The Silent Patient

Article written by Fave

B.A. in History and International Studies from University of Ilorin, Kwara State.

In Alex Michaelides‘ ‘The Silent Patient,’ the unsettling silence of Alicia Berenson speaks volumes. Accused of a vicious crime and refusing to admit or refute it, she gets judged by the public. As the plot develops, the ambitious and empathetic psychotherapist, Theo Faber, obsessively tries to unravel the mystery behind Alicia’s murder and immediate muteness.

Applying the knowledge he accumulated as a psychotherapist, Alex Michaelides creates a captivating story that explores the depth of the human mind and the use of silence to conceal shadowy secrets.

Key Facts about The Silent Patient

• Title: The Silent Patient
• Book Inspiration: Agatha Christie and Greek tragedies.
• Publication Date: February 5, 2019.
• Literary Period: Contemporary period.
• Genre: Physiological thriller.
• Setting: London, England.
• Point-of-view: First-person narrative.
• Climax: Revelation of how Alicia killed her husband and Theo’s contribution to the murder.
• Protagonist: Alicia Berenson, Theo Faber.
• Antagonist: Stephanie Clarke.

Alex Michaelides and The Silent Patient

Inspired by his interest in the human mind and the mysterious nature of silence, Michaelides, a former actor, screenwriter, and qualified psychotherapist, incorporated his knowledge of psychology into this book, creating a plot line that delves into trauma, mental instability, guilt, and secrets.

‘The Silent Patient’ enthralls the reader from the first page. The central character, Alicia Berenson, a famous artist, turns mute after being accused of the murder of her husband. As the plot develops, the events leading to the murder of her husband and her silence are revealed. Michaelides confronts popular views of mental health and its complications using this piece.

Books Related to The Silent Patient

• ‘The Girl on the Train‘ is a Paula Hawkins 2015 creation that made her famous. A recently divorced woman, Rachel Watson, journeys on the train daily, even though she has lost her job and becomes unhealthily interested in the lives of a supposedly loving couple she sees from the train window. When the couple’s woman goes missing and eventually dies, Rachel fears her involvement in the case and begins to investigate. Although her constant drunkenness and depression get in the way, she fits the pieces of the murder together. Like ‘The Silent Patient,’ this psychological thriller examines the unreliability of a single story and the effects of abuse.
• ‘Before I Go to Sleep’ by S.J. Watson was released in the spring of 2011. Christine Lucas suffers from acute amnesia that wipes out her memory whenever she sleeps. She awakes without knowledge of her past, the people in her life, and her identity. Committed to unearthing the truth, Christine begins to keep a journal. She manages to piece together fractured memories and slowly unravels shocking revelations about her life. Like ‘The Silent Patient,’ the themes of memory and its unreliability are analyzed in this book.
• ‘Gone Girl’ by Gillian Flynn revolves around Nick and his wife, Amy, who inexplicably disappear on their wedding anniversary. The story switches between Nick’s perspective of Amy and his marriage and Amy’s diary notes. The novel explores concepts of deceit and the complications of human relations by revealing the toxicity of their relationship. Also, diving into the dark aspects of the human mind, readers are left to navigate a depraved and suspenseful narrative.

The Lasting Impact of The Silent Patient