Veronica

Struggled to get to the end of this book, as it just didn’t seem compelling enough to do. Yes, there are moments of wonder and intrigue etc, but for me it just didn’t work. Perhaps not my genre of writing. 🤷‍♂️

If you're looking for a wild ride of time/space/dimension travel, this ones hard to beat! Beautifully written, near flawless in conception, this book journeys through Elizabethan England (with Sir Walter Raleigh at his death), Lower Manhattan, the entire Empire State Bulding, Tibetan myth and magic, an unknown South American island, and some of the most bizarre characters you'll ever run into, including the fellow whose life revolves aroung the number "8"! Give this whrlwind adventure through magical and fantastical Gotham (and lots of the universe), and you'll have a thrill-filled ride!

... and the commonplace unfathomable" ~~ The New Yorker. Couldn't have said it better. This is one of those books that I could not put down. "gmesa" (another reviewer) commented that it left them "feeling oddly cold despite the wonder". I can easily understand that reaction. Read on ...Every chapter in this book left me feeling as though I was remembering a dream, (which can leave one feeling oddly detached, as though standing outside of one's self and watching) and left me trying to recall all the details and understand the meaning of what it was I had just seen. I suppose that's what happens when you get a novel by a poet. I like it. Alot. This is one of those books where you are quite happy to suspend disbelief as you find yourself at the unlikely spot in Manhattan "... where Waverly Place intersects Waverly Place ..." and go along for the ride. If you're so inclined, there is an extensive bibliography that makes for some very "curious" late night reading, if you can find all of the titles. Under the general heading of "Wayne-san's Trivia", the term Feng Shui entered my vocabulary when I read this book. I don't recall what, if any, Feng Shui title is in the bibliography, but a must-have title is "Feng-Shui: The Ancient Wisdom of Harmonious Living for Modern Times" by Eva Wong. (ISBN: 1570621004). You'll find no author with better credentials in the art (but if you do, e-mail me), and her accounts of apprenticing to her uncle will give you some insight that there is more to Feng Shui then deciding where to put the sofa. Pay attention to "Veronica", and you'll understand why I mention this ...I've read, re-read, and given this as a gift. That's the best recommendation I can give any book. Enjoy.

I simply adored this book. What a wonderful blend of mystery, fantasy and fun. While I read this book some time ago - I recommend it often and keep checking to see if the author has written another book (non-poetry that is).Nicholas Christopher's prose is lyrical and it flows like silk through the readers imagination. Creating unforgettable tableau's upon our imagination - Veronica is one novel that will alter the way you look at New York City.I highly recommend this book if you are looking to have some fun and don't care about living in reality. Also, this is a great read for a New Yorker like me - it gives you a whole new perspective on NYC. If you liked Veronica I suggest reading Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman - it is another twist on what lies beneath the face of a city and it's inhabitants. The Harry Potter series also reminds me of Veronica in a way - so you might want to check those out as well.

This is, without a doubt, one of my very favorite books ever. I have read and reread it several times. You do have to "suspend disbelief" and just go with it. This is an incredibly beautifully-written story with mystery, romance, intrigue, and magic all interwoven into a magnificent tapestry that seems to unfold into infinity. I didn't want this story to end! It made me want to go find where Waverly Place intersects Waverly Place some snowy night and see if something magical happens.

What an incredibly odd novel! It is very stuble--there are many context clues and symbols. The narrator is a photographer named Leo (you never know his surname). It spans about a year of his life from the time he meets Veronica to the end of the story. The chapters are very short, sometimes only a page and a half, but it adds to the offpace rythem of the novel. It introduces many characters and concepts, but it is not difficult to keep track. Some parts are very bizzare (at one point Leo loses two months of his memory), but instead of making you feel confused and lost, it makes you want to read more. I would recomend this book to anyone looking for an offbeat tale that doesn't leave you in the dust. Very surreal and interesting.