Narrative Depths of Metafiction: Genre Subversion in Alex Michaelides' The Silent Patient

Abstract

This paper investigates the use of metafictional techniques in Alex Michaelides’ The Silent Patient, with a focus on how these strategies subvert traditional thriller conventions. Drawing on Patricia Waugh’s concept of metafiction—particularly self-reflexivity and unreliable narration—the study conducts a close textual analysis to uncover how narrative form challenges reader expectations and genre boundaries. Findings reveal that Michaelides employs narrative ambiguity and layered storytelling to destabilize conventional notions of truth, identity, and authorship. By foregrounding its own constructedness, The Silent Patient exemplifies postmodern thriller fiction’s capacity for genre innovation and critical self-awareness.