The Dive From Clausen's Pier: A Novel
by Ann Packer
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Book Reviews of The Dive From Clausen's Pier: A Novel
Book Review: A compelling read--just don't ask questions...
Summary: 3 Stars
The situation is gripping: Carrie Bell, on the verge of breaking her engagement to Mike Mayer, her high school/college sweetheart, is confronted by his sudden paralysis caused by an ill-thought out dive from Clausen's Pier. Readers will be caught up in her dilemma immediately. The narrative drive of Carrie's story as she grapples with her inner conflict between her feelings and her sense of ethical behavior is unrelenting. I couldn't put this novel down. Carrie's first-person narration brings her vividly to life, and her story is both heartbreaking and intense.However, a close examination of the novel reveals some major shortcomings: perhaps because Carrie narrates her own story, most of the other characters seem rather flat and predictable. Mike, her injured fiance; Rooster, his best friend; Jamie, Simon, and the other friends Carrie makes, all seem more like types than real people. Even Kilroy, the rather unusual New Yorker Carrie gets involved with, while generally fascinating to read about, ultimately is no more than a 21st century Mr. Rochester, right out of "Jane Eyre," a sensitive and tragic romantic hero. For me, however, the major problem with the novel is a plot device that remains totally unexplained. Packer never offers a convincing reason why Kilroy, a life-long New Yorker whose veins, we are told, course with New York blood, inexplicably turns up in Wisconsin early in the book. Apparently, he's there simply so that he can meet Carrie; later, as we get to know him, we learn how completely unlikely that important meeting really is.
Ultimately, Carrie's story is a satisfying one of self-realization and coming of age. The hurtlingly fast pace of the narrative covers the novel's faults for a first-time reader, but this is not a book that will repay a second read.
Book Review: A love/hate relationship
Summary: 3 Stars
JoAnne Goldberg pretty much wrote my review for me as far as the plot goes on this book. I want to share something besides the plot with all of you though. This book starts off so good! The end was dismal! I loved it then I hated it! The end just sort of ends and doesn't (at least for me) wrap up anything it started! The book isn't finished in my mind. I have a list of questions about things that I would share but it would ruin the story for you. If you are the type of person who likes to make up the real ending in your head then you'll love this book. If you like the author to end the story for you in a nice little package then you probably won't like this book very much.
When I first started reading this book I was enamored with the plot and the desciptions and feelings of this book were incredible. I just knew that this was going to be one of my favorite books. I had no idea how this story was going to end up, but that didn't matter, I knew the author was going to lead me too great places in this book.
The middle part of this book keeps you guessing what Carrie the main character will end up doing with her life and problem of having these two boyfriends. When I got to the middle of the book I got very frustrated by Carrie's selfishness then the selfishness of her second boyfriend. Finally she starts to make some things right and stopped being as selfish, but then the book just ends.
I ended this book not feeling ok. I felt like I had been "had." I nearly felt like it was up to me to finish the story because the author didn't know how. I loved this book and I hated it. Maybe you'll have better luck with it than I did knowing what I didn't.
Book Review: Four Stars
Summary: 4 Stars
I really enjoyed this novel. It received mixed reviews and I completely understand why. Before reading this novel, I read all the reviews, and was sure that I would find Carrie and her decision to head to NYC despicable. Without going into any specifics of the plot, I was surprised to find that I did not completely hate her. I did find many of her decisions questionable, and I had to remind myself numerous times that she was 23 and completely lost in her own life. Her last decision of the novel was the only decision she made that I agreed with, and I applauded her for coming to the conclusion that she did. I found Carrie somewhat difficult to relate to, as I have never had the means to just up and move on a whim, and then not work for a year. Sometimes when I was reading the novel, and Carrie was describing how she spent her day, I found myself thinking "Stop moping around and get a job." The one character that I really loved was Mike. The descriptions of him absolutely broke my heart, and I found myself dangerously close to weeping sometimes while reading his scenes.
I thought that this novel was well-written and interesting. I did not necessarily agree with the way she portrayed Mid-westerners, however, as stodgy and boring. Having lived in both New York and Chicago, I found her description of mid-westerners inaccurate. Nonetheless, I keep in mind that Packer was writing from Carrie's perspective, and maybe this is just how Carrie viewed the midwest. I give this book four stars, because even though I was unable to relate to Carrie and sometimes found her annoying, I really did enjoy reading the story, and it will stay with me for along time.
Book Review: Very good overall
Summary: 4 Stars
This was one of those books that kept me reading far into the night to see what would happen next. I sympathized with Carrie's incredibly bad timing in not breaking up with Mike before his accident. I understood her need to break away from her obligations, both real and implied, to Mike. The fact that she would head to New York was understandable. Who hasn't fantasized about running away to the city? But once she arrives there, the story, which up until then felt very "real" to me, struck several false notes. This was due in large part to Carrie's relationship with Kilroy. The whole business of him never using his real name(and Kilroy is an unlikely nickname for a 40-year old)strained my credulity. His emotional unavailability was clear yet his actions were not consistent with that persona. Also we are led to think that some tragic secret has left him emotionally frozen. When the death of his brother is revealed, somehow there is a feeling of "is that all?". The loss of a siblng is tragic, but somehow, especially after the length of time implied, doesn't seem to account for Kilroy's feelings toward his parents or the solitary lifestyle that he has chosen. Once Carrie returns to Madison, the story got back on track again & renewed my interest. I was glad I pushed on through the Kilroy chapters. Many readers may be dissappointed because of the ambiguity of the ending but that is something else that made me give the book 4 stars. A tidy ending would have spoiled it. Had the New York period, especially the Kilroy character, been handled differently I would have given this book 5 stars. I look forward to reading the author's other work.Book Review: Written from a manual
Summary: 2 Stars
This book is not fiction. It's an effort to adhere to a set of rules that dictate the contents and tone of a 21st Century American Woman Writer's Novel. It's the Educated Female's version of a cool senior in high school -- knowing, impenetrable, self-assured, and totally pointless.
This thing has every single required element, right down the line. The semi-bored, semi-distant tone. The plot that's almost completely domestic and interior, and that presents minor details as cultural symbols of tremendous importance. The Snoopy envelope. The man who keeps pushing buttons on the car radio. A lot of effort has been put into presenting this thing as the work of someone who's deeply knowing, but she's knows things because she's read about them, or been told to believe them, not because she's actually experienced or believed them. The minor bit of personal drama that's played out over hundreds of pages. An almost complete lack of humor or enthusiasm. Ultimately, a kind of lifelessness that's packaged and sold as genius. You want to take the author and shake her, hard, by the shoulders, or perhaps slip LSD into her tea. Even the photo of the author on the jacket reinforces this -- Ann Packer is standing, all arched eyebrows and high purpose, in a grainy photo that is a dead giveaway of someone who's read way too much Virginia Wolff and Anne Beattie. Any pop song has more soul and more impact and more life than this calculated piece of status-affirming propoganda. On the other hand, she has a degree from Yale and has written for The New Yorker, so if I don't like this, it's because I'm not smart enough, right?