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Dive
Fifteen-year-old Virginia's world begins to fall apart when her dog is hit by a car, her father is hospitalized with a mysterious illness, and her best friend ignores her
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
25 people are currently reading
376 people want to read
About the author
Stacey Donovan
8 books19 followersSTACEY DONOVAN is a ten-time published book author of both fiction and non-fiction. Her first novel, DIVE, was reissued by Open Road Media in 2015. THE ART OF LONELINESS, a sexy novella, is currently available on Kindle. As an independent editor, Donovan has edited or ghostwritten dozens of published books for her clients, some of which have become bestsellers.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
December 31, 2013
"It's amazing to me that when I open a book, there is always a miracle somewhere on its pages. An entire novel can be miraculous, but if not, a paragraph here and there, sometimes a single line, maybe even just the voice in the book is enough to slay me. To send me off, to relieve me of my self and whatever predicament I happen to find myself in at the time" (108-9).
I wish I were friends with Virginia in real life. She's 15 and finds her dog Lucky run over by a car right at the start of the book. She's told it was a green Volkswagen and the question of who did it haunts her throughout. We get to find out later, and damn. Then her father is dying of a rare blood disease. These things turn her into a different person where she's withdrawn and peers at school all know about it because of her "best friend" Eileen who is suddenly acting all weird and mean. Then this girl Jane who is hot in a leather jacket and long hair and green eyes but also super friendly and smiling at the same time is new and everyone wants to talk to her. Virginia just notices her, sort of, but doesn't make the same kind of eager effort like everyone else. Turns out Jane was noticing her, too (!), like the fact that V. is good at sports in gym. Most of this book is preoccupied with questions about life and death. I identify with V. in the way she is confused about what's happening with friendships, relationships. But when the realization of the meaning of things occurs to her, she describes it very clearly, insightfully. I can't believe this book went out of print. I'm glad I got to read it. I have post-feelings of quietness and wishing to be alone.
I wish I were friends with Virginia in real life. She's 15 and finds her dog Lucky run over by a car right at the start of the book. She's told it was a green Volkswagen and the question of who did it haunts her throughout. We get to find out later, and damn. Then her father is dying of a rare blood disease. These things turn her into a different person where she's withdrawn and peers at school all know about it because of her "best friend" Eileen who is suddenly acting all weird and mean. Then this girl Jane who is hot in a leather jacket and long hair and green eyes but also super friendly and smiling at the same time is new and everyone wants to talk to her. Virginia just notices her, sort of, but doesn't make the same kind of eager effort like everyone else. Turns out Jane was noticing her, too (!), like the fact that V. is good at sports in gym. Most of this book is preoccupied with questions about life and death. I identify with V. in the way she is confused about what's happening with friendships, relationships. But when the realization of the meaning of things occurs to her, she describes it very clearly, insightfully. I can't believe this book went out of print. I'm glad I got to read it. I have post-feelings of quietness and wishing to be alone.
June 26, 2016
Video Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7A2_...
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Want to see more bookish things from me? Check out my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfer...
September 26, 2017
Dive is a coming of age novel that begins when V's (Virginia's) dog is hit by a car (a green car?). A nice man helps V get her dog to the Veterinarian where she learns that her dog Lucky's leg has been shattered. Not wanting to pay for a high Vet bill, V's Mother opts to put the dog to sleep but V is able to work out a deal where she will work for the cost of her dog's treatment.
Thus begins V's story. Her dog getting hit by a car is just the beginning. Her best fried is being allusive, her father is very ill and her Mother is drinking more than ever. Naturally V has a lot on her mind and doesn't really take too much notice of the new girl (Jane) at school. However, Jane has noticed her and makes an effort to get to know V.
V spends a lot of time in her head. Thinking about her life, about death, about friendship, about being attracted to someone, about literature. Basically we see inside the mind of a teenager girl who often acts in opposition to her own thoughts.
The writing style felt a bit clunky to me. Short paragraphs with an almost stream of consciousness thinking going on. I found V's thought wandered and at times I had to re-read sections. I wish there had been more of the V and Jane budding relationship. For me this book was a struggle. I kept picking up other books to read while reading this one.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
See more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
Thus begins V's story. Her dog getting hit by a car is just the beginning. Her best fried is being allusive, her father is very ill and her Mother is drinking more than ever. Naturally V has a lot on her mind and doesn't really take too much notice of the new girl (Jane) at school. However, Jane has noticed her and makes an effort to get to know V.
