Margot Livesey rotates between the perspectives of two British characters, Verona and Zeke. The whole book is driven by their unexpected romance as well as the masterful ability of the author to create such enjoyable life-like characters that the reader really finds himself caring about. I was at times annoyed with Verona's audacity, but ultimately, that's part of her charm and Verona self-effacingly realizes her shortcomings too. Zeke is a housepainter, who also has Asperger's. He was diagnosed after suffering a "breakdown" in which he was unable to leave his college flat. His parents run a produce store and are constantly pestering Zeke to do more for them, especially after his father experiences a heart attack. Verona, pregnant by a sperm bank donor, is a radio show host with an indomitable personality to match. She has a brother, Henry, "without a conscious," whose shady dealings with money cause Verona to flee from her house when it's invaded by thuggish, threatening men. She calls up a casual friend, who sends her to Zeke, where she pretends to be the niece of the clients whose house he is painting. She helps him paint, and then after a night together, leaves in the morning, with nothing but a cryptic clue left behind for him to figure out. Zeke also finds the diary of her grandfather, under the pillow, a small side story inside, which itself is a moving story to include against the larger narrative. Verona's actions are bizarre and her storyline and arc, especially with Henry's actions, doesn't make complete sense. But the focus here is the writing. Zeke's character, perhaps because of his uniqueness, really pops out from the pages. He loves Verona completely. If the reader accepts that, it makes the bumpy plot ride much easier to stomach.The meeting between Verona and Zeke is unlikely, and it's ramifications especially shake up Zeke's world. Eventually, it becomes a question if Zeke can forgive Verona's antics. The question lingers throughout-will they get together? I wish I could write like this: creating memorable, realistic characters while sharply capturing and observing the nuances of thoughts and interactions and the world bustling around them. The writing is restrained, yet beautiful and vivd. Favorite Quotes:I am going to open my mouth, thought Verona, and let out a scream so loud the roof will fly off this restaurant and the walls will fall to the ground and everyone sitting here will be deaf for as long as they live."...she realized it was easier to be furious than to acknowledge what fury concealed."For a few seconds he could not think of a single thing he had ever done but pursue Verona. Nonsense, he had all kinds of hobbies: having nervous breakdowns, fixing clocks, seeing his friends, disappointing his parents.
This is the second book of Livesey's that I've read, the first was Eva Moves The Furniture, which I thoroughly enjoyed.Banishing Verona is very, very different, and it's a beautifully written story from two points of view. Zeke and Verona meet in a haphazard fashion and develop an immediate connection. The story is told in pieces, first from Zeke's perspective, then Verona's and back and forth. Zeke suffers from Asperger's Syndrome, and Livesey weaves his condition into the narrative brilliantly, making him a very real presence, and almost wrapping the reader in his unique situation.Verona is harder to get close to, and the subplot involving her brother is very muddled, and interferes with the Zeke/Verona dichotomy of the story. I know this subplot drives a good deal of the action, but it is never made clear quite what's going on, distracting from the story.As with the other Livesey book I read, this one ends quite abruptly, like a rough plane landing, although it is a satisfying ending.
What do You think about Banishing Verona (2005)?
I was tempted to give this five stars, as I love books of this sort--ones with unusual, well-drawn characters swept up in circumstances that follow an unpredictable course. Livesey is a superb writer with a keen eye for those details that really sum up a person or a situation. While I wouldn't necessarily call it a page-turner, this book keeps getting more and more interesting as it builds to its (satisfying) resolution. What keeps me from going full-out on this one are the two main characters themselves, as well as they're envisioned, could have been even more convincing, given the strange nature of the plot. The female (Verona) seems a bit vague and tenuous at times, and the male (Zeke) at times seems like a cliche, as fascinating as he is.
—Nick Duretta
(3.5 stars) The story is told in alternating sections by the two main characters, Zeke and Verona. Zeke is remodeling a home when a pregnant Verona shows up, supposedly as the niece of the couple who own the property. The two make a connection, but she is gone in the morning. It becomes clear that Zeke is somewhere on the higher functioning portion of the autism spectrum, which makes his part of the story a bit more challenging to follow at first. He is dealing with his father’s illness and his mother’s insistence that he be more supportive in running the family store. Zeke cannot let go of the mystery of Verona, especially when he finds out she was not really the niece. He discovers a diary she left behind from her grandfather. In the meantime, we learn from Verona that she really is in trouble thanks to her brother and is on the hunt to track him down. Zeke pursues Verona to the U.S., doing and experiencing things he has never done. In the end, he must decide whether or not his feelings for Verona are strong enough to move forward. This was an interesting take on a traditional theme. While it took a while to get into and has some rather improbable plot actions, the characterization is excellent.
—Michelle
I am a big fan of Margot Livesey's writing. My goal is to read all of her novels. This was my fourth. I suppose I most admire her lovely, rhythmic prose and how her characters and scenes stick with me over time. She bridges contemporary life with classic, intelligent language. In this novel, the POV character alternates with each chapter as the reader follows a parallel story of two people who meet up in the beginning and search for connection throughout. I find the structure of dual POV intriguing. Each voice was quite distinct. Each character was engaging in their personal struggle.
—Jodi Paloni
