so surprised by the time I got to the end, I had to rewind the audiobook a bit so I could make sure I heard what I heard. That was such a good ending, I'm disappointed that the majority of the book was lackluster.
Overall, the novel was okay. I think it could have had more thriller like elements in the beginning of the story. The ending of the book was definitely a surprise, I didn't guess it at all! I'm giving this 3.5 out of 5 stars.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 3.5/5 Stars
I listened to this for free on [LibbyApp.com]
The core of this story revolves around Alicia Berenson, a once-renowned painter who decides to make her husband, Gabriel, the unfortunate centerpiece of her most shocking artwork by shooting him in the face five times. Cue the silence: Alicia hasn't spoken a word since. She becomes a puzzle that every psychiatrist has given up hope for—except for Theo Faber, a psychotherapist fascinated by Alicia's case. Determined to unravel the mystery, he takes a position at The Grove, a secure forensic unit in London. What follows is a gripping journey through the lives of Alicia and Theo.
This book was an absolute page-turner for me. It's easy to get swept up in the mystery if you don't dig too deep. However, for those who do, the novel raises numerous questions, leaving several threads tantalizingly loose. Despite these narrative loose ends, the major plot twist took me by surprise, making me appreciate the novel's structure all the more in hindsight.
Michaelides' story occasionally feels more like a detective story than a psychological thriller, especially in the way he has Theo quiz everyone who comes into contact with Alicia and follows every lead like Sherlock Holmes. (which is, of course, strange for a psychotherapist, but is one of the things you shouldn't worry too much about in this book. If you do, this book might not be your cup of tea.)
Overall, “The Silent Patient” offers a thrilling ride that might leave you with questions, but also delivers an enthralling experience with its unexpected twists and deep dives into its characters' darkest secrets. If you can overlook some of the logistical stretches, you're in for a compelling psychological puzzle that's hard to put down.
(3.75)
I loved the way our story unfolded in the beginning. I was living for this thriller. However, it got REAL slow and hit a dud; I give 3 stars to the middle of the book.
The ending sent me but I can't predict events as I'm watching them unfold. So it had me in a chokehold. A solid 4 stars.
I see why people recommend this book. But everything in the middle felt a little blah.
This guy put zero effort into researching the topics he writes about. It’s as if his psychologists were plucked from a mediocre Hollywood movie. All I felt was a mix of cringe and irony.
A murder, a psychiatric hospital, and plenty of drama. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides is a psychological thriller through and through. After being booked for the murder of her husband, Alicia is sent off to the Grove mental hospital for treatment. There, she is heavily medicated, does not respond well to the program, and, more curiously, refuses to speak to anyone. (Hence the title of the book.) Enter Theo, a psychiatrist who has sought a job at the Grove so he can personally treat the hospitalized artist. The current psychiatric team has all but given up trying to treat her, so letting Theo have a go may be the last hope of saving her sanity and finding out why she committed such a heinous act.
I enjoy a slow-burn thriller, but the story and the character development were a bit too sparse for me; most of the patient treatments were head-scratchingly unprofessional; and the drama felt very much like a soap opera. That being said, I do believe the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
It might not reach the same heights as a similar Christie novel or do much for me, but it had its moments and might just wiggle its way into your psyche.
An interesting premise with a plot twist to accompany it. I enjoyed the attempt to make me think and consider things carefully but it lacked a slight oomph.
Overall, still an enjoyable read.
This book deserves no more. I mean come on!!!!!!! In what univers can this even be considered good? I had like NO fucking intrest in the main caracther apart from maybe the two first chapters.
I felt like no feelings. Neither posetive or negative. Stuff just came as information out of the blue, like there was no build up. No real exitment. It was just a bunch of infromation and nothing I had or coud think of.
I mean the main carather, like I dont care about the stuff happening with you or how great or bad of an actor your wife is. Just get it over please, i dont care. Plus it wasnt even needed for me to know. Ye fuck this book
This was such a satisfying read for me. The suspense held up all the way to the end, with a good twist. The twist was great at the end because it was not far fetched and after you think about it you feel how the book was so worth the read in the end. The story came together very well. I would highly recommend!