Rating: 
Summary: only a notch above a Danielle Steele novel
Review: Very disappointing after all the hype. This book just goes on and on with the dreadfully boaring lives of these people just out of college who act like they're still in the 9th grade. The dialoge did nothing to enhance any of the characters. Good thought behind the plot but no delivery. You CANNOT live in New York City [or just about anywhere else] for 3 months for free and why they heck did she wear her engagement ring the entire time even during her love affair with the "Kilroy" the ultimate "Kill joy".
Quite a waste of time reading this one.
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful, clear writing that makes you think and feel
Review: This book is really wonderful. I felt like I knew these people, and the story seemed really real and true. My heart went out to Mike, Carrie's paralyzed boyfriend, I had to stop and cry at a few points in the book. Packer really fleshed out Mike's character and made him a real live person. I am impressed and I highly recommend this book. I finished it in an afternoon, and I am only sorry that there isn't more to read.
Rating:
Summary: Inspiring and Motivational
Review: Carrie Bell has lived in Wisconsin all of her life, she has even had the same best friend, relationship with her mother and boyfriend Mike, who now is her fiance. Now at age 23, she finds that she needs a change in her life, and she is able to make this change when Mike is injured in an accident. Carrie must question everything about herself, and decide if she loves the old Carrie or the new Carrie that she will discover.Ann Packer is a past winner of a James Michener award and a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship. Her work has appeared in "The New Yorker, Ploughshares," and other magazines. She is also the author of "Mendocino and Other Stories", she now lives in California with her husband and two children. "The Dive from Clausen's Pier" was a touching and inspiring novel and because of these reasons I thourally enjoyed it. The whole time that I was reading it, I never wanted to put it down, and everytime that I had to stop, I was trying to guess what was going to happen next. This was the type of novel that I could actually feel the different emotions that the characters were feeling. There were actual times where I would have to put the novel down, because I was going to start to cry. When a novel can get to you, and actally make you feel emotion, then it has to be a excellent one. I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves life, and reading.
Rating: 
Summary: Nearly 5 stars, but the ending fails it
Review: I really enjoyed this book, from the storyline to the characters to the dilemma (loyalty over your dreams) to the title (I have a thing about titles having interesting meanings). As I read it I was creating a list in my head of friends I'm going to pass the book onto. Until the last ten to twenty pages, when it just fell flat and became really disappointing. It wasn't just that I didn't like the ending, but it didn't seem to be in keeping with Carrie and the way she'd developed during the course of the book. So very very nearly 5 stars, but in the end, the ending pushed it down to a generous 4.
Rating:
Summary: Beautifully written and gripping to the end
Review: The title of "The Dive from Clausen's Pier" relates to a dive into water that Carrie's fiance Mike makes in the opening chapter of this book. The water level is too low and he is taken to hospital in a coma, with a broken back. Suddenly everything in Carrie's world has changed. She doesn't know if Mike will ever wake up, or what it will mean for her if he does. The book covers the course of the next 12 months as she goes through an emotional - and physical - journey coming to terms with the changes in her life. I loved this book. It gripped me from the first paragraph. It's so well written that you want to savour every word and yet at the same time you want to look around you and observe your surroundings as Carrie does. I could hear her voice in my ear and I really liked spending time with her, even when I didn't always agree with what she did. The pace is sometimes slow but it never failed to hold my interest. Like several other reviewers I was disappointed with the ending, but only because I didn't like what she had decided to do rather than because it wasn't well written. I think this book would appeal to readers who enjoy Carol Shields, Elizabeth Berg or Jane Hamilton.
Rating:
Summary: The dive with a devastating ending
Review: Being a former midwestern and having numerous family members graduate from University of Wisconsin at Madison I was really excited about the book taking place in Wisconsin. Ann Packer does a fabulous job describing Madison and the charachters in the book. The book focuses on relationships not only with couples but with friends and family members as well. When Carrie moved to New York City I enjoyed reading about her journey but with some doubt. Having spent a couple of years in the "City" I found it a bit of a joke that it was so easy for her to exist without a bit of culture shock. It seems as if Carrie cannot function without a man in her life. The ending was a bit hard to believe. All in all, it is a fabulous read and I learned quit a bit about individuals in wheelchairs. Check it out - you won't be able to put the book away and forget about it.
Rating:
Summary: Great book for a book club
Review: This book was one I could not put down. It's long but a very fast read with great characters and vivid descriptions of everything from sewing materials to hospital rooms. The main character is not described as much as the others, intentionally I believe. The ending leaves you wondering, which I think makes it good for a book club or discussion group. I'd definitely recommend this book if you like an engrossing book that leaves you asking questions - - and is a fast read.
Rating:
Summary: Well-crafted freshman effort! 2 Thumbs up!!
Review: Synopsis: Protagonist Carrie Bell has lived her whole life in Madison, Wisconsin, and has been with her fiancé since high school. While things look idyllic, Carrie is grappling with the idea that there is something more to her life than just staying in Madison. Then a sudden tragedy occurs when her fiancé takes a dive off Clausen's Pier and hits shallow water. This definitive moment propels Carrie to actualize her dream and find out what she really wants in life, but can she leave her fiancé behind? Review: Don't be fooled by the over-arching theme of "finding one's self." While yes, the theme has been done, this story is carefully crafted and beautifully written. This book is engrossing in that Carrie's situation is universal: should you do the responsible thing, or go ahead and follow your heart? Except its' told in a way that is well-paced, with great descriptions and fully evolved characters that allow you to see Carrie's situation in an objective point of view. The only things I didn't like is the fact that there always seems to be a man in Carrie's life, and the ending (which I won't spoil for you). While still elegantly written, the ending wasn't what I wanted for Carrie. All in all, a satisfying read.
Rating:
Summary: Subtle & Gripping
Review: I just finished this book, and felt it was great. I almost didn't pick it up because I thought it might be depressing (it was, but bearable) given the subject matter: paralyzed boyfriend, relationship in the dumps. I found myself relating to the main character Carrie for several reasons: I studied fashion design in New York City, dated a paraplegic guy, and have felt that frustration at the end of a long-term relationship when you know its over, but don't know how to extricate yourself... Brilliant observations of minute details in everyday life that somestimes we miss, or sometimes we notice, especially in moments of stress when a fly on the windowsill becomes something you can't tear your eyes away from.
I look forward to more of Ann Packer's work!
Rating: 
Summary: It was a good story until the end
Review: I live in Madison, WI, and since everyone in town was reading this book and raving about it, I jumped on the bandwagon, too. I will say that the scenes describing Madison are very accurate and even the fictional settings (restaurants, etc) sound like they should exist here. It was the story, especially the ending (which I won't reveal) that surprised and disappointed me. As someone who ran away from the New York area to Madison, I can understand her motivation to leave everything and start out anew, even changing into a slightly different person in the process. It was her choice at the end I can't understand, the decision she makes doesn't make sense for her (or her friend Mike's) future. I feel like Packer flipped a coin at a certain point in the plot, and wrote an ending based on the heads-or-tails result.
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