Ever since I joined Book of the Month club, I have had my eyes on The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. This psychological thriller has garnered a lot of attention and it is rightfully deserved. This genre is one of my favorites and after reading The Silent Patient, I rank it up there as one of my ultimate favorite psychological thrillers. It is the type of book that comes to mind when you hear people say they "could not put it down" or "could not turn the pages fast enough." The Silent Patient is a page turner that keeps you guessing until the last few pages and the twist is not predictable. That is what makes a thriller five stars in my book.
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides is about Alicia Berenson, a famous painter married to a handsome fashion photographer, Gabriel. The two appear to have it all, until one evening Alicia shoots Gabriel in the head and never speaks another word. For years, even throughout the murder trial, Alicia refuses to utter a single word or show any emotion. She is sent to a secure psychiatric unit where Theo Faber crosses her path. Theo is a psychotherapist who is intrigued with Alicia's story and takes her on as his patient, hoping to find out what really happened that evening and why Alicia refuses to speak. The truth unravels bit by bit until the ultimate twist at the end, one that I did not see coming.
The story is told from Theo's perspective, with excerpts from Alicia's journal. I loved the structure and the dialogue sprinkled throughout it because it kept the book fast paced. Each chapter is short and sporadically switches perspective, which kept me completely captivated. I found myself wanting to keep reading it and finished it in just over a day. I could easily pick it up and read a chapter here and there, between helping the kids while on our family vacation. The Silent Patient is Alex Michaelides debut novel and it is extremely impressive. I am looking forward to what he puts out next.
This book was more than a psychological thriller. There were metaphors and symbolism sprinkled throughout that leave you thinking, well after you finish the story. The twist is unexpected, but not so unrealistic that it throws the entire story. I highly recommend The Silent Patient if you enjoy thrillers, particularly focused around murder and mental health. I rated The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides ★★★★★ and highly recommend it.
The books I have become exposed to through Book of the Month have been amazing and most of them are now my favorites books of the year. I love how it exposes you to debut authors that you might not normally find out about. It allows these new authors the exposure and ratings they deserve. If you are interested in joining BOTM, click on any of the links in this post to be directed to their site. Let me know and I can send you a code so you can get your first add-on book for free! I have been with BOTM since February and have honestly loved every book I have chosen so far. I have a list of books I want to add-on that is a mile long and it has exposed me to new authors and genres outside of my comfort zone. I look forward to the beginning of each month when the choices are released!
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