>>REVIEW
DIVE
Lisa Teasley
Bloomsbury USA, 281 pp.
Lisa Teasley’s debut novel Dive is a story of murder, love and self-discovery that inspires self-analysis. But, as cheesy as that sounds, these topics are explored in an understated style that is anything but cringe-worthy.
Ray Rose is a macho South Florida construction worker with three divorces under his belt. Though at work he plays along with the vulgar jokes and crass attitudes of his peers, he is caring in his own minimalist way. He holds most people at arm’s length, but is fiercely protective of those he loves. It is this passion that’s behind the murder that finds him fleeing to Alaska.
Ruby Falls is a headstrong children’s cartoon animator from California. She lives in the guesthouse of her closest friend, a former porn star named Jeannie. After she comes across a grisly murder scene on her doorstep, she too heads for Alaska away from her former life.
The two end up living in the same town and become introduced by a mutual friend. They fall instantly and madly in love, but soon an accident forces the two to examine themselves as individuals and as a couple.
The book is informally divided into two parts: the meeting of Ruby and Ray, and Ruby’s accident. Before Ruby and Ray meet, Teasley as the omnipresent narrator constantly reminds us that they are about to fall madly in love. An interesting technique, but I felt slightly underwhelmed when it happened. In fact, I didn’t quite believe how immediately in love these characters were, despite Teasley’s constant assertions that they were. They didn’t know anything about each other and seemed to grow stale when their clothes were on. It was only after Ruby’s accident that I got a sense of their relationship being something more than Ray’s possessiveness and Ruby’s aloofness. The two are three-dimensional here. They are brought closer by Ruby’s accident, that left her with minor brain damage. But, at the same time, they are keenly aware that Ruby’s true recovery is one she must undertake alone. This tenuous togetherness separates the two from the host of supporting characters in the novel and endears them to the reader.
Interwoven throughout this novel is the murder Ray is keeping secret. Only mentioned in brief allusions, the suspense was built to an anticlimactic end. But, however unsatisfied my need for closure was, this would be a wholly different story if the murder were given predictable treatment. Teasley shows us that there are no easy answers to anything and strips away our preconceptions about love and even murder.
Teasley has a very taut writing style, using words economically and almost poetically. There is nothing fluffy about this novel and its events. She treats everything, from banal everyday conversations to graphic sexual episodes, with the same weight. It is rare to find a novel with this honesty. Despite its initial struggles with believable characterization, this is an engaging first novel that is as much about the reader as it is the story. |
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