V spends a lot of time in her head. Thinking about her life, about death, about friendship, about being attracted to someone, about literature. Basically we see inside the mind of a teenager girl who often acts in opposition to her own thoughts.
The writing style felt a bit clunky to me. Short paragraphs with an almost stream of consciousness thinking going on. I found V's thought wandered and at times I had to re-read sections. I wish there had been more of the V and Jane budding relationship. For me this book was a struggle. I kept picking up other books to read while reading this one.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
See more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
June 5, 2017
This was not an easy read. Plenty of hard subjects but written very well. Like a stream of consciousness type of thing. I find those appealing and she did a good job. I hope she writes more.
November 19, 2015
Dive is a truly poignant book about love and loss, friendship and family. The story revolves around Virginia, a 15yo girl who is going through one of the worst times of her life. And because personal tragedy is never enough, just about everything around her seems to be rising against her. Isn't that the way it always seems to be in life? This truly is what made the book so relevant to me as a reader, a person has been through their own fair share of loss and personal tragedy. Perhaps because of that, I read this a little differently. For me, it was the feeling of not being alone.
This is a book that is extremely character-driven. We spend the book inside the head of Virginia, feeling her confusion, her pain, and even her moments of joy and happiness. Through her we get to know her parents, her siblings, and her friends. And every one of them is a very different person. Her mother is a bit of a drinker and that is getting worse by the day, putting Virginia in positions she should never have to be in at her age. Her father seems to be a bit on the oblivious even before he becomes so sick. Her brother Edward (and I love the random use of rude takes on his name throughout the book) is pretty apathetic most of the time. But it is her little sister, Baby Teeth, that shines. She is smart and quirky and, in some ways, the true heart of the book. Virginia is understandably overwhelmed and I think she spends much of her time a bit emotionally. And if all of her family problems aren't enough, her dog is run over and her best friend starts being unreasonably mean and avoiding her, just when Virginia needs her the most. But then there is Jane, who unwittingly becomes Virginia's anchor.
At the center of the story is Virginia's fear and sadness. It is overwhelming and pervasive, just as it is in real life. She is barraged with so many things, each one of them enough to take her down by itself. But she is dealing with all of it all at the same time all by herself. There were moments that this was not an easy read because of the depth of the emotions, but it is a powerful read. It is also a read with unexpectedly funny moments and moments of happiness and joy. It is a book that truly gives you the feels!
I gave this 4.5 mugs!
This is a book that is extremely character-driven. We spend the book inside the head of Virginia, feeling her confusion, her pain, and even her moments of joy and happiness. Through her we get to know her parents, her siblings, and her friends. And every one of them is a very different person. Her mother is a bit of a drinker and that is getting worse by the day, putting Virginia in positions she should never have to be in at her age. Her father seems to be a bit on the oblivious even before he becomes so sick. Her brother Edward (and I love the random use of rude takes on his name throughout the book) is pretty apathetic most of the time. But it is her little sister, Baby Teeth, that shines. She is smart and quirky and, in some ways, the true heart of the book. Virginia is understandably overwhelmed and I think she spends much of her time a bit emotionally. And if all of her family problems aren't enough, her dog is run over and her best friend starts being unreasonably mean and avoiding her, just when Virginia needs her the most. But then there is Jane, who unwittingly becomes Virginia's anchor.
At the center of the story is Virginia's fear and sadness. It is overwhelming and pervasive, just as it is in real life. She is barraged with so many things, each one of them enough to take her down by itself. But she is dealing with all of it all at the same time all by herself. There were moments that this was not an easy read because of the depth of the emotions, but it is a powerful read. It is also a read with unexpectedly funny moments and moments of happiness and joy. It is a book that truly gives you the feels!
I gave this 4.5 mugs!
April 3, 2016
Donovan’s words read like poetry throughout this brilliant coming-of-age YA novel. An eloquent style and prose uniquely her own, she makes you laugh, cry and really *think* as the story’s high-school-aged heroine, V, grapples with her father’s sudden illness, her emotionally vacant mother’s alcoholism, and her dysfunctional family’s crippling failure to communicate—all amid her own budding romance with Jane, the new girl in school.
