Alex Michaelides The Silent Patient

I was recommended this book by my best friend. Finally got my hands on it and I couldn't take my hands off of it! 10/10 recommend. It was a little slow to grab onto in the very beginning but it didn't take long to fall into the dark hole. definitely did not see that ending twist coming. it pushed all of my theories out the window.

Cliche and unimaginative women

To be frank, Ive started avoiding fiction novels centered around women that are written by men. I had hopes this would surpass the usual cliches but sadly it fell into most all of them. Spoilers ahead. It falls straight into the cheating wife storyline I feel is in every novel. All the women of worth to the author are described as vivacious and beautiful or maternal figures to the main character. I cant find any depth even to our tittle card silent patient to validate her outside of being a tragically attractive woman. Of course she gets a backstory involving sexual assault to attempt any depth to her character and past. The author tries to show how happy her marriage is by having her write constantly about how every argument end with them in bed. Its cliche and ... MoreTo be frank, Ive started avoiding fiction novels centered around women that are written by men. I had hopes this would surpass the usual cliches but sadly it fell into most all of them. Spoilers ahead. It falls straight into the cheating wife storyline I feel is in every novel. All the women of worth to the author are described as vivacious and beautiful or maternal figures to the main character. I cant find any depth even to our tittle card silent patient to validate her outside of being a tragically attractive woman. Of course she gets a backstory involving sexual assault to attempt any depth to her character and past. The author tries to show how happy her marriage is by having her write constantly about how every argument end with them in bed. Its cliche and shallow to no end, and the author doesn seemed to have ever gotten to know a woman who wasn't their mother or romantic partner. Im just disappointed

Don't stay silent

A great book at a good pace, very easy to read. The book throws up some interesting comments around therapy, and it is a gripping read. The plot like any good criminal novels has a twist but I was able to guess it prior to the big reveal. Overall a very clever book but not sure why it needed such a big editorial team. Worth a read.

Interesting plot. Fast read!

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides-while not the best psychological thriller I've ever read-did not disappoint.Alicia is found standing over her husband's body, holding a gun. But she won't talk. She won't reveal what happened in the days leading up to and the night of the murder. The story unfolds through the narrative of her psychotherapist, Theo, and partially through Alicia's diary.It was an interesting read that really held my attention. I read the novel in one day! But it also didn't blow me like I thought it would. The plot was fast-paced, the story was well written, the characters were well developed, and the cover design is amazingly creepy (sometimes I do judge a book by its cover). However, the twist at the end was clever, but it didn't have the ... MoreThe Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides-while not the best psychological thriller I've ever read-did not disappoint.Alicia is found standing over her husband's body, holding a gun. But she won't talk. She won't reveal what happened in the days leading up to and the night of the murder. The story unfolds through the narrative of her psychotherapist, Theo, and partially through Alicia's diary.It was an interesting read that really held my attention. I read the novel in one day! But it also didn't blow me like I thought it would. The plot was fast-paced, the story was well written, the characters were well developed, and the cover design is amazingly creepy (sometimes I do judge a book by its cover). However, the twist at the end was clever, but it didn't have the punch you in the gut, leave your head spinning, wait a second I have to go back a few chapters to figure this out, wow factor liked I had hoped. Overall a fun, quick read that suspense and thriller fans will most definitely enjoy!

Mind blowing

This was by far an amazing book . I'm not much of a reader myself but,I decided to read it after a friend of mine suggested it to me. And I kid you not the literature aspect of the book will have you hooked to the final chapter. I went on to read the authors other book " The Maidens " and was at loss for words .He is definitely a good writer!!!!!

One of my fav reads of the year!

"As you will see, it's an incredible story-of that there is no doubt. Whether you believe it or not is up to you."All that glitters is not gold, and nothing is truer than the story of famous painter Alicia Berenson. To the outside world, she and her fashion photographer husband, Gabriel, live the perfect life. They are perceived by all as a loving couple that live in a beautiful home in one of the most upscale areas of London. But one night, the perfect picture is shattered in the form of 5 gun shots and the death of Gabriel by the hands of his wife. Refusing to utter a word in her defense, Alicia is sentenced to the Grove, a private mental health care facility. Years pass, and psychotherapist Theo Faber is offered the opportunity to treat Alicia, and work towards ... More"As you will see, it's an incredible story-of that there is no doubt. Whether you believe it or not is up to you."All that glitters is not gold, and nothing is truer than the story of famous painter Alicia Berenson. To the outside world, she and her fashion photographer husband, Gabriel, live the perfect life. They are perceived by all as a loving couple that live in a beautiful home in one of the most upscale areas of London. But one night, the perfect picture is shattered in the form of 5 gun shots and the death of Gabriel by the hands of his wife. Refusing to utter a word in her defense, Alicia is sentenced to the Grove, a private mental health care facility. Years pass, and psychotherapist Theo Faber is offered the opportunity to treat Alicia, and work towards solving the mystery behind why she so brutally killed her husband and remained silent ever since.Some stories just grip you from page one, and The Silent Patient certainly did that for this reader! With a heart stopping didn't see that ending coming conclusion, this mystery/thriller is one of my top reads of the year! Loved and highly recommend!

