By choosing the present tense for this work, Ms. Shreve permits the reader entry into the hearts and minds and actions of her perfectly drawn characters and, while it may be a bit off-putting at first, one soon realizes that it is the correct tense for this particular novel. In descriptive phrases, such as “Sidney does not do the dishes more than once a day. It is a private rule she never breaks, even under dire circumstances, --- “ the reader experiences the exposure of the character as a strong, private woman in full control of her life. The same phrase, placed in someone else's voice, would not have the same affect. This style, combined with multiple short paragraphs, reads like a diary of sorts, and is very effective.

The plot is not so much a plot as it is a history of the human behavior of a family, into which the lead character, Sidney, is thrust. That family's lifestyle intertwines with Sidney's personal and family history of behavior, and the novel tells the story of how those two diverse lifestyles and common behavior patterns mesh together into a brand new alignment. This talented writer, Anita Shreve, seems to “paint” her way through “Body Surfing”, drawing each character more in pastel than charcoal, each a little blurred at the edges, leaving the reader to attempt to visualize the whole outline. Her prose seems written gently, with a quill pen, the descriptions too delicate to spring from the aggressive stroke of a computer.

In short, Ms. Shreve has done it again. I thought she had reached her peak in “Light on Snow”, but “Body Surfing” proves that she is still well on her way up and going strong.

Highly recommended
Review by Litera Scripta