So many things to say that I love about this critically acclaimed book! But especially appreciate the fact that neither lesbianism nor bisexuality are ever mentioned. V struggles with her emerging attraction and feelings for Jane the way any person struggles with fledgling feelings of romantic love for another. Concerns and external pressures relative to societal gender rules of the time for sexuality never seem to enter the melee, which is so refreshing. I suspect this book was well ahead of its time when it was first released.
Wondering why this isn't required school reading or at least on Oprah’s Book Club list yet?
So many things to say that I love about this critically acclaimed book! But especially appreciate the fact that neither lesbianism nor bisexuality are ever mentioned. V struggles with her emerging attraction and feelings for Jane the way any person struggles with fledgling feelings of romantic love for another. Concerns and external pressures relative to societal gender rules of the time for sexuality never seem to enter the melee, which is so refreshing. I suspect this book was well ahead of its time when it was first released.
Wondering why this isn't required school reading or at least on Oprah’s Book Club list yet?
April 27, 2016
This was a fantastic read. It is one that truly brings to life the heartache, loneliness and even desperation that life can throw at us, leaving us feeling hollow, void of all ties, but it also brings forth strength, courage and hope, where many believe there is none to be had.
I loved V. She is a teen who has had a really hard to of things recently. She is prepared to pack it in and give up, but then she finds renewed strength and belief in herself, from an unlikely source. From there, we follow along as she takes the plunge, allowing herself to grow emotionally and mentally, in leaps and bounds she hadn't thought possible.
I thought this story had a great message. For teens, for ourselves for people as a whole. It shows that we are all fighting a battle, one that never ends. Sometimes we must sink further into darkness and despair, before we can bathe in the light of happiness again. Sometimes, we have to dive deeper, within our lives and ourselves, to truly find the path out of the darkness.
Overall, this was a lovely read. I found it interesting and uplifting, to see both strength and courage.
**I received this book for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
I loved V. She is a teen who has had a really hard to of things recently. She is prepared to pack it in and give up, but then she finds renewed strength and belief in herself, from an unlikely source. From there, we follow along as she takes the plunge, allowing herself to grow emotionally and mentally, in leaps and bounds she hadn't thought possible.
I thought this story had a great message. For teens, for ourselves for people as a whole. It shows that we are all fighting a battle, one that never ends. Sometimes we must sink further into darkness and despair, before we can bathe in the light of happiness again. Sometimes, we have to dive deeper, within our lives and ourselves, to truly find the path out of the darkness.
Overall, this was a lovely read. I found it interesting and uplifting, to see both strength and courage.
**I received this book for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
January 4, 2011
Up until somewhere around when I read Dive, I really only enjoyed books for their plot. Then I met Virginia Dunn and it was like, wow, there I am in literary form. There are all of the things I have been trying to say recently, without even realizing I needed to say anything.
Plus this is one of the only novels containing **(spoiler)** a romance between two girls that didn't feel overdone to me (er, it was at the time I stumbled across it in my town's public library, anyway).
It's still one of my favorites.
Plus this is one of the only novels containing **(spoiler)** a romance between two girls that didn't feel overdone to me (er, it was at the time I stumbled across it in my town's public library, anyway).
It's still one of my favorites.
October 5, 2018
This book isn't particularly well written. I think she was going for a disjoined poetry style (very popular in 1990s YA, apparently) and it absolutely does not land. There seemed to be lots of moments where she could have taken a metaphor further, or elaborated on experiences. She spent a lot of time in the main character’s head, which was a choice that I don’t think paid off. And the romance is unfortunately rushed.
August 24, 2010
The writing is excellent, great use of imagery. Very quick read. The family's quirks and emotional strains are endearing. Read it in high school years ago (it's really more of a young adult novel) and still have it.
August 4, 2014
An excellent coming-of-age YA novel in which in quick succession the protagonist's dog is hit by a car, her dad is diagnosed with a rare fatal blood disease, and she falls in love for the first time. Captures well the confusion and angst of the age without descending into tired cliche.
June 19, 2009
This is simply the best girl meets girl story I've read ever.
March 14, 2018
OK . i liked the line "let the wind in"
June 16, 2007
Quite, lyrical and so sad but redemptive. I swear it's not an afterschool special.
January 17, 2013
baconeggandcheese-good book so far
June 28, 2017
Dive — Stacey Donovan (32 chapters + Epigraph + prologue) June 23-27, 2017
Note: While this is tagged as YA lesbian, I did not tag that way. This is a literary work that is more about relationships and can be enjoyed by absolutely anyone YA or old adult. (I fall very much into the latter category.)
