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Lying Awake
Mark Salzman Book Review

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Plot Summary of Lying Awake
"This is a charming book about life in a Carmelite convent for an inspired nun. Sister John of the Cross, the main character in this novel, writes poetry and books for hours on end, and has heavenly visions of god - a feeling of divine ecstasy. However, when she finds out she has epilepsy, and these visions are not a closeness to her god, but rather a tumor above her right ear, her world crumbles. "
Dave Phillips, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of Lying Awake
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book? - thoughtful
Time/era of story - 1980's-1999
Training/promotions story Yes
Inside culture (main char) - Christian
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Job/Profession/Status story Yes
Ethnic/regional/gender life Yes
Woman's story? Yes

Main Character
Gender - Female
Profession/status: - religious figure
Age: - 60's-90's
Eccentric/Mental Yes
Eccentric: - deluded - emotionally unstable
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - missing body parts/abilities

Main Adversary
Identity: - natural phenomena
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a substantial amount

Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings? - 5 (an average amount)
United States Yes
The US: - California

Style
Person - mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death? - no torture/death
Unusual Style: - a lot of flashback and forwards
Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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Click here for more information about this book


Mark Salzman Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
Jacqueline West  

SCHOLARS:
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