PLOT The novel opens introducing us to the heroine, Ashley Patterson. Although she cannot prove it, she feels and believes that she is being stalked by someone with murderous intentions. She comes home from work (in Silicon Valley) one day to find that all the lights in her apartment have been turned on. Another day she sees that her lingerie drawer has been ransacked. In the next two chapters, we are introduced to Toni Prescott and Alette Peters who work at the same company with Ashley. Toni is six years younger than Ashley, born in England, she is a bit of a “wild child” with serious maternal issues. She is a wonderful singer, but her inner thoughts keep flashing back to her mother telling her she was no good and would never amount to anything. Toni likes to dress provocatively and go club hopping on the weekends. She despises Ashley because Ashley is everything she herself isn’t. Alette is eight years younger than Ashley. Born in Rome, she is a soft spoken, sweet artist who also has maternal issues. Though people around her keep telling her that she is an extraordinarily talented painter, she keeps hearing her mother tell her the contrary. Though she currently has a very close relationship with her father, Ashley is haunted by the memory of her father forcing her to leave her High School sweetheart, Jim. She had planned to run away and be married to Jim, but he never showed up at the train station. When Ashley attends her ten year reunion, she learns that Jim was viciously murdered and castrated the morning they were supposed to meet. She is stunned and immediately suspects her father. When a man at work who has been bothering her meets the same fate after she complains to her father about him, Ashley is convinced that her father is behind these murders. On a business trip to Canada, Toni meets her Internet boyfriend for the first time. He presents her with a beautiful emerald ring and is then murdered and castrated. Alette’s artist boyfriend back home in California is also killed in this same fashion. Upon returning home, Ashley finds on her bathroom mirror the message “You will die”. The deputy assigned to protect her is found the next morning in the alley, dead and castrated. When the emerald ring given to Toni is found in Ashley’s jewelry box and her fingerprints and DNA at each murder scene, she is arrested. At this point, we are a little less than half way through the book. If you haven’t guessed from the review (I had already guessed from the novel), Ashley suffers from MPD (Multiple Personality Disorder). Toni and Alette are both alters which had been created by a traumatic experience (when Ashley was six and eight years old). From this point backward, the novel had been gripping and enticing. I couldn’t put it down. After this, I was thoroughly disappointed. Ashley’s father persuades a criminal lawyer turned corporate lawyer, David Singer to return a favor and represent Ashley. The second half of the novel deals with the trial, the fighting psychiatrists: (“Multiple Personality Disorder is a real disorder”, “Multiple Personality Disorder isn’t a real disorder”), and Ashley’s treatment and introduction to her two alters in a state asylum. The most interesting part of this section was learning the horrific event that caused her fragile psyche to shatter as it did.
REVIEW It was dark and aggressive.It says the book was a fiction but was based on an actual case.So does it mean,such person exist? I'm not sure.I find it unfair on the part of the people she killed but I also pity her for having those alters,it must be a real nightmare for her.She was proclaimed not guilty due to MPD.What if his father didn't do everything to get her out of prison? What if it happens to someone who can't even afford a lawyer? This is the second Sheldon book that I've read.I'm not yet familiar with his writing style as I'm not much into crime or thriller themes.But this book is psychological,something in line with my interest.I can't say if it's accurate because it doesn't have to-it's fiction but there's something to it that catches my attention.I can see how childhood memories can really destroy us emotionally or totally as a person.How traumatic events shapes a person's personality. It never occurred to me that someday,I would love to see myself in this particular job-a counselor//therapist.If given the chance,I would like to be a hypo therapist.I think it's kinda cool.I know it's childish how a book can easily influence me but it excites me everytime I think of it.I don't know why I'm even confident to be part of it.Maybe it has something to do with my experience as well.Either they hurt too much or they shut me down.Honestly,I think it's all in the mind.I'm tempted sometimes to rebellious but I choose not to.How many times did I wish I was someone else. I just find the story very interesting.I can see why Sheldon books are one of the best sellers because it never gets boring.Like no matter how long the story is.You get involved emotionally.It's like racing with the characters.It's not that easy to predict what happens next.So I guess,that's why people eagerly wait for his books in years. Thanks to Beth for lending me this.Tell me your dreams is indeed a a book to look forward as it makes you understand other people instead of judging them.I'm sure each and everyone has their own personal dreams or like for others,they prefer calling it fantasy because it's far from reality.But I never thought,one can bring it to reality if that person is suffering from MPD. At first,I thought it was kinda cool to have MULTIPLE PERSONALITY but it scared me when I found out it was a disorder.How I wish a person can have MP but it would be more of good and positive alters. I think it's cool.Like on my case,How I wish I'm that super confident and effective public speaker.If given the chance to choose 3 alters I would choose my current self,a great public speaker and lastly,a very effective and influential therapist/councilor!
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