This took me a little bit longer to read than I thought it would, but that doesn’t mean that it was a difficult read. More like: life was getting in the way of my reading time. By my Kobo stats, it only took me 2.6 hours to read. But I dragged it out for several days.
This book read like a stream of conscious writing; or maybe one long take, at least at first. There were several elements of this book that I related to. Not in me, but the protagonist reminded me of classmates I had growing up. A super smart, old mind in the body of a young teenage woman. Her sister reminds me so much of my son, who has Asperger’s. (Not to say that Teeth has this condition, just the mannerisms and thought processes are so similar to my boy’s.) The way that V talks about her brother is so very normal, and typical. (One of my friends did the similar thing to her brother, while her youngest brother could do no wrong, much like Baby Teeth in this book.)
I started reading this book thinking it was going to be about one thing, when it turned out to be something very, very different. This is probably about the most literary book I have read so far this year, and definitely a five star book, even if there were times that I didn’t know if it would be.
A bias playing into reading this book is that the whole premise of this book parallels what I am going through right now with my own Dad, albeit mine has lived a long, rich life, and he has dementia, not the rare condition that befalls V’s Dad. But because of this, I can empathize with the lead character; the author nails the description of her experiences during those events. (That’s exactly how it feels for me sometimes.) It always shakes me to read these kind of books with richly, layered plots that you know at the end of the book your life is forever going to be changed. That’s how this book was for me. V grew, making realizations about herself and sharing those openly and honestly with us, whether it was about her dog, her friendship with a long time close firmed that suddenly drifts, or her awareness about her own sexuality. That takes a special author to weave that kind of magic. For that, a tip o’ the hat to her. I will definitely be following this author going forward.
There were no noticeable typos, grammatical errors, [edit: I saw one at the towards the very end,] or formatting issues in this book. I’m glad Ms. Donovan shared this special story with the world.
There were so many parallels in this book. Dive = birds = swimming = love = anxiety = death = rebirth. Truly a very special book, that I am very happy I bought and finally read.
Five stars.
Note: While this is tagged as YA lesbian, I did not tag that way. This is a literary work that is more about relationships and can be enjoyed by absolutely anyone YA or old adult. (I fall very much into the latter category.)
This took me a little bit longer to read than I thought it would, but that doesn’t mean that it was a difficult read. More like: life was getting in the way of my reading time. By my Kobo stats, it only took me 2.6 hours to read. But I dragged it out for several days.
This book read like a stream of conscious writing; or maybe one long take, at least at first. There were several elements of this book that I related to. Not in me, but the protagonist reminded me of classmates I had growing up. A super smart, old mind in the body of a young teenage woman. Her sister reminds me so much of my son, who has Asperger’s. (Not to say that Teeth has this condition, just the mannerisms and thought processes are so similar to my boy’s.) The way that V talks about her brother is so very normal, and typical. (One of my friends did the similar thing to her brother, while her youngest brother could do no wrong, much like Baby Teeth in this book.)
I started reading this book thinking it was going to be about one thing, when it turned out to be something very, very different. This is probably about the most literary book I have read so far this year, and definitely a five star book, even if there were times that I didn’t know if it would be.
A bias playing into reading this book is that the whole premise of this book parallels what I am going through right now with my own Dad, albeit mine has lived a long, rich life, and he has dementia, not the rare condition that befalls V’s Dad. But because of this, I can empathize with the lead character; the author nails the description of her experiences during those events. (That’s exactly how it feels for me sometimes.) It always shakes me to read these kind of books with richly, layered plots that you know at the end of the book your life is forever going to be changed. That’s how this book was for me. V grew, making realizations about herself and sharing those openly and honestly with us, whether it was about her dog, her friendship with a long time close firmed that suddenly drifts, or her awareness about her own sexuality. That takes a special author to weave that kind of magic. For that, a tip o’ the hat to her. I will definitely be following this author going forward.
There were no noticeable typos, grammatical errors, [edit: I saw one at the towards the very end,] or formatting issues in this book. I’m glad Ms. Donovan shared this special story with the world.
There were so many parallels in this book. Dive = birds = swimming = love = anxiety = death = rebirth. Truly a very special book, that I am very happy I bought and finally read.
Five stars.
February 12, 2021
This short YA novel explores the themes of love and loss.
