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| Plot Summary of Speaking In Tongues |
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Simon & Schuster, Dec 2000, 25.00, 336 pp.
ISBN: 0684871262
Seventeen year old Megan McCall is required to see a psychologist after becoming very drunk and climbing the town's water tower. When she arrives at her appointment, her usual shrink is not there. Instead subbing is Dr. Bill Peters. He maneuvers Megan into writing notes to her parents that pour out how she feels about them. He next injects her with a chemical that knocks her out. Bill places the unconscious teen in the trunk of his Mercedes before driving to an abandoned insane asylum. Dr. Bill Peters is actually Dr. Aaron Matthews, a brilliant psychiatrist seeking vengeance from Megan's father for destroying his life.
Megan's parents, Brett and Tate, do not know their daughter well enough to realize that she is not at her father's home. Tate has been indifferent towards his daughter and Brett is interested in her own social life. By the time they conclude that something is wrong, they cannot persuade the police that Megan has been abducted and not a runaway. Matthews discredits anyone who intervenes otherwise. Brett and Tate turn amateur sleuths in a risky effort to rescue their daughter.
Although SPEAKING IN TONGUES lacks the deep intensity of some of Jeffrey Deaver's previous novels, the story line remains an exciting thriller. The plot emphasizes why the antagonist loathes the hero to the point that he will go to extreme lengths to see his enemy suffer. The relationship between Megan's parents seems unreal and staged, but Megan's behavior provides credibility to the cast. Though not quite a Lincoln, fans will enjoy Mr. Deaver's latest work.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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"Megan is kidnapped by the father of a young man who brutally murders a woman. Megans father was the prosecutor. The father kidnaps Megan with plans to have her replace his son who dies while in prison. The father is forced to physically and mentally harm others as Megan's parents decide she has been kidnapped and being investigating her disappearance."
Kathy Sims, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Speaking In Tongues |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 10%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20%
Time/era of story:
- 1980's-1999
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Crime Thriller
Yes
Crime plotlets:
- vigilante getting revenge
- escape/rescue from kidnappers
General Crime (including known murderer)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Male
- Female
Profession/status:
- student
- a lawyer creature
Age:
- a teen
- 40's-50's
Eccentric/Mental:
Yes
Eccentric:
- emotionally unstable
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
How much violence does he/she use?
- just the right amount
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- doctor
Has special powers?
Yes
Magical/mental powers of main antagonist:
- mind control
- can read emotions
Eccentric:
Yes
- obsessed
- mentally ill
- emotionally unstable
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- an above average amount
- throughout most of the book.
Motive of antagonist
- revenge
The antagonists are:
- evil doctors
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Northeast
- California
City?
Yes
Style
Person
- mostly 1st
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
- moderately detailed references to deaths
How many deaths?
- 3-4
Unusual forms of death
- perforation--swords/knives
- blunt clubbing (like seals)
Unusual form of death?
Yes
Amount of dialog
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
- significantly more descript than dialog
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