The Silent Patient: Book Review

Today, we will be reviewing the psychological thriller novel The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. It is a story about a patient that killed her husband and hasn’t spoken since and Theo Faber wants to be the one to make her talk again. Keep reading for our thoughts and find out if this novel should be your next read!

The Silent Patient Summary

Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist and is fascinated with Alicia Berenson’s case. She shoots her husband five times and never speaks another word. Everyone is curious why she killed her husband and went silent afterwards.

Her case makes Theo eager to get her to talk and open up about what really happened that night. Theo manages to get assigned to Alicia and tries to connect with her. But his marital life seems to be in trouble and starts to consume him. Can Theo get Alicia to finally talk after all these years and find out what really happened that tragic night?

Commentary

I have seen this novel on many thriller lists and finally got around to reading it. That is impressive considering the novel was published in 2019. Everyone who reads it seems to agree that it is an amazing book. So, what did I think of it?

The hype around this novel is real. The plot is interesting and it is centered around a Greek tragedy that isn’t common. Michaelides tells a beautifully chilling story and the ending is one of the best I have read.

Michaelides has said that he was inspired by Agatha Christie novels and the whodunit format when writing this novel. You can definitely notice the details but what makes this novel special is that Michaelides doesn’t give anything away. He keeps things from the reader and when he pulls back the curtains, you are in disbelief.

This is one of those novels that you will read again after finishing it because it will be two different stories. Once you know the plot twist, you will see the bigger picture the second time around.

The Silent Patient: Awards and Reception

Upon its release, The Silent Patient debuted number one on The New Yok Times Best Seller list. That is an amazing accomplishment for a debut author. The novel also went on to win the Goodreads Choice Award 2019 in the Mystery and Thriller category.

And seeing how the novel is included on many lists, it does feel like the novel didn’t get the recognition from book critics that it deserved. But that is often how many of these stories go. More often then not, the critics don’t understand what the most readers are reading and enjoy, holding many books to unrealistic standards.

Inspiration for The Silent Patient

Michaelides has pointed to his own experience working at a secure psychiatric facility for teenagers when writing this novel as well as his love for Greek plays. In an interview, Michaelides mentions his influences when he was writing the novel.

“I think it was a combination for me of Greek mythology meets psychotherapy,” said Michaelides. “I was inspired by Agatha Christie and Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thrillers and the Greek mythology I encountered in my early teens.

“It was inspired by the play by “Alcestis” by Euripides, where she dies to save her husband and, when they are reunited at the end of the play, she won’t speak to him and we don’t really know why she refuses to speak. That kind of refusal to concede haunted me”

Conclusion

There are few thrillers that I would put above this on my list. Michaelides seems to know exactly what a thriller novel is supposed to and delivers. I enjoyed every second of this book and couldn’t put it down even if I wanted to. This is a must read if you love thrillers and a good mystery. Happy reading!

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