Virginia's dog, "Lucky", survives a near-fatal hit-and-run accident. Her father contracts a rare mysterious blood disease. She can't lean on her alcoholic mother for support. She is suddenly at loose ends with her best friend, Eileen. With so much happening, she's unprepared for a new love, with a new girl. In her world gone wrong, Jane is the one thing going right.
Virginia's dog, "Lucky", survives a near-fatal hit-and-run accident. Her father contracts a rare mysterious blood disease. She can't lean on her alcoholic mother for support. She is suddenly at loose ends with her best friend, Eileen. With so much happening, she's unprepared for a new love, with a new girl. In her world gone wrong, Jane is the one thing going right.
July 19, 2021
Half-assed.
This book dragged for most of it and then the ending felt rushed. Things that shouldn't have been stretched were so so stretched out. Just bad.
This book dragged for most of it and then the ending felt rushed. Things that shouldn't have been stretched were so so stretched out. Just bad.
March 17, 2017
A deeply emotional and beautiful glimpse of the mess and beauty of youth, loss, and love.
April 19, 2016
This book follows Virginia who was getting ready to go to school when her dog was hit by a car. A man helps take Virginia to the vet where she is able to save the dog, but her mother will not pay for the surgery so she needs to start working at the vet to pay the bill off. The book jumps right into the action with the dog.
The book is completely told through the eyes and thoughts of Virginia who at different times doesn't fully know how to express her emotions. Virginia is going through a tough time in her life with her dog being hit by a car, her father getting a mysterious illness, her mother losing it and her best friend going MIA. When Virginia is thinking sometimes it doesn't always flow together like bits and pieces are missing or she just doesn't know exactly what she is feeling. The missing emotions makes sense since she is so young and going through a large amount of issues in her life. Also, Virginia is trying to take care of her younger sister and shield her from some of the drama.
I loved Virginia as a character in the book. She gets thrown right into the action and handles herself very well. We get to read a lot of her inner thoughts which do seem conflicted, but she usually ends up saying the right thing at the time of the situation or doing the right thing. She keeps calling herself the best liar because sometimes what she says and what she actually thinks are completely different things. In my mind Virginia is a typical teenage going through a rough patch trying to piece things together and make her life work. I love the bond that Virginia and her younger sister Baby Teeth have. They do share a room, which I believe makes them closer, but Virginia is always looking out for Baby Teeth and has her best intentions in her mind.
Another aspect of the book that I loved was the bond that developed between Virginia and her family when her father was sick. Virginia became a very central piece for the family and really a backbone. She was able to get her brother to open up a little bit, protect her sister from knowing what is going on, and actually take care of her mom. It was a lot of responsibility for someone to take on, but Virginia did it with no issues. In a time of crisis I know how challenging it can be and to have a strong family member it does help others to get through the situation as well.
I didn't love the writing style at some points in the book, which might seem contradictory to some other points I did bring up, but I felt like it lead to some confusion. I understand that the book is told through Virginia's thoughts only, but there were parts of the book that I felt confused and had to go back and reread. Virginia was not always elaborating on what was going on and it became slightly hard to follow at some points in the book. I would have loved for Virginia to give more descriptions and sort of stream line her thoughts at some points in the book to make it a little less confusing for the reader.
Another issue I didn't so much love in the book was Jane. I felt like she just came into the book to late and her character didn't really get developed. I felt like the relationship was just rushed and something as an add on by the author. I felt like the relationship between Jane and Virginia could have easily been elaborate on, but since Virginia had so much going on in her life it felt to me more like a background issue instead of an important life issue.
I would suggest this as a nighttime read. It is easy to follow along and pickup where you left off reading. It is also a good weekend read since it is a short read so it can easily be read in one day.
I received a copy of this book from Red Moon Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinion of this book.
The book is completely told through the eyes and thoughts of Virginia who at different times doesn't fully know how to express her emotions. Virginia is going through a tough time in her life with her dog being hit by a car, her father getting a mysterious illness, her mother losing it and her best friend going MIA. When Virginia is thinking sometimes it doesn't always flow together like bits and pieces are missing or she just doesn't know exactly what she is feeling. The missing emotions makes sense since she is so young and going through a large amount of issues in her life. Also, Virginia is trying to take care of her younger sister and shield her from some of the drama.
