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Ecstasy
Beth Saulnier Book Review

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Plot Summary of Ecstasy
"

Mysterious, Mar 2003, 23.95, 341 pp.
ISBN: 0892967501

Over her reporter's objections, the Gabriel Monitor editor assigns Alex Bernier to cover the annual upstate New York's Melting Rock Music Festival. Alex finds all the comfort that would make a teenager feel happy being amidst the racket that the youth calls music. However, she is not a teen so living on undercooked overpriced hot dogs and sleeping outdoors for the four day extravaganza seems rough on the stomach and back respectively.

Alex interviews stoned attendees who've been to this event for the past few years. However, the mellow atmosphere of the drugged crowd turns ugly when three male teens suddenly die. Alex feels elated as she is now in her element. She investigates the homicides over the objections of her Gabriel police department officer boyfriend Brian Cody.

The Boomers will enjoy the vivid description of the mini-city of mud, drugs, free love, rip-offs, and good feelings of Woodstock; selective memory enables ignoring the real ugly rapes, and other bad doings that went on back then Fans of investigative tales will find the murders and subsequent inquiries take a back seat to the festival. The hazed teens are a delight to observe until the murders begin. However, Alex should not have inhaled, as that can be the only reason for her to disregard Cody and place herself in danger trying to solve the case.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of Ecstasy
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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 - 20%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 30%




Tone of story - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
How difficult to spot villain? - Difficult, but some clues given
Time/era of story: - present (2000-2010)
What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 70%
Kind of investigator - amateur citizen investigator
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot? - life in that culture
Crime Thriller Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes

Main Character
Gender - Female
Profession/status: - journalist
Age: - 20's-30's
How much violence does he/she use? - none
Ethnicity/Race - White/American
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - business executive
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist - insanity
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

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths? - 3-4
Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript
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