Veronica

By Nicholas Christopher

On a snowy night in February, at the improbable point in Lower Manhattan where Waverly Place intersects Waverly Place, a photographer named Leo meets Veronica for the first time. Starkly beautiful, mysterious, aloof, she leads him into a world where illusion blends seamlessly with reality—a luminously transformed city where powerful underground streams crisscross beneath the streets, a city of dragonpoints and Tibetan mysticism where real time is magically altered. Ten years have passed since Veronica’s father, the famous magician Albin White, disappeared while performing a dangerous feat of time travel before a packed theater audience. White’s disappearance was no accident: he was sabotaged by his apprentice Starwood, who interfered at a critical moment and sent him hurtling into the past, free to explore other eras but with no means of returning to the present.

Until Veronica finds Leo…

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Jun 24, 2008
• ISBN: 9780440338017

Nicholas Christopher

Nicholas Christoper is the author of seven novels, eight books of poetry, a study of film noir and the American city, and he has edited two poetry anthologies. He graduated from Harvard College with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. He lives in New York City.

Reviews for Veronica

[guyaburdick · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is my favorite urban fantasy. The story is set in New York. Veronica is the daughter of a magician (and so much more). This novel has more twists and turns than the streets of Manhattan.

[whitewavedarling · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've never read a book that reads more like a dream than this--yes, the entire novel. I'm not sure whether that's a compliment or not in all truth, but it's an incredibly interesting read, as engaging as it is well-written. The images and description here are fascinating, and while the characters Should come across as too simple.....they somehow don't. I normally don't think of a book in terms of what the movie would look like, even if I know it's in production. Here, I couldn't help it. This would be a movie for Frank Miller to be involved in, with tone and filming reminiscent of Dark City, or V for Vendetta, or Sin City. It would star Liv Tyler...and perhaps Hayden Christensen. This might delve into the fantasy genre, but I can't quite classify it as such. If you're interested in film noir, I recommend it, or if you simply want an unconventional read with language to fall into....this would be a good choice. Worth the time, and unexpected.

[cflorente_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is one of my favorite books. It's intelligent, has a twist of fantasy and magic, and there is a love story. The only reason it didn't receive full marks is because I wish the book was longer with more developed characters. The book is mysterious throughout and keeps you on the edge. The book reminds me of acid jazz - modern with a fusion of jazzy blues. It's a bit suspenseful and you root for the main character all the way.

[hippielunatic · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Veronica was an interesting read, to say the least. The story of an underworld in New York, where magic and our reality coincide, feels real or at least makes me want it to be real, but there were definitely moments I was kicked out of the story. As much as I wanted to be in love with the writing, it was not consistent enough, either in its brilliance or its mediocrity for me to be able to either love it or leave the book unfinished, and the paragraphs of mediocrity often left a bad taste in my mouth. But I struggled through to the final pages. I was not so much rewarded for finishing the book through an outstanding ending as I was released from a bad manic-depressive cycle, which was its own reward. I was tired by the end, but I have to realize that exhaustion is often a symptom of growth.

[lundblad · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What an absolutely amazing book. I've reread it every year or so since discovering it in 2001 or so. Each time it astounds me. What a world. I've given away two copies of it, granted, to ex-girlfriends, but few books I can recommend as much.