I loved Virginia as a character in the book. She gets thrown right into the action and handles herself very well. We get to read a lot of her inner thoughts which do seem conflicted, but she usually ends up saying the right thing at the time of the situation or doing the right thing. She keeps calling herself the best liar because sometimes what she says and what she actually thinks are completely different things. In my mind Virginia is a typical teenage going through a rough patch trying to piece things together and make her life work. I love the bond that Virginia and her younger sister Baby Teeth have. They do share a room, which I believe makes them closer, but Virginia is always looking out for Baby Teeth and has her best intentions in her mind.
Another aspect of the book that I loved was the bond that developed between Virginia and her family when her father was sick. Virginia became a very central piece for the family and really a backbone. She was able to get her brother to open up a little bit, protect her sister from knowing what is going on, and actually take care of her mom. It was a lot of responsibility for someone to take on, but Virginia did it with no issues. In a time of crisis I know how challenging it can be and to have a strong family member it does help others to get through the situation as well.
I didn't love the writing style at some points in the book, which might seem contradictory to some other points I did bring up, but I felt like it lead to some confusion. I understand that the book is told through Virginia's thoughts only, but there were parts of the book that I felt confused and had to go back and reread. Virginia was not always elaborating on what was going on and it became slightly hard to follow at some points in the book. I would have loved for Virginia to give more descriptions and sort of stream line her thoughts at some points in the book to make it a little less confusing for the reader.
Another issue I didn't so much love in the book was Jane. I felt like she just came into the book to late and her character didn't really get developed. I felt like the relationship was just rushed and something as an add on by the author. I felt like the relationship between Jane and Virginia could have easily been elaborate on, but since Virginia had so much going on in her life it felt to me more like a background issue instead of an important life issue.
I would suggest this as a nighttime read. It is easy to follow along and pickup where you left off reading. It is also a good weekend read since it is a short read so it can easily be read in one day.
I received a copy of this book from Red Moon Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinion of this book.
August 24, 2017
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**Disclaimer: A free copy of this book was given to my by the publisher for an honest review.
"Books have saved my life, or stopped me from thinking I'm purely crazy anyway."
It all starts when Virginia’s dog is hit by a green VW. That is the day that her life begins spiraling out of control. Her dog is almost dead, her dad is sick and V is filled with nothing but questions. Who hit my dog? What’s wrong with my dad? Change is happening fast, and V feels like she might just sink under all this pressure.
This book starts fast, and stays fast. There is so much happening in V’s life that there isn’t a chance to breath. It’s a quick read.
Unfortunately Virginia is a highly distracted protagonist. I found myself wondering if she was thinking in a flashback or if the story had already moved on. She also thinks about literature at great lengths, which while poetic, does throw off the flow in certain parts of the novel. Her voice is good, but doesn’t sound entirely fifteen. Despite that there are several fantastic quotes in the book that are meaningful and rooted in truth.
Touted as and LGBT+ story I did expect more. The romance is at the very best a side plot. The second leading lady doesn’t appear until halfway through the novel and she only has a handful of real interactions with V. The romance feels poorly developed. It could have done well if it had more time and pages devoted to it. As it is we never really see V and and her romantic interest grow close. They just suddenly are.
As well, for a book set in the early nineties, V doesn’t go through a lot of anything. There is a brief paragraph of her pondering the implications of being gay and then it’s dropped like it’s a non-issue. While I can appreciate having a novel with a gay couple not focus entirely on their struggles, it shouldn’t be treated like V discovering her love for women meant nothing at all. As though it wasn’t a huge change for her.
That being said it is still a very good coming of age novel. V’s methods of dealing with her father’s sickness and impending death are realistic and relatable. She’s strong without being unbelievable for a fifteen year old girl. It hasn’t aged badly, and many teens might still find something relatable in V today.
**Disclaimer: A free copy of this book was given to my by the publisher for an honest review.
"Books have saved my life, or stopped me from thinking I'm purely crazy anyway."
It all starts when Virginia’s dog is hit by a green VW. That is the day that her life begins spiraling out of control. Her dog is almost dead, her dad is sick and V is filled with nothing but questions. Who hit my dog? What’s wrong with my dad? Change is happening fast, and V feels like she might just sink under all this pressure.
This book starts fast, and stays fast. There is so much happening in V’s life that there isn’t a chance to breath. It’s a quick read.
Unfortunately Virginia is a highly distracted protagonist. I found myself wondering if she was thinking in a flashback or if the story had already moved on. She also thinks about literature at great lengths, which while poetic, does throw off the flow in certain parts of the novel. Her voice is good, but doesn’t sound entirely fifteen. Despite that there are several fantastic quotes in the book that are meaningful and rooted in truth.
