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A review of The Dive from Clausen's Pier

by Ann Packer

Duty over desire. One young woman's struggle to be true to herself, when tragedy strikes, and her life is turned upside down

Reviewed by: Helen Harvey
About Helen Harvey

The Dive from Clausen's Pier This is one of the few books that I have read this year that has been totally engrossing, and that I have been reluctant to put down, hurrying through other tasks at hand, to get back to where I left off. Perhaps this book could best be described as an endearing young woman's coming of age, immersion into womanhood and realization of self-worth. No reader can fail to dream Carrie's dreams, and want so much more for her than her destiny offers.

Carrie Bell has lived in Madison, Wisconsin all her life. Her days follow the same routine, she has the same friends, and her childhood sweetheart, Mike, is now her fiancé. Nothing changes, and, understandably, boredom sets in. Carrie has dreams and aspirations - she wants to live a little, yet she feels stifled by the claustrophobic atmosphere surrounding her. At 23 years old she feels she should be on the threshold of all that life has to offer, yet she is not. Who, having survived their twenties, cannot relate to the restlessness and need for self-discovery of this extremely likeable protagonist?

At the community's usual Memorial Day picnic at Clausen's Pier, Mike dives off the pier, into water shallower than usual, sustaining an injury that leaves him paralyzed, and barely clinging to life. During the months that follow, Mike makes slow progress in his rehabilitation, and Carrie becomes increasingly desperate, fearing all hope of fulfilling her dreams has gone, as the expectations of those around her threaten to trap her. Had the accident not happened she would probably have ended her relationship with Mike, now, must she be dutiful, and give her life to nursing him?

Terrified and confused, Carrie flees to New York, where, living in a shared house of would-be artists and writers, she begins to explore her own needs and talents, falling into a relationship, perhaps, inevitably, with an older man.

The tale unfolds unexpectedly, and, to the end, is not without its surprises. Written wistfully, and with subtlety, Packer explores the dilemmas, possibilities, and inevitabilities faced by this vulnerable young woman. The characters are so real, that you cannot help but to take sides, and root for the ending you want.

Packer's debut novel is a beautifully executed and poignant tale, teaching us just how uncertain and precarious life can be. Must compromise and duty be the death knell of hope and dreams, or can aspirations be fulfilled, while duty is carried out? Perhaps, we shall never know, until faced with such a dilemma ourselves. Sometimes actions are far easier spoken of, than done.

Click here to buy this book, or read more about it at Amazon.com: The Dive from Clausen's Pier

Copyright © by Helen Harvey, 2002

Reviewed by Helen Harvey:
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