A review by librarian_lisa_22
The Diver's Clothes Lie Empty by Vendela Vida

4.0

I loved this book on so many levels! I loved the completely unique voice. I do not think I have ever read a book with this voice, narrated in the first person; but rather than using the narrative "I" the author uses the narrative "you." This draws the reader in, triggers empathy and recognition of the experiences. You recognize and relate to the feelings, even if the specific events are often zany or nearly unbelievable. It's the basic human responses that you believe and share and recognize, and that makes this story so powerful and profound. The realization of what happened to chase the unnamed narrative to Casablanca begins to dawn on the reader, and the voice makes the realization more sickening and heartfelt. She embraces, inhabits (however fleetingly or badly) other identities, whine being pushed out of her own. I loved it.