01. Opening Pages
I’ll be honest: I’ve been seeing The Silent Patient plastered all over social media for ages. The book’s hype is constant, if not overwhelming. While it may not have reached the sheer frenzy of The Fourth Wing, there’s definitely been no shortage of praise. And, as anyone who’s been online for more than five minutes knows, hype can be a double-edged sword. It creates an expectation that can set you up for either a high or a letdown.
It’s been often requested during live selling no matter where I watch. Requested constantly in secondhand shops. I’ve always resisted the urge to buy a copy because I know hyped books often disappoint me. So, despite some reservations, I decided to dive in—because, well, FOMO, right? The sucker who got influenced and .. left disappointed, again!
Now that I’ve finished it, I can say this much: The Silent Patient is a definite page-turner. I devoured it in two days, which is a feat for me after a long reading slump. But… as thrilling as it was in parts, the book felt like a letdown. It’s not bad enough to DNF, but I wouldn’t call it a modern classic or anything that’ll leave a lasting impression. Let’s dig into why that is.
02. Between the Covers
At the heart of The Silent Patient is Alicia Berenson, a woman who had it all: a perfect husband and a successful career. That all comes crashing down the night she shoots her husband, Gabriel, five times. After the murder, Alicia goes silent—she refuses to speak a single word. Convicted of the crime, she’s sent to The Grove, a psychiatric institution, where she remains a mystery.
Enter Theo Faber, a psychotherapist who becomes fascinated by Alicia’s case. Obsessed even. He’s determined to figure out why she killed her husband and why she refuses to speak. As Theo explores into Alicia’s past, his demons begin to surface.
03. Meet the Characters
The central characters of this novel are Alicia and Theo. To be honest, I didn’t find either of them particularly likable.
Theo Faber
Theo Faber is our narrator, and right from the start, you get the sense that he’s a little… off. He’s obsessed with Alicia’s case in a way that goes beyond professional curiosity. His “fascination” with her feels unhealthy. As the book goes on, you begin to question whether he’s trustworthy or just have a massive hero complex.
The book tries to make us sympathize with him by revealing his troubled past. Personally, I found him more frustrating than anything.
Alicia Berenson
Alicia Berenson, on the other hand, is an enigma. We hear her story through her diary entries, which give us some insight. Unfortunately, those entries center around her husband, her painting, and constant sex. Beyond the murder and the mystery, Alicia’s character doesn’t feel all that fleshed out. Her motivations remain opaque, and her narrative voice doesn’t feel as rich as it could be.
As for the other characters, they felt like filler. Theo interacts with several other people—psychiatrists, doctors, friends—but none of them add anything meaningful. They’re paper-thin and largely forgettable.
…we often mistake love for fireworks – for drama and dysfunction. But real love is very quiet, very still. It’s boring, if seen from the perspective of high drama. Love is deep and calm – and constant.
04. Page-Turner Points
One of the undeniable strengths of The Silent Patient is its pacing. It is a page-turner. Despite my doubt about the characters and the plot, I found myself invested. The book starts slow, but it builds momentum, and before you know it, you’re halfway through.
However, the story has its flaws. The twist, which is the book’s biggest selling point, is its primary focus. Everything seems to exist to build up to that twist. While I’ll admit the twist caught me off guard, it didn’t have the mind-blowing impact I was hoping for. I was expecting a snap to shift my mind from mystery to realization but there wasn’t. No boom, no snap, nada! Once you hit that twist, there’s no real gas left to keep the momentum going.
Another issue I had was with the setting. The book is supposedly set in the UK, but the characters and their behaviors feel entirely American. There’s very little cultural reference. I couldn’t help but feel like the author was trying too hard to make it feel “British” without really committing to it.
The timeline also jumps around a bit, and it’s a bit disorienting here. You go from Theo’s narrative to Alicia’s diary and it’s only at the end that the timeline clicks into place. By then it feels more gimmicky than satisfying.
04. The Last Page – Should You Read it?
So, is The Silent Patient worth all the hype? Honestly, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. It’s a fast-paced with a twist that will keep you on your toes, but once that twist lands, it doesn’t leave much else to savor. The characters are forgettable, the plot is mostly filler, and the emotional payoff isn’t there.
If you’re someone who loves a mystery and enjoys books that keep you guessing, this might be worth picking up. But if you’re looking for a story that offers something deeper, you might want to look elsewhere. I’d recommend it to fans of thrillers who appreciate a good twist, but who aren’t as concerned with character depth or a rich narrative.
What do you think about The Silent Patient? Keep turning those pages and until our next literary adventure. Happy reading, fellow bookworms!
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