In The Alienist novel, a significant theme is the role of the environment in shaping a person's psyche. It looks at how the city environment, with its poverty, overcrowding, and vice, can contribute to criminal behavior. There is also the theme of the power of knowledge. The alienist uses his knowledge of the human mind to try and solve the mystery, which shows how important knowledge is in dealing with complex problems.
The alienist, Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, is one of the main characters. He is a psychologist who uses his knowledge to study criminals. Then there is John Moore, a journalist who helps Dr. Kreizler in his investigations. Sara Howard, a police secretary who is intelligent and resourceful, is also a key character.
In most aspects, 'The Alienist' is faithful to the novel. The characters' personalities and the major events are accurately represented. However, there could be a few tweaks made to make it more suitable for a visual medium.
One classic 'alienist novel' is 'The Alienist' by Caleb Carr. It combines elements of mystery and early psychological study. Another could be 'The Interpretation of Murder' which also delves into the realm of the human mind and abnormal behavior in a somewhat similar way.
The Alienist isn't true. It's a made-up story that combines elements of mystery and drama to entertain readers/viewers. There's no real-life basis for it.