The simile of Kitchen landline
Mia compares an old-fashioned phone to a kitchen landline. Mia says, “I threw my phone across the room hanging up on an iPhone isn't nearly as satisfying as slamming down an old-fashioned phone like our kitchen landline, and besides, I had an industrial strength titanium phone protector – but dammed if it didn't land on my plush comforter." The simile shows Mia's dissatisfaction when the caller hangs up on her call, especially when she needs an answer regarding her father's mysterious disappearance.
The simile of a tongue twister
Eugene's communication ability is almost impossible because Mia compares his pronunciation to a tongue twister. Mia says, "It is like a tongue twister; you might manage to say it once or twice carefully and slowly, but the longer and quicker the utterance, the greater the chances of tripping up." Eugene is dedicated to speaking but finds it difficult because the more he practices, the more he fails to talk effectively. Consequently, Eugene's trainer must be patient because it will take a long time for him to start pronouncing words correctly.
The rhythmic track
The sounds made by Eugene while practicing talking are compared to a rhythmic track of a song. Mia says, “It almost sounded like a rhythmic track to a song – heee-boom,heee-boom, heee-boom – precise and rhythmic, his laugh a high note some coloraturas can't even hit." The simile is significant because it shows Mia's ability to differentiate pitches, especially "D" and "F". Every time Eugene sounds a particular letter, he demands a specific item.
