Reviews

The Diver's Clothes Lie Empty by Vendela Vida

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stevienlcf's review against another edition

4.0

In her latest in her series of American heroines who journey abroad to escape a domestic disappointment, Vida sets the tale in Casablanca. The unnamed, 33 year-old protagonist is traveling alone from Miami after the breakup of her marriage. She is a fraternal twin who lacked her sister’s beauty and personality, but attended an expensive all-girls school on a scholarship. Upon her arrival at her disappointingly modest hotel, her pack back with her laptop, passport and wallet is stolen. She accepts from the police chief a pack back, passport and wallet belonging to a Sabine Alyse.. Although she fears that the woman may have come to a bad end, she foolishly accepts the items without protest, concluding that the police chief was “communicating that a deal had been made and you were to uphold your end of it.”

Although she has been stripped of her identity, she blithely assumes various others – when she fears that Alyse’s credit cards will be cancelled, she obtains a job as a stand-in for a famous American actress and assumes the hotel room of the former stand-in who left after her affair with the married director was exposed. As the stand-in for a famous American actress, the protagonist enjoys the perks of celebrity: meeting Patti Smith backstage, dinner with a wealthy Russian businessman, the attention of tabloid reporters.

Vida tells the tale in second person which makes the taut narrative especially compulsive although the plot is thin. Impersonation builds upon impersonation as the protagonist, who has a penchant for disguise due to the telltale scars of teenage acne that mar her skin, and we see the emancipation of a woman who was accustomed to playing the stand-in.

wonderwall's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

shaughnp26's review against another edition

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4.0

This book captured my attention and held it from page 1. I loved the 3rd person perspective. I have not read many books like that. The story slowly unwinds and the ending was well done.

scubacat's review against another edition

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2.0

This was a tortuous read. Written in the 2nd person, you're supposed to find yourself in the role of protagonist, but the character is so desperate and pathetic that I couldn't connect. She says and does the most ridiculous things that every time I read "you," I thought "What? I would never say this or do this?!" The story meanders from one unlikely situation to another, and while some of the scenarios were interesting, I couldn't get past the stilted dialog and distracting present tense-2nd person point of view to ever get into the story.

jamiebooks15's review against another edition

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3.0

I liked some things about this book - it was short and moved very quickly and was surprising. I also found it to be more like a long short story, lacking the depth you expect from a novel. The action didn't make sense to me either... it was just a kind of random book to me. I don't think it'll stick with me too long, although I generally enjoyed reading it. It's a meh.