Touted as and LGBT+ story I did expect more. The romance is at the very best a side plot. The second leading lady doesn’t appear until halfway through the novel and she only has a handful of real interactions with V. The romance feels poorly developed. It could have done well if it had more time and pages devoted to it. As it is we never really see V and and her romantic interest grow close. They just suddenly are.
As well, for a book set in the early nineties, V doesn’t go through a lot of anything. There is a brief paragraph of her pondering the implications of being gay and then it’s dropped like it’s a non-issue. While I can appreciate having a novel with a gay couple not focus entirely on their struggles, it shouldn’t be treated like V discovering her love for women meant nothing at all. As though it wasn’t a huge change for her.
That being said it is still a very good coming of age novel. V’s methods of dealing with her father’s sickness and impending death are realistic and relatable. She’s strong without being unbelievable for a fifteen year old girl. It hasn’t aged badly, and many teens might still find something relatable in V today.
September 12, 2016
Dive was one of the strangest, most lyrical books I've ever read. It was almost like reading a fever dream. Virginia is having a rough time. Someone ran over her dog (don't worry! the dog lives!), her best friend is ignoring her, her brother is MIA most of the time, and her dad is suffering from a mystery illness doctors can't explain. She feels lonely and confused, then she meets captivating Jane. What I loved best about this book is V's sexuality isn't a big deal. She falls in love with a girl and that's it. Her relationship with Jane doesn't solve any of her problems, but she feels less alone. The only problem was I could not for the life of me figure out where this story was set. It's set in North America, but I had trouble figuring out if it was set in Canada or maybe northern United States. There were some words I don't usually hear, like V called her little sister's elementary school grammar school. At times it was distracting, but for the most part it was not a problem. Highly recommended for readers who love lyrical novels.
November 2, 2016
Interesting writing. I shouldn't have read it during a sleepless night. Too brain dead to come up with much.
The lesbian side is secondary for once - by which I mean that the main character is, but it's only a relatively minor part of her story, her love interest makes her first appearance about halfway in, and their interactions start even later.
Between the style, the lack of focus on the romance, and the gruesome, unromanticized portrayal of illness, it doesn't read like LGBT YA. The protagonist is 15 though, and not a book!teenager mini-adult either. All in all, it was an interesting read marred by my being sleep deprived at the time.
The lesbian side is secondary for once - by which I mean that the main character is, but it's only a relatively minor part of her story, her love interest makes her first appearance about halfway in, and their interactions start even later.
Between the style, the lack of focus on the romance, and the gruesome, unromanticized portrayal of illness, it doesn't read like LGBT YA. The protagonist is 15 though, and not a book!teenager mini-adult either. All in all, it was an interesting read marred by my being sleep deprived at the time.
Read
July 23, 2011There are very few lesbian young adult fiction books that aren't about coming out. By the end of this book, the main character *still8 hasn't come out - in fact, she's barely realized anything about her orientation. The whole book is really just about her coping with her father's death. At first, I didn't much care for the character's voice, it sounded so out of place, too metaphorical. But within the first few chapters, I had warmed up to her.
June 16, 2012
“Dive” I read on the plane heading down to Arizona. It was about a 15-year old girl who’s father is dying of a rare blood disease. It has the most beautiful use of similes I’ve ever read, used to get across this anxiety-laden, claustrophobic feeling of having a family member dying (and in case you’re wondering how that fits into my “fluff mode”, I checked it out because it was supposedly a teen lesbian romance. The love interest doesn’t even appear until 150 pages into the book!)
December 29, 2016
*Advance copy received from publisher for honest review*
DNF
DNF
September 25, 2017
The slow development of the characters and the unfolding plot that ties them together so tightly - in a knot of their own making and their own dreams - this is reminiscent of the slow developing truth that was my own life as a girl becoming a woman, confused, preoccupied, hesitant but running over myself, and of course stumbling.
This story unfolds like the truth unfolds: when you least expect it, and most don't want it. But it hits you like the truth once you see it for what it is - unavoidable, necessary, organic like the juice that refreshes in the hot sun, never to be forgotten, like water, the water that I had one time.....
This story unfolds like the truth unfolds: when you least expect it, and most don't want it. But it hits you like the truth once you see it for what it is - unavoidable, necessary, organic like the juice that refreshes in the hot sun, never to be forgotten, like water, the water that I had one time.....
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