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The Diver's Clothes Lie Empty
The Diver's Clothes Lie Empty: A Novel | Vendela Vida
27 posts | 53 read | 39 to read
From the acclaimed author ofLet the Northern Lights Erase Your Name comes a taut, spellbinding literary thriller that probes the essence and malleability of identityIn Vendela Vidas taut and mesmerizing novel of ideas, a woman travels to Casablanca, Morocco, on mysterious business. While checking into her hotel, the woman is robbed of her wallet and passportall of her money and identification. Stripped of her identity, she feels burdened by the crime yet strangely liberated by her sudden freedom to be anyone she wants to be.Told with vibrant, lush detail and a wicked sense of humor, The Divers Clothes Lie Empty is part literary mystery, part psychological thrilleran unforgettable novel that explores free will, power, and a womans right to choose not her past, perhaps not her present, but certainly her future. This is Vendela Vidas most assured and ambitious novel yet.Part glamorous travelogue, part slow-burn mystery, this full-bodied tale of a runaway is at once formally inventive and heartbreakingly familiar. (Its also insanely funny.)Lena Dunham[Vidas] finest book....With its echoes of Hitchcock and Highsmith, this novel is full of darting pleasures.New York Times
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review
Hooked_on_books
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Panpan

You read a book written in the 2nd person POV about a woman who travels to Morocco and promptly has her passport and credit cards stolen. You watch her make a series of bizarre and nonsensical choices which you eventually (sort of) come to understand, but the whole thing really doesn‘t work and probably should have been reworked. You wonder if you‘ll ever read the author again (you probably won‘t).

LeahBergen 😆😆 1y
batsy 😁 1y
Aimeesue 😂 1y
See All 8 Comments
Soubhiville 🤣 1y
AmyG Ha! 1y
BarbaraBB I was disappointed by this one too. 1y
BarbaraBB Your review is hilarious though 🤣 1y
Ruthiella Great review! I still want to try it, however. 😆 1y
47 likes8 comments
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BarbaraBB
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Panpan

I didn‘t enjoy this book at all. Set in #Morocco it is full of prejudices which highly irritates me. And then that storyline, or better, lack of. I think the author made quite a mess of what she was trying to say and I didn‘t get the point. Okay so your passport is stolen, what‘s the big deal? A loss of identity? Get a grip.

#ReadingAfrica2022 🇲🇦 #19822022 #2015 #pop22 #AboutSomeoneLeadingADoubleLife #52BooksIn52weeks #SecondPersonNarrative

BarbaraBB Didn‘t you send me these socks @CarolynM ? As you can see I still wear them 💕 #booknerd 2y
Cinfhen Ouch!!! You were much more honest than I was!!!! I agree, this book didn‘t deliver 2y
BarbaraBB @Cinfhen Not at all. Such a weak plot. And I saw that sister-thing coming forever. 2y
See All 20 Comments
TrishB Love your review 😁 2y
Librarybelle Definitely NOT a book on my to read list! 2y
squirrelbrain Such a shame. 😞 But great review! 2y
Cortg Big bummer! 2y
alisiakae That‘s too bad. But I love your socks! 2y
Megabooks Sorry you hated it! 😬👎🏻 2y
Megabooks But I‘ve gotta love a fab pan review!! 2y
BarbaraBB @TrishB @Librarybelle @squirrelbrain I had to make sure you wouldn‘t stack 😂 although I think you liked it Meg, if I remember right? @Megabooks 2y
Megabooks I did in fact really like it the first time I read it 10 years ago, but less so when I read it again a few years ago. I‘m such a sucker for 2nd person though! 2y
readordierachel Amazing socks! Shame about the book 2y
KarenUK I almost want to read it now, to see why you hated it so much! Is that weird! 🤷‍♀️😂 2y
CarolynM I wear mine a lot too, but not at the moment - 35 degrees today🌞 2y
IuliaC I love this photo! 😍 2y
BarbaraBB @Megabooks Second person is good indeed. You might really want to read it @KarenUK , knowing that Meg liked it! 2y
BarbaraBB @CarolynM Wow that is a difference of 65 degrees with the temperature that @Suet624 mentioned today 😱. What is happening to the earth? 2y
CarolynM It's January. We expect temperatures in the 30s😎 2y
BarbaraBB @CarolynM I know but a 65° difference seems so big. 2y
87 likes20 comments
review
Cinfhen
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Mehso-so

I raced through this book @BarbaraBB switching to audio for the last 40%🎧 Im not sure how I feel about this odd little story. So much didn‘t ring true yet I was compelled to keep reading. Parts were super funny, others super bizarre ( Patti Smith, the Russian oligarch) but her ultimate reason for disappearing bugged me most. Not as satisfying as I would have liked. #MoreMehThanYeah

