The Silent Patient | 
pickEntirely worth the hype.
I was 100 pages in and nothing had really happened but the reveal was ✨brilliant✨ Chapters were short and the motives compelling so the pages were turning in the meantime.
#20in4
#jumpstart2023 - goal exceeded 6/5 books from my physical TBR. I might be able to come off my book buying ban someday 😂
#20in4
I‘m going to go for 20, we got the Royal Rumble 🤼♀️ on Saturday but not much else.
Goals part 2-
Finish - These Fleeting Shadows (I‘m pretty far in and will probably finish it commuting tomorrow anyway)
Finish - The Silent Patient (extra credit for my #jumpstart2023 goal)
Start - either Nightbitch or The Witch and the Tsar
And either start another physical book or devote more time to My Heart Is A Chainsaw.
Is true love the butterflies and excitement or the constant quiet moments?
so-soI enjoyed the plot and read quickly as it kept me on the edge of my seat. Good buildup with multiple characters shady enough to believe they have the motivation to commit and crime! It had me fooled to the very end for a jaw dropping moment. I just wish the fall out after the reveal was longer!
pickThe author leads you to suspect multiple characters throughout which made it very exciting. Highly recommend and would read again to see if I can pick out some more key features on a second read!
pickFast-paced with a super twisty ending… this book definitely lived up to the hype!
pickA few people recommended this to me, and I thought it would be one of those overhyped, predictable books. However, I was pleasantly surprised! I read it in less than a day because I just couldn‘t wait to find out what happened. I will say SOME aspects were predictable, but there were still one or two twists that got me 😜
I think I enjoyed this so much for two reasons 1. I listened to the audiobook which added a level of immersion I‘m not sure I would have gotten otherwise. And 2- I have never read this type of book before so I definitely wasn‘t expecting the ending at all.
It was a very enjoyable experience! I enjoyed observing the inner workings of psych wards and how the mind works and processes trauma in this particular story.
pickThe Silent Patient is a great example of a psychological thriller. It starts with an immediate revelation. As read more it became more of a page turner. I wanted to know if they‘d finally reveal Alicia, the silent patient‘s, story. The exerpts of Alicia's diary read like a novel, complete with storylines, and dialog. No one writes in a journal like that. It takes away from the authenticity. Would still recommend, good read.
so-soThis would have been better if the massive hype didn‘t COMPLETELY oversell it. It was a good book. But I wasn‘t shocked like I thought I would be
pickI started this book this morning, never expecting to read the whole thing in a single day, but it was so good! I didn‘t figure this book out early, but when I reached the end I felt dumb that I hadn‘t caught it. 5/5 great suspense and short chapters made for a quick and easy read!
pickAlicia killed her husband. She refuses to defend her self. Her only response is a painted self-portrait entitled Alcestis. Is the myth of a woman that died in her husband‘s place a key to solving the mystery? Theo is a psychotherapist intent on unlocking the secret to Alicia‘s silence. Michaelides‘ debut is an interesting take on the genre. Problems with the narrative can be overlooked. 3 of 5 ⭐️
panNot a fan. The “twist” was predictable, and the characters‘ actions and motivations didn‘t ring true. All that I could forgive for stellar prose, but this didn‘t deliver that either. I only finished because it‘s for book club.
so-soI was hoping for more with this book for as much as it was talked up. It was a bit on the slow side to get through. I didn‘t care for the way his wife‘s affair was written. It felt like “fluff” throughout the book and to me the ending where it all comes together still wasn‘t great. Really the ending all together felt messy and rushed
pickThe Silent Patient is a gripping, albeit highly commercial, thriller. I particularly loved the ending. It satisfied me, even if it didn't (completely) surprise me.
Tension, twists and an intriguing central premise - it had all the elements of a fantastic thrilling mystery. Everything clunked into place nicely by the end, and so I'm rounding up to ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 stars.
The patient is on the therapist‘s couch. 😉
I started this speedy thriller before bed last night and I‘m already on page 200 or so. It‘s a fun one!
Went to the store for dog and cat food, picked up 4 books along the way… shhhh… don‘t tell my fiancé.
Our episode on The Silent Patient is up over on Patreon. Frankly, we couldn't have chosen a better inaugural book for our “Thriller Corner“ series, wherein we select a thriller to read and then talk about it. Anywho, listen to us gush about the structure and pacing of The Silent Patient and vote on our next selection. Oh, also new subscribers will receive bookmarks in the mail!
https://www.patreon.com/therewillbebooks
pickCaptivating from the beginning. Would love to see if they ever make this into a movie! #psychologicalthriller #alexmichaelides
pickWow, this was a twisty one! I started it after finding it on the shelf of our AirBnb in Chicago, and bought it on the kindle as soon as we got home so I could finish it. Theo, a psychotherapist with some issues of his own, gets a job at the Grove psychiatric hospital to treat an artist who hasn't spoken since she was found over her husband's dead body. The Hitchcock-worthy plot kept me in suspense and off balance until the very end.
pickAbsolute jaw dropper
pickWasn‘t expecting to enjoy this one as much as I did!
Didn‘t see the twist til right at the end 🤯
pickLast book of the month!
I liked this. This was good.
"... one of the hardest things to admit is that we weren't loved when we needed it most. It's a terrible feeling, the pain of not being loved."
