Veronica

A writer friend of mine recommended this book, and at the moment I thought it sounded fantastic. But around 30% through, I had no clue what the book was about. Once in a while it gets interesting, when Alison (the MC) speaks about her experience as a model in Paris. But then there's sections of blah-blah-blah when I had no idea who was doing the talking.The worst part, however, is the pretentious, ridiculous descriptions that literally make me roll my eyes. For example, "I look outside and see a little budding tree, its slim black body shining with rain. Joyous and intelligent, like a fresh girl, the earth all new to its slender, seeking roots. I think of Trisha, erect and seeking with sparkling eyes. A fleshy nimble tree, laughing as it discovers the dirt. Stretching up its limbs to tell the sky what it’s found."And, "Music fell out windows, splattered on the ground, got up, and walked away."75% through, I've decided to put the book down and pick up a better book.

This novel is not for those seeking light entertainment. It is tortuous, brutal, pitiful. The symbolism are astonishing, more than I can fully realize, yet I chose to keep reading. There is so much humanity here, so much pathos. There is beauty, as well. In a way, this novel is absolutely stunning. Imagery, emotions, things understood innately, and characters are highly delineated and refined. So much sorrow; so much regret. So human.

I eagerly ordered "Veronica" after reading "The Mare", which I adored. I was very disappointed. Gaitskill's overly stylized prose in "Veronica" is nauseatingly boring. Something kept me going to the last page, all the while hoping for an "aha" moment when this bizarre story would finally make sense. Unfortunately that moment never came. Avoid this book.

I kept teetering back and forth, at times I loved this book and other times I just wanted to to stop reading. This is one of those character-driven, prose-intensive books. The actual plot could have played out in about 3 chapters but the rest of the book was crammed with over blown descriptions and pretentious, nonsensical metaphors. It felt like it was trying too hard. In addition, most of the scenes involving anything sexually related could only be described as 'creepy.' I feel pretty certain that 'creepy' was the intent, but I could have lived with less description there.I liked the story itself. A young girl who becomes a model tries to navigate the 1980's glam fashion scene. She is constantly surrounded by men who want to take advantage of her, but she also seems pretty willing to trade out her body for their favors. In the meantime, she strikes up an unlikely friendship with a woman who eventually dies of AIDS and eventually becomes the woman's only friend. The parts of the book involving the friendship felt the most honest to me and also made Alison a more sympathetic character.My last comment is that the ending felt rushed. The author spent page after page describing Alison's walk to a bus stop, then her walk in the woods but totally glossed over her life changing car accident, how she became infected with hepatitis and her decline from modeling to cleaning the office of a former admirer. I would have liked to hear more on that versus a lengthy description of a picnic Veronica and Duncan had or a non-related story about her neighbor swimming in a dirty canal.

This fine work is fiction brutally, cleverly morphed from poetry. Genre work, perhaps, but what a genre it is, laced with blunt psychological insight and studious avoidance of the veridical. Readers who take pleasure in marking standalone paragraphs for the sheer harmony of them, who are able to contribute an original melody line to this evolved art of partially told stories, will not mind the zig-zag trajectory "Veronica" takes. Alison's narrative voice drips with both casual indifference and implausible wisdom. Her luminous and her unburnished observations are set stubbornly side by side. Such juxtapositions in "Veronica" deliver an alarmingly accurate punch.

stupid slut behavior then depression, why is she a famous writer? boring waste of time I threw it out

This book made me sad as I followed the friendship between the 2 women. Both seemed so out of place and lonely--but I was glad I read this. I had read other in depth reviews and was attracted to the story line but wasn't quite prepared for the rather tragic path they both took. Worth the read.

Gaitskill's central theme is, I think, the relationship between love and lust. Is being beautiful a fatal gift? The main relationship she describes is between Alison, the former model, and Veronica the unlikable AIDS infected proofreading temp, but there are multiple other dyads and triads, all illustrating types of love. This represents an advance in Gaitskill's work in many ways. It is more ambitious and profound, but also, I am afraid, a little less readable than her early work. If you're new to Gaitskill I would recommend starting with her earlier work, such as "Bad Behavior" which is written in a more straightforward style (and also contains more humor). In this one she uses a fancy-shmancy system of flashbacks, so that sometimes you don't know whether what you're reading is about the framing day in California, or reminiscences of Alison's childhood in New Jersey, or experiences in New York, or San Francisco or Paris.

every detail and words in this book were so full of significance, it made me feel that life really is like this perhaps. I hope it'll linger with me for a while.

Arrived quickly, no damage - good condition. A steamy read!

This is a terrific book, though not for the easily offended (language, sex, drugs), or for people who are put off by ornate writing. However, if you like Mary Gaitskill, I think that this book is strictly speaking a better novel than Two Girls Fat and Thin (not to say that I didn't like that one, too). The character of Alison is so convincing ... there are so many people whose lives just seem to happen to them.