BarbaraBB Oh no, that sounds #MoreMehThanYeah indeed, while I heard such good things about it. I am not feeling it either yet, but I'm still only 50 pages in. I'll keep you posted. I hope it at least ticks off some prompts! 2y
78 likes1 comment
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Cinfhen
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I‘m taking a page from @BarbaraBB and diving into this slim book which has an interesting premise. Single woman, traveling alone in #Morocco loses her backpack with all of her identity cards & travel necessities. (Total travel nightmare)

77 likes2 stack adds
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Bertha_Mason

I don't understand what such a completely, deadeningly incurious white american is doing in MOROCCO. Why not just take yourself to Palm Beach again, Karen? Or better yet, just stay at a hotel in your own town?

BarbaraBB Amen! 2y
4 likes1 comment
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Ruthiella
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This is on my TBR and I am pretty sure I will like it a lot. A story of lost and found identity, takes place in Morocco 🇲🇦.

#LitsySpringBreak North Africa

ju.ca.no Sounds good! 3y
Ruthiella @ju.ca.no I think it will be! 3y
TheKidUpstairs Enjoy! 3y
Ruthiella @TheKidUpstairs Thanks 🙏! 3y
35 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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eeclayton
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#WondrousWednesday
(1) Count Vronsky is the first that comes to mind, probably because I watched an Anna Karenina adaptation last weekend.
(2) The Diver's Clothes Lie Empty. It wasn't a very comfortable reading experience but it was definitely memorable, and it had a very open ending.
(3) Maybe once a month. More when I have the time to read through each post in detail.
Thanks for the tag @Eggs and @Mavey 💕
Would you like to play @Mrs_B @Arvena ?

Eggs Thanks for the thoughtful responses 👏🏻👏🏻 3y
Mrs_B Thank you for the tag! I‘m struggling with these questions... they‘re tough ones today! 3y
eeclayton @Mrs_B I had to think hard too! 3y
18 likes3 comments
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eeclayton
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#3books #thatmademeuncomfortable
(1) The Diver's Clothes Lie Empty, a 2nd person narrator which felt strange at some points
(2) The Piano Teacher, weird and violent sexual acts
(3) Extreme makeover, a scene with a person stuck in a pig's body, otherwise a great read
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @OriginalCyn620

OriginalCyn620 📚😬📚 4y
13 likes1 comment
review
LibrarianChels
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Pickpick

What a funny and intriguing book. Kinda insane. The author‘s writing style is interesting and unique. Can‘t wait to get back stateside and check out another of her books.

BookishMe I recall reading this book and it was rather enjoyable 4y
Billypar I really enjoyed it too when I read it a few years ago: I loved how she used the second person. I remember vowing to read more from Vida but haven't yet - the tagged one is on my TBR list. 4y
BookishMe @Billypar GR reminds me I have read that too and I recall how melancholic the story was. I too should read her other books! 4y
Billypar @BookishMe Ah, good to know: I'm a fan of melancholy books overall 💙 4y
5 likes4 comments
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Sha0102
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Panpan

Expected a lot more from this book.... Too simple story with no deepthness. I really believed in the reviews and they were not so accurate. But the title is wonderful. #TheDiversClothesLieEmpty #VendelaVida #book #bookaholic #booklovers #ler #leitura #leitora #reading #instabook #instaread #instabooks #bookstagram #litsy #booklover #readingabook #amreading #books #Sha2019 #

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lauraisntwilder
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I'm really confused about how I missed this when it came out. I've read all of Vendela Vida's other novels and am a huge fan. I'm about halfway through this one and it's not letting me down.

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emmaturi
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Pickpick

This is the second book of this author that I have read, this one is set in Morocco. The main character is in Casablanca and the reason you only learn towards the end of the novel. She gets her personal belongings stolen and gets a job in a movie company. It is definitely an interesting book! Plus this cover is rather cool! #books #bookcovers #bluebooks #lovetoread #bookmad #bookworm #bookcrazy

RaimeyGallant I'm intrigued. 6y
30 likes1 stack add1 comment
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MEGR
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Pickpick

What would you do if you were traveling alone in a foreign country and your passport and credit cards were stolen? This was an intriguing read. Suspenseful, heartbreaking and empowering all in one.

