Play Book Tag discussion

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides is an engrossing and elegant psychological thriller about a murderer committed to a criminal psychiatric center, and the therapist who tries to help her. Alicia Berenson is a famous London painter who shoots her husband, and remains completely silent, unable or unwilling to speak or explain. Her only communication is through a self portrait titled Alcestis (based on a Greek tragedy by Euripides). Years later, Theo Faber is hired as a therapist at the center and is determined to find a way to help her.

I thought the story was perfectly constructed, without a lot of unnecessary or arbitrary twists and turns. It's not a roller-coaster ride, but it's a very smart and satisfying thriller. I really enjoyed both Theo's and Alicia's stories, and the connections between them. The author once worked in a psychiatric center, and was able to add a lot of credible details about psychotherapy and the activities in a center like this. I found these details really interesting, but I can understand why some people might not. I really liked how the author weaved in a classic Greek mythology play in a way that made psychological sense.

Audio note - This book works really well on audio. I liked both of the narrators, and the pace of the reading was very good.

This sounds so interesting - definitely one to tag, thanks!

This one kept me up late into the night finishing. Glad you liked it :)

Joi wrote: "This one kept me up late into the night finishing. Glad you liked it :)"

I'm glad you liked it too!

Just got this one from the library and can't wait to read it!