The silent patient

I read this book yesterday and I’m honestly disappointed, considering this is supposed to be the classic in the thriller/mystery genre.

I’ve been recommended this book repeatedly, as the book to start off my exploration of the genre.

This is not the book about the patient, it’s a book about the narrator, who is for unknown, initial reason, obsessed with said patient.

The narrator, Theo, is so… matter of factly unlikeable. As a professional, he is at best very unprofessional and at worst a creep. The way everyone is so accommodating to him and his professional demands at his VERY new job and also just in general with him pestering people and not respecting anyone’s boundaries, demands suspension of disbelief.

None of the secondary characters are likeable, and we get to read all about it, since Theo talks with contempt about literally anyone he comes across.

People from Alicia’s (the patient) past are all bad, expect for her. They are either in love and fascinated with her, or they are out to get her, or both.

The narration is simplistic and somber.

The twist is honestly predictable. I don’t know whether i saw it coming because people repeatedly told me that there is one, or that the book was so boring at times, that my mind went in all directions that it could possibly go..

I don’t have much to say about Alicia. She was obviously passive and silent, but also in general, she never showed any agency and stuff just happened to her. But like i said in the beginning, this wasn’t about her in the first place.