In November last year, someone I know pushed me out of my comfort zone with “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes, a book I unexpectedly loved. You can read my thoughts on it here.
It motivated me to explore different genres. I pushed myself further from my comfort zone with “The Silent Patient”—a shocking thriller. It tells a story about Alicia, an artist married to Gabriel, a photographer. Their seemingly happy life takes a dark turn when Alicia shoots her husband in the head five times, rendering her mute.
Enter Theo, Alicia’s psychotherapist and a loving husband to Kathy. Convinced he’s the key to unlocking Alicia’s silence, Theo becomes entangled in a gripping tale.
Despite my affection for Theo, my heart went to Alicia. Her struggles, documented in a journal to help with her mental health, resonated with me, considering I, too, have a journal for different reasons.
This psychological thriller looks into various mental health issues and explores how our upbringing shapes our adult lives. It highlights the interconnectedness of personality development and how parental influence plays a pivotal role.
The book prompted me to reflect on my trust issues, revealing twists and turns that challenged my biases. It made me confront my tendency to judge people hastily, both in literature and real life. The story demonstrated that appearances can be deceiving, urging me to reconsider my preconceived notions.
For example, Max initially painted as a villain by Alicia’s accounts, served as a good lesson. It made me question the validity of my judgments, acknowledging how perceptions can be manipulative.
The author skillfully kept me guessing about the killer’s true identity until the final moments, leaving me in awe. The revelation was so unexpected that my mouth remained agape throughout.
“The Silent Patient” served as a wake-up call, forcing me to reevaluate how I assess and trust people. Sometimes, those who appear overly good usually have hidden agendas.
The book emphasized the importance of therapy, quoting, “The aim of therapy is not to correct the past but to enable the patient to confront his history, and to grieve over it.” It resonated with me. I believe therapy is a tool for gaining clarity and moving forward, applicable to everyone, not just a select group.
I could continue praising this book endlessly. It left me speechless and motivated me to explore more within this genre.
Here are some of my favourite quotes from the book:
Therapy isn’t just about talking. It is about providing a safe space – a containment environment. Most communication is non-verbal.
Choosing a lover is a lot like choosing a therapist. We need to ask ourselves, is this someone who will be honest with me, listen to criticism, admit making mistakes and not promise the impossible?
We often mistake love for fireworks – for drama and dysfunction. But real love is quiet, very still. It is boring if seen from the perspective of high drama. Love is deep and calm – and constant.
I highly recommend “The Silent Patient” for a thought-provoking and captivating read.
Happy reading,
Jane
