By Camilla Sorcinelli, Year 11
The Silent Patient is a novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat with dramatic plot twists and suspense that make the book difficult to put down. The author, Alex Michaelides, does a great job at adding thrill and emotion to his book, making it a must-read on your list.
The Silent Patient is a psychological thriller that tells the tale of Alicia Berenson, a successful painter who unexpectedly shoots and murders her husband, Gabriel. Since that day, Alicia has gone mute, neither denying nor admitting to his murder, leaving it a mystery if she is guilty of his death. Alicia then is admitted to a secure psychiatric facility where she only communicates through her art. Theo Faber, a psychotherapist, becomes obsessed with uncovering the reasons behind Alicia’s silence and the truth of that fateful, dark night. The story unfolds through Alicia’s and Theo’s changing points of view as he explores her background and his motivations, exposing dark secrets and unexpected turns of events. You will never believe what happened.
Alex Michaelides is a British author and former screenwriter, best known for his psychological thrillers that explore themes of trauma, obsession, and the complexities of the human mind. He was born in 1977 in Cyprus to a Greek-Cypriot family. Michaelides grew up with a fascination for both literature and psychology, which would later become central to his writing. Before turning to fiction, Michaelides worked as a screenwriter and script editor, honing his skills in crafting suspenseful, character-driven narratives. His understanding of visual storytelling, often drawing from his cinematic background, is evident in the structure and flow of his novels. His writing often incorporates a blend of psychological depth and mystery, with an emphasis on unreliable narrators and surprising plot twists. The Silent Patient was Alex Michaelides’s first novel, debuting at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, and selling more than 6.5 million copies worldwide. The rights have been sold in a record-breaking 51 countries, and the book has been optioned for film by Plan B.
In my opinion, The Silent Patient was one of the best books I have ever read. I lent it to my family and my friends and they have all loved it. This book has 368 pages but as it is so captivating, you can finish it in two days! Usually, I’m not a fan of thriller books, but The Silent Patient is a perfect in-between of thrill and suspense without leaving the reader scared. However, the book still makes the reader feel a sense of discomfort which Alex Michaelides tried to transmit through the book. The Silent Patient never has a dull moment and always keeps you on your toes wondering what the next page will reveal. I believe that The Silent Patient has a balance of everything you could wish for in a book: tension, plot twists, different points of view, but most importantly, the thrill of finding out what happens next.