"About love. About how 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. I imagine you do give [her] love—in the true sense of the word. Whether or not she is capable of giving it back to you is another question."
She used to say we are made up of different parts, some good, some bad, and that a healthy mind can tolerate this ambivalence and juggle both good and bad at the same time. Mental illness is precisely about a lack of this kind of integration—we end up losing contact with the unacceptable parts of ourselves.
It reminded me that there was a world outside this house: a world of vastness and unimaginable beauty; a world that, for now, remained out of my reach.
pickBusy two weeks so doing an audio book worked out nicely. But I may prefer reading instead.
Our oldest and his sweet girl got engaged. ✨✨
Next up for book club. Trying audiobooks for the first time.
pickWhoa, what did I just read?! This psychological thriller started off pretty tame, but ended with a bang. I couldn‘t put it down⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Little more than half way through this one…. It was slow to start, but I‘m really enjoying it now 😊
We are made up of different parts, some good, some bad, and a healthy mind can tolerate this ambivalence and juggle both good and bad at the same time. Mental illness is precisely about a lack of this kind of integration- we end up losing contact with the unacceptable parts of ourselves.
I got some great book mail tonight, but I had a hard time deciding where to start first. I‘m going with this psychological thriller 👌🏽
Also, does anyone have any recommendations for some really dark novels?? I decided to embrace this genre until I‘ve had my fill 🤷🏻♀️
pickOne of the books I never wanted to reach the end.
Every next chapter was more interesting and full of curiosity, have learned many new things, thoughts and ideas.
Worth Recommendation and 5 stars.
pickI really liked it, but do not feel it lives up to the hype. Nice twist, but I have read several others recently that actually made me drop my jaw. This wasn‘t one of them.
pickI thought this was pretty good—a solid, entertaining psychological thriller. It didn‘t rock my world as it seemed to do for others, but I enjoyed it.
pickI'm late to the party with this one. It was intriguing. I guessed some things about 3/4 of the way through, but the ending did surprise me. I'm not sure why I felt ho-hum about it though. The writing is good and the story original for sure. I just think I get so wrapped up in trying to solve it I dont engage with the story enough to be like WHAT? 🤷🏻♀️ Glad I read it though.
Ugh. I know this was a Goodreads choice winner but I was just not impressed the first time I read it in 2019 or this second go round for bookclub. Psychological thrillers are just not my jam. 🤷🏻♀️
#pop22 ~ book about a secret
#Booked2022 ~ make your own prompt @KarenUK @Cinfhen @Kalalalatja @Megabooks @4thhouseontheleft @BarbaraBB @Laughterhp @RaeLovesToRead @jenniferw88 @squirrelbrain @BarbaraTheBibliophage
so-soThe thing about reading books around a subject that you are trained in is that your brain can get super tripped up thinking about how unethical characters are and bor really think as much about the characters, plot, directions the story is going. That was my trouble here. Also I was a bit bored. This is my second Michaelides and will probably be my last. I did enjoy this more then The Maidens though it
Alicia is a famous painter who has been accused of murdering her husband, but she hasn‘t spoken a word since. several years later a psychotherapist, Theo, becomes invested in her case, wanting to get her to finally speak about what happened.
I made it through most of the book before I finally started to figure out what was going on, twisty turny plot for sure and very worth it. how I looked for the end of part 3 and part 4: 🤯
1. Sometimes. It really depends on my mood. Forever a mood reader and all that. 😆
2. I couldn't sleep afterwards. 👀
3. Definitely Alex Michaelides. And Kendare Blake.
This was fun, @ozma.of.oz ! 😊
#SundayFunday
pickI was initially impatient with this book, but it does get more interesting, although honestly I still don‘t quite understand how she suddenly came up with this diary, you know? Like all of the sudden she has a diary even though she has been in psychiatric prison for years, and that never really did reconcile for me. Fun book though, 3.5 stars.
“This was the first time I came face-to-face with Alicia Berenson. The rest, as they say, is history.”
It may only be March but this is probably going to be one of the best recommendations I get all year so thank you so much @Mariasimon. This book is absolutely wild and so fun to read. Please check trigger warnings before reading.
pickThe Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides was my audiobook for the work commute this week. And what a twisty turny ride it was!
This story hooked me from the start and didn‘t let go until the end. I even found myself sitting in the driveway for a bit to finish a chapter more than once. The voice actors, including Louise Brealey (Molly of BBC‘s Sherlock) do an amazing job bringing the characters and this story to life. 4.5💀
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ While I won‘t be making a habit of revisiting twisty types, this #reread was for my new #bookclub, and I don‘t want anyone missing out on stories because of me. Already knowing the outcome was a wholly different experience. And honestly, I brain dumped a couple of intricate details, so there were a couple “oh, that‘s right” moments, too. It‘s a solid psychological thriller. The parallels to Greek tragedy added a unique depth.
OMG. This puzzle took me an eternity, but it‘s so pretty! We‘ll soon see this lovely sight in person. 🤩 #audiopuzzling
My new local #bookclub chose #TheSilentPatient for March. I‘ve already read it, but it‘s kind of fun to revisit, already knowing the outcome. I wouldn‘t normally #reread a thriller, but I don‘t want any of the ladies in my group to miss out on something because of me.
