As a self-professed scardey-cat, I am very very new to the thriller/ horror/ psychological murder scene. I can't stomach watching movies or shows with too much violence, but I am simultaneously fascinated to learn more about the psychology that goes on behind such acts. So, I have made it my mission to dip my toe into this dark world, and starting with The Silent Patient did not disappoint.
In the story, we are introduced to Alicia who seems to have led the perfect life. She loves her husband, they have money enough, and she is a brilliant artist. Then, one day, Alicia is found having shot her husband five times in the face. There is no explanation, and Alicia isn't going to be giving one anytime soon as she has fallen silent, unable or unwilling to speak after her husband's murder.
We are then introduced to Theo, a psychotherapist who is endlessly fascinated by Alicia's story. He thinks he can help her. He believes he alone can get her to talk.
Now, I will try not to spoil anything, but I also must warn that many who have read reviews about this particular book have stated that the reviews (while spoiler-free) have tipped enough of the hand to ruin key elements of this book, or render them a bit of a let down. So, if you wish to remain suspended in the dark so that the fullness of this book can settle in, don't read any further. Don't worry, this review will still be here for you when you have finished.
Alright. I am assuming you have finished the story and are ready to dive in a bit more, eh? To revel in all that was revealed? Good. So am I.
From the jump, I already held suspicions regarding both the narrators. Hints were falling left and right that neither of them could be trusted, so going in, my guard was already up. I just knew certain paths were going to be laid in front of me to throw me off the scent, tripping me from getting to the bottom of this murder mystery. And it worked, for the most part. I had two major theories as to what might come near the end, and I went in to this story totally unaware that there would be a twist. All the same, I was already expecting a huge twist at the end.
One of my hunches was incredibly close, but I didn't put the pieces together until just before the reveal, so it still caught me off-guard a bit. I think if I had slowed down my reading, I would have figured it out sooner, but the storytelling was so compelling, I simply couldn't put the book down, even if my house were on fire (ok, that might be a bit hyperbolic).
Once you name something, it stops you seeing the whole of it, or why it matters. You focus on the word, which is just the tiniest part, really, the tip of the iceberg. -- Excerpt from Alicia Berenson's Diary
I will say that I wish a few of the loose ends were tied up a bit more, or given further explanation to, but I suppose that isn't real life, right? Some of the characters that wove in and out of this tale felt unsatisfying in their "conclusion". However, what really hooked me with this story was the amount of symbolism, the parallels being drawn between characters, and even the psychological information dropped throughout (did I mention I am a sucker for all things having to do with human psychology? Oh, I did? Well, I am). I even texted a friend throughout my reading with questions such as, "Are psychological thrillers a better way of learning about the inner working of the mind than self-help books??"
In the end, I think the book does a great job of telling us exactly what is going to happen right from the start. It's simply been hidden. But it is right there, staring at us squarely from Alicia's first journal entry. Can you find it?
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