ms. shreve 's novel proved too difficult a text to ` lick , ' despite the efforts of a first-rate cast . 
(ROOT (S (NP (NP (NNP ms.) (NNP shreve) (POS 's)) (NN novel)) (VP (VBD proved) (ADJP (ADJP (RB too) (JJ difficult)) (NP (NP (DT a) (NN text)) (SBAR (S (VP (TO to) (`` `) (VP (VB lick))))))) (, ,) ('' ') (PP (IN despite) (NP (NP (DT the) (NNS efforts)) (PP (IN of) (NP (DT a) (NML (JJ first) (HYPH -) (NN rate)) (NN cast)))))) (. .)))
(ROOT (S (NP (NP (NNP ) (NNP ) (POS )) (NN )) (VP (VBD ) (ADJP (ADJP (RB ) (JJ )) (NP (NP (DT ) (NN )) (SBAR (S (VP (TO ) (`` ) (VP (VB ))))))) (, ) ('' ) (PP (IN ) (NP (NP (DT ) (NNS )) (PP (IN ) (NP (DT ) (NML (JJ ) (HYPH ) (NN )) (NN )))))) (. )))