A razor-sharp debut about a woman who goes so far off the deep end, she might never make it back up… Sam James has spent years carefully crafting her reputation as the best psychologist at Typhlos, Manhattan’s most challenging psychiatric institution. She believes if she can’t save herself, she’ll save someone else. It’s this savior complex that serves her well in helping patients battle their … battle their inner demons, though it leads Sam down some dark paths and opens her eyes to her own mental turmoil.
When Richard, a mysterious patient no other therapist wants to treat, is admitted to Typhlos, Sam is determined to unlock his secrets and his psyche. But she can’t figure out why Richard appears to be so normal in a hospital filled with madness. As Sam gets pulled into Richard’s twisted past, she can’t help but analyze her own life, and what she discovers terrifies her. And so the mind games begin. But who is the savior and who is the saved?
In this unexpected and addictive psychological debut, A.F. Brady takes readers into the psyche of a deeply disturbed woman desperately trying to keep her head above water, showing that sometimes what’s most terrifying is what exists in your mind.
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Parts of this book weren’t so easy to read (because I found it hard to personally relate to the main character), but I couldn’t stop reading and I’m so glad. It’s a journey of redemption, a psychologist battling her own well-earned demons. The payoff was well worth it.
/ 5
The Blind by A.F. Brady is an amazing look at one woman’s psyche as her ‘perfect’ world starts falling apart.
What it’s about: Sam James is the go-to psychologist for difficult patients at Typhlos, a psychiatric institution in Manhattan for the most challenging subjects. She has spent years building her reputation there and becoming her boss Rachel’s favorite. But when Sam takes on a new patient named Richard that no one can get a word out of, she is going to be put to the test as she never has been before. Getting to know Richard and pulling out his past, will bring out some things in her own life that Sam didn’t want to face. As everything she has built starts to fall out from under her, will she be able to make the changes she needs to in order to properly live her life, or will she lose everything she has worked so hard to build . . .
I’ve only read the 2 books by Brady, but I can already categorize her as one of my favorite authors. Her books really make you think, and they will surprise you in more ways than one. There are quite a few triggers in The Blind, one of which is abuse. At times this book was incredibly hard for me to read so I think it is important to note this trigger. I don’t normally need to know about them, but I kinda wish I would have known what I was getting myself into ahead of time with this one.
As much as she likes to appear perfect to her friends and coworkers, Sam has some serious issues and I was struggling with her through much of the book, even though I know she couldn’t necessarily help what she was doing. But I really liked how her story progressed as the book went on, and by the time I got to the end I liked her a lot more than when I started. I definitely think everyone can see a little bit of them in the people in this book, including Sam.
Much of The Blind is very psychological due to Sam’s job and the way it is written, and it is so obvious that Brady has a lot of experience she called on to write this novel. I always understood what was going on, and much of it was pretty heartbreaking. I would definitely categorize this as a bit of a tear-jerker as well, especially towards the end of the novel. It does have it’s funny parts too which was a nice respite from the heavier themes of the novel.
Final Thought: I really don’t think that anything I say will do this book justice, so I will wrap this up. I had a bit of an unusual upbringing so I was able to relate with a little of what was going on at certain points in The Blind. It was fascinating to think about some of this stuff more deeply than I have, and how our upbringings (including parent’s mental health) shape who we are as adults. If you are looking for a heavier read that is still pretty quick, and don’t mind triggers such as abuse, you need to read this! The ending made my head tingle… so read it. 🙂
I liked this book. It was interesting and a real page turner. Unfortunately it was predictable. At first you aren’t sure what exactly is going on, but then it eventually gets explained. I wouldn’t call this a chilling psychological suspense though.
This book still haunts me – a unpredictable page turner.
Compelling and disturbing, A.F. Brady’s THE BLIND is a stellar debut. A psychologist battling her inner demons, and spiraling out of control while trying to hide it from everyone, appear “normal” and treat her own patients makes for compulsive reading. Dark and complex yet humorous too, this book will stay with me for a long time.
I loved this book. It was very dark and twisted! Did not see the last twist until the end.
Surprise ending!
I love Brady’s debut. Psychologically interesting and twisty. A satisfying read that takes you along a journey of understanding and realization. I enjoyed the growth of characters, the insight into some mental health issues (Brady IS a real life psychologist), and I am absolutely looking forward to her next book!
I won this in a Goodreads Giveaway.
Dr. Samantha “Sam” James is a psychologist at Typhlos, a mental institution in Manhattan. She has a perfect reputation, a perfect boyfriend, and a perfect life, at least from the outside. Inside she is falling apart dealing with her own problems – abuse, childhood issues, alcoholism, and more. She is given a new patient – Richard McHugh. Richard has been recently released from prison and there are rumors about his violence and odd behavior. In sessions, he refuses to answer questions; sitting in silence, or flicking through newspapers. Yet, other than being non-cooperative, his behavior seems perfectly normal. Can She break though to him and maybe save herself?
Madness is at the heart of of AF Brady’s gritty, gripping The Blind, in which a psychologist navigates her own inner demons while attempting to care for her patients…with devastating results. The reader gets a front-row seat for her unraveling, which unfolds like a slow-motion train wreck—one where you can’t look away. Sly, dark, and completely enthralling, The Blind is a knockout debut.
This novel is primarily about forgiveness. The hardest kind – self forgiveness. It is a testament to the destruction in pretending to be “better than” others, and yet understanding we ARE “better than” our inner demons. The author helps us realize when you truly forgive, you aren’t trying to control the narrative anymore. You stop the resistance…and by default (or is it design?) you find acceptance. In being willing to accept both the “good” and “bad” in ourselves, the whole of who we are, the author reminds us…we are all equals.