I bought this book on someone's recommendation. Though I saw the book in various bookstores and its online presence was also excellent. But everything with a good online presence isn't actually good. So, I picked up this book from a local bookstore and started reading it. Before you read further, let me warn you that this post might have some spoilers, and yes, I'll not be writing much about the story.
The Silent Patient, which is written by Alex Michaelides, is a thriller, which has its own pace. At some point you find things moving at lightning speed. At some places, you'll be wishing to skip a paragraph or two. It can be categorized under the psychological thriller head... Maybe not. Human Psychology and thrillers have an age-old relationship. It gives the writer a space to explore the areas which are less explored. It also makes the story less predictable and gives the reader a long-lasting experience/hangover.
If I talk about the writing of the book, the author has left no stone unturned. He took all the liberty to move forwards and backwards with a smoothness, which is highly commendable. The format of the story demands watching the same thing with two pairs of eyes. It was a challenge, But Michaelides do it with ease which is worth appreciating. On one hand, he uses the narrator to tell the story, and on the other hand, he uses the protagonist/ the silent patient/Alicia to tell the story in the journal entry format.
The other thing I wish to discuss is the role of the narrator. As a reader, we don't give much attention to the narrator. In most cases, the narrator is shown in a neutral light or on the positive side of the equation. But, you can't expect this from this book. Here, the narrator can guide you or misguide you as the situation arises.
The characters are very well used. Every character demands attention. I personally saw each one of them with a sight of suspicion on various occasions. And that's what makes you more active and involved as you read. Of course, the suspense remained till the last page of the book.
The last thing which adds charm to the writing is the description. I believe that description in writing acts like sugar in a cup of tea - You add more or you add less, in both cases, it will spoil the tea. And the sugar/description was almost perfect in the book. It gives the reader perfect light to march ahead on the bumpy road. And the light is not that bright to make you blind. I hope you got what I want to say? If not, write to me at hrntales@gmail.com. We'll discuss more about this book and a lot more things.
So, the book was original, gripping, and perfect in every sense.
Here's the link if you wish to buy the book.
Love, Laughter, and Peace
HRN
