Book 35 The Silent Patient

 

 

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides fulfilled the category “Book about an Artist” for the PopSugar 2021 Reading Challenge. The title was not my first choice for the prompt. I read Get a Life, Chloe Brown and had Luster as an option, too. Chloe Brown, a romance, switched up the heat level too much, too quickly for my taste. I opted to try another novel for the challenge, and I’m glad I did.

Bestsellers are not my jam. I find the books lack the fun, sexy, deep elements I enjoy. Books like Nine Perfect Strangers or All the Light We Cannot See made me a bit stabby. But The Silent Patient hit all the right notes. I love a novel with well-created twists and turns. Gone Girl and Verity rank very high on my favorite book scale, and I’m adding The Silent Patient to the list.

It chronicles therapist Theo Faber as he takes on a tough patient artist Alicia Berenson, who hasn’t spoken in five years. He seems a kind, caring person who genuinely wants to help her. He’s also dealing with some marital troubles. Alicia herself is coping with the aftermath of her husband’s murder, which she is accused of committing. The audiobook used two narrators, a female to read Alicia’s diary and a male to read Theo’s recording of his involvement with the case. The dual narrators worked well, calling back to Gone Girl with the diary.

The book moved back and forth through time, but it was easy to follow. The narration seemed very natural and interesting. Suspicious characters and red herrings dropped seamlessly throughout the story. And as I hoped, the end twisted everything around. It was wonderful.

Tying this to the prompt, Alicia’s art plays a role in the tale. After the murder, she paints a picture in a single go, unusual for her. All sorts of theories are formed around her subject, herself, and the title Alcestis, a tragic Greek heroine. Also, art therapy is finally used for Alicia and her new painting is a key to understating the complexity of the tale. So delicious!

Just as I began the novel, my PopSugar group on Facebook posted some bad feelings about the book. No one trashed it, but their consensus was to pass on the title. I’m glad I didn’t. It was right up my alley with questionable actions by characters, lack of trust for most characters, the constant guessing of who-dun-it and how. The story hit all my buttons for a great read. I can’t say too much, or it will ruin the experience for you. But if you liked Gone Girl or Verity, this is the novel for you.

I give The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides Five Secret Diaries.