- Hardcover: 368 pages
- Publisher: Coronet (3 Sept. 2020)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1529308437
- ISBN-13: 978-1529308433
Synopsis
It is 1951 and sisters Ginny and Meredith have travelled from England to Spain in search of distraction and respite. The two wars have wreaked loss and deprivation upon the family and the spectre of Meredith’s troubled childhood continues to haunt them. Their journey to the rugged peninsula of Catalonia promises hope and renewal.
While there they discover the artist Salvador Dali is staying in nearby Port Lligat. Meredith is fascinated by modern art and longs to meet the famous surrealist.
Dali is embarking on an ambitious new work, but his headstrong male model has refused to pose. A replacement is found, a young American waiter with whom Ginny has struck up a tentative acquaintance.
The lives of the characters become entangled as family secrets, ego and the dangerous politics of Franco’s Spain threaten to undo the fragile bonds that have been forged.
A powerful story of love, sacrifice and the lengths we will go to for who – or what – we love.
Review
I don’t really read a lot of celebrity authors but as many of my regular readers know I love historical fiction and especially when it involves art. The Diver and the Lover weaves a fictional account of Dali’s Christ of Saint John of the Cross, a painting where in reality a stuntman hung from the gantry in his studio to get the unique perspective. Jeremy Vine writes a fictional account that sees sisters Ginny and Meredith travel to Spain for a holiday, after the death of their father. Meredith is a modern art fan and an admirer of Dali, who lives very near their hotel. After a chance encounter with Siobahn Lynch, PA to stuntman Russel Saunders who is supposed to model for Dali’s new painting, they find themselves in Dali’s home with a young American diver, Adam Bannerman, who will model instead of Saunders. This is a multi layered story, of love, betrayal, politics, and art set in 1950’s Spain, post Civil War.
Christ of Saint John of the Cross is a painting I have seen twice in Glasgow and really understand Jeremy Vine’s obsession with it. It is an impressive and powerful piece of art, and I have often wondered how Russel Saunders, the stuntman, felt hanging in that position. The Diver and the Lover is however a fictonal account that sees Saunders refuse to model, he sees it beneath him and a young American waiter, Adam Bannerman, takes his place. I have to say after reading this book I much prefered the fictional account, with it’s drama and romance.
But this book is much more than just about the painting, it is about two sisters, Ginny and Meredith, with different mothers, and eighteen year age gap who have just met. The relationship between these two sisters is fascinating, they are very different both in looks, upbringing and mindset yet there is bond there that can’t be broken. I loved watching their relationship develop, as roles reversed and they learnt more about each other. Merededith has had a troubled life, her mother died when she was young, her father sunk into depression and being admitted to an asylum whilst she was brought up by another family. All of this effects Meredith’s mental health as well and she also ends up in an asylum which is where Ginny finds her. Ginny has had the perfect childhood, being brought up by her mother and father, after his recovery. She is very self assured and confident, taking control of her and Meredith’s lives, and acting like the older sister. I loved watching their relationship develop, and ultimately their roles in each others lives change over their time in Spain. Meredith, Ginny and Adam are characters I loved, whilst Siobahn and Dali to an extent are the villans of the book; self centered, selfish and egotistical.
Spain had been through a civil war and a world war and in 1951 tensions still ran high. There were still opposoing sides that led to retaliations and attacks, especially by those against Franco. Jeremy Vine anchors the historical aspect of the story in this political climate, the landscape of ruins, the effect on the citizens, the lack of visitors and the patrisan attacks, in which Dali become a target. The writing completely drew me in, the characters were wonderful and well rounded and developed, in particular the extrovert and self agrandising Dali, and the portrayal of Meredith and her mental health problems. Jeremy Vine creates his own painting in his descritive prose, capturing the Spanish landscape, and his multi faceted characters, so that I felt I was part of this wonderful story.
The Diver and the Lover is a captivating and compelling read that I adored. Jeremy Vine captures the essence of this stunning work of art, the artist and the sacrifice it required. This fictional account of Christ of Saint John of the Cross weaves a complex but inviting web, that draws you in and doesn’t let go until the final full stop. A stunning read of art, romance, relationships and family; sublime.
I would like to thank Jenny Platt at Penguin/Random House for inviting me to take part in the blog tour. I have included a picture of the painting Christ of Saint John of the Cross below and I highly recommend visiting the real thing if you are ever in Glasgow.