laurencjay Oh I like this premise !! 7y
TheBookStacker I really enjoyed this. The second person narrative was a bit jarring at first but once you get into the rhythm it didn't really bother me anymore. 7y
MEGR @TheBookStacker yes! The rhythm was everything in this book! At one point I looked to see where the chapter ended and that's when I realized it was all about the rhythm. 7y
12 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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MrBook
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#TBRtemptation post 4! A woman travels to Casablanca on mysterious business. At her motel, she's robbed and her identification's stolen. There seems to be complicity between the police and hotel staff. Stripped of her identity, she feels liberated to take up a new identity. A chance encounter with a film crew leads to her being the body-double for a reclusive celebrity. A lush novel exploring identity, freedom, & power. #blameLitsy #blameMrBook 😎

ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled I liked this one! And it's written in 2nd person (which some readers like and some detest), but here it works as it really puts you in the head of the main character. 👍 7y
Sha0102 This is in my wishlist foreverrrr!!! 7y
Moonpa This is a good one - 2nd person done well! 7y
JanuarieTimewalker13 This sounds great!! 7y
55 likes9 stack adds4 comments
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Billypar
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#itsmylife and maybe under the right circumstances if I lost my ID and money in a foreign country and had the chance I would opt to become someone else too. Or not...fun to think about though. #rockinmay @Cinfhen

Cinfhen Hmmmm🤔never thought about that what if..... 7y
10 likes1 comment
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Oryx
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#rainbowstack #whereareallthepurplebooks #riotgrams Anyone else tempted to arrange their books by color after this prompt?

britt_brooke Lovely! 🌈 7y
28 likes1 stack add1 comment
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KiskyLuella
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Pickpick

I raced through this short novel and so wish there was more. I am not one for thrillers, but Vida's talent is palpable in the control she is able to maintain over her story while moving at a compulsively page turning pace. The neurotic unraveling of identity and the heartbreaking reveal of the inciting incident that lead the protagonist to Casablanca place this as a strong recommendation for me.

Booktrovert I love Vendela Vida's books haven't got to this one yet, but have really adored her previous ones. 7y
10 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Ubookquitous
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Pickpick

Fascinating story about who we are, how mutable the idea of self is... And perhaps how close insanity lies...

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catatonic1242
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Pickpick

I completely agree with whoever wrote this in the back of my library copy - a strange little book, indeed! Still, it was a fast and intriguing read. Even if it wasn't as "deep" as I longed for it to be, I still enjoyed it.

autumnprivett How cool that your library does that! 8y
catatonic1242 @autumnprivett Actually, I've never seen this before, but I had to intralibrary loan this one! 8y
18 likes2 comments
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catatonic1242
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#libraryproblems When all your holds come in at the same time, what do you read next??!?

Megabooks The Diver's Clothes is a quick read and will knock one off fast. I'd do that! 8y
catatonic1242 @Ebooksandcooks Awesome! I think you might have been the reason I put that one on hold! 8y
Megabooks Yay! 8y
catatonic1242 @Ebooksandcooks BTW, it *was* a quick read. I got it done between naps on my plane rides today! 8y
Megabooks Fantastic! It really gets you off to a good start to finish one. Cheers to more reading! 8y
21 likes5 comments
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Megabooks
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Pickpick

4🌟 I had forgotten the heartbreaking reason behind her trip to Morocco. Great book written entirely in the second person. Props to Vida! Losing all your documents is every traveler's worst nightmare, and Vida handles it in such an interesting way. Glad I chose this for unreliable narrators week!

BookishFeminist I enjoyed this book as well! Such an interesting plot structure. 8y
overlyattachedreader I really liked this one too! 8y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled I enjoyed this one too! And liked the second person POV 8y
tpixie Talk about a travel adventure! 2nd person point of view was very interesting. 8y
43 likes5 stack adds4 comments
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Megabooks
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This is part of throwback/unreliable narrators week. I seem to remember it fitting the bill. The more obvious choice would be Delicious Foods, but I don't know if I can have my heart broken that badly right now! 😓

LauraJ This book wasn't what I expected, but I really enjoyed it. 8y
46 likes5 stack adds1 comment
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tpixie
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Prepping for my book clubs! #Thedivers clotheslieempty. #Theaccidentalalchemist

8 likes1 stack add
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Amyegia
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Pickpick

Super fun!! Finished it in about a day.

shawnmooney I just bought it for about five bucks in a used bookstore here in Tokyo. 8y
Amyegia Awesome! I hope you like it. 8y
9 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Lola
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Pickpick

In this slim read-in-one-sitting gem, you (the story is told in second person, which the author does very well) find yourself alone.Your passport and wallet are gone. Who are you?Who were you?What are you going to do next?Luck, good & bad, questions of identity and self, chance and choice=great read

5 likes2 stack adds
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MostlyString

It's like most piers at night - there's a strange mix of efficiency and menace, as though someone's being deposited in the ocean, but will be first wrapped carefully in white sheets.

7 likes5 stack adds