The Silent Patient speaks a lot!

Storyline/Overview -Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist and he is interested in Alice's story who has murdered her husband. He is determined to get to the details behind the crime. Even though the patient (Alice) is Silent throughout the narrative, the story progresses to spotlight her complex characteristics."Unexpressed emotions never die.They are buried alive, and will come forth later, in uglier ways"BEST Psychological Thriller I have read in a long time!My opinion -Very well researched topic and the quotes at the start of every part of the book make sense at the endEvery scenario described feels so realistic and I was amazed how much engrossed I was in this bookNice pace and a very easy to understand and read kind of language usedThe plot has a ... MoreStoryline/Overview -Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist and he is interested in Alice's story who has murdered her husband. He is determined to get to the details behind the crime. Even though the patient (Alice) is Silent throughout the narrative, the story progresses to spotlight her complex characteristics."Unexpressed emotions never die.They are buried alive, and will come forth later, in uglier ways"BEST Psychological Thriller I have read in a long time!My opinion -Very well researched topic and the quotes at the start of every part of the book make sense at the endEvery scenario described feels so realistic and I was amazed how much engrossed I was in this bookNice pace and a very easy to understand and read kind of language usedThe plot has a nice edginess and it wants you to keep turning pages to figure out what happens next!I was amazed at the flawless development of the characters, outstanding buildup and curiosity maintained and in fact increasing as pages turned!The final twist is the unique climax and no matter how much aware you are of the story, you'll still not be able to predict it and I was mind blown by that sole factThe chapters are well divided and the engrossing fast-paced read makes it a page turner for sure!I enjoyed this wonderful psychological drama ride and cannot believe it is debut novel by Alex. Kudos!!Conclusion -It is definitely a clever and intriguing story with a mind-blowing twist to enjoy! The Silent Patient SPEAKS a lot 😉 It is for sure one of my favorite reads of 2019!

The twist was a surprise, but..

I had high hopes for this book and it made its way to the top of my TBR pile. While I thought it was well written, intriguing and original in its creative ending, it did leave me feeling a somewhat little flat. At first I couldn't put my finger on why, after a few days of reflection and lots of gazing out my garden window, I realized the ending just didn't have that lightbulb moment for me, That moment where everything comes together and leaves goosebumps on your skin in a creepy delicious kind of way. The ending was a surprise yes for sure and very creative, but I felt the characters left me hanging.

This is a "read once" kind of book

This book is an easy and pleasant read. There is little to no suspense, horror or macabre. The "twist" will please some, but will be a bit disappointing to others. The middle of the book is very interesting, moves well, and is the main reason that I pushed my review to 4 stars. The rest of the book (chapters 1-3 or so, and the final twist and conclusion portions) were very run of the mill. This was the first book I purchased in a few years. I am trying to get back to my tradition of buying a bestseller written by an author I am unfamiliar with over the holidays. (This is how I discovered Dan Simmons, whose book "The Terror" stands as one of my most rewarding choices so far). This one was mostly a disappointment. My advice is to find it cheap or even shop for a used ... MoreThis book is an easy and pleasant read. There is little to no suspense, horror or macabre. The "twist" will please some, but will be a bit disappointing to others. The middle of the book is very interesting, moves well, and is the main reason that I pushed my review to 4 stars. The rest of the book (chapters 1-3 or so, and the final twist and conclusion portions) were very run of the mill. This was the first book I purchased in a few years. I am trying to get back to my tradition of buying a bestseller written by an author I am unfamiliar with over the holidays. (This is how I discovered Dan Simmons, whose book "The Terror" stands as one of my most rewarding choices so far). This one was mostly a disappointment. My advice is to find it cheap or even shop for a used copy. There's a good chance you won't hang on to this one.

Thriller with a twist

Oh but I do love it when a novel turns all my pre-conceived interpretations upside-down and provides a completely unexpected and shocking ending. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides is that psychological thriller. Alicia Berenson is a famous artist married to Gabriel, a fashion photographer. All seems well until Gabriel arrives home late one night and Alicia shoots him in the face five times. She is found at the scene, having attempted to slit her wrists. She will never speak again. Having been found too unstable to go to prison, she is remanded to a secure forensic unit where she is heavily drugged. And that is where Theo Faber, a criminal psychotherapist, with dysfunction in his early years, attempts to get to the bottom of Alicia's own dysfunction and the ... MoreOh but I do love it when a novel turns all my pre-conceived interpretations upside-down and provides a completely unexpected and shocking ending. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides is that psychological thriller. Alicia Berenson is a famous artist married to Gabriel, a fashion photographer. All seems well until Gabriel arrives home late one night and Alicia shoots him in the face five times. She is found at the scene, having attempted to slit her wrists. She will never speak again. Having been found too unstable to go to prison, she is remanded to a secure forensic unit where she is heavily drugged. And that is where Theo Faber, a criminal psychotherapist, with dysfunction in his early years, attempts to get to the bottom of Alicia's own dysfunction and the truth about her husband's murder. The rest you must read for yourself. You will not regret picking up this novel. Highly recommended. Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.