In this low-key and quirky novel, Paul and Veblen get engaged then start wondering whether they are doing the right thing. They are both young enough to still have doubts about their own value and about whether their idiosyncrasies are compatible. Veblen is a freelance translator who talks to squirrels and worries about her passive-aggressive mother; Paul is a doctor who has invented a tool for treating traumatic brain injuries and resents his parents' coddling of his mentally challenged brother. Can they and their families overcome their differences and live happily ever after?
McKenzie's prose reminds me of Lorrie Moore's with its light insightful touch regarding family relationships and off-kilter observations that make perfect sense. (Moore: "She was trying to tease him, but it came out wrong, like a lizard with a little hat on." McKenzie: "In it gleamed a diamond so large it would be a pill to avoid for those who easily gag.") I especially enjoyed her character-establishing anecdotes.
McKenzie's prose reminds me of Lorrie Moore's with its light insightful touch regarding family relationships and off-kilter observations that make perfect sense. (Moore: "She was trying to tease him, but it came out wrong, like a lizard with a little hat on." McKenzie: "In it gleamed a diamond so large it would be a pill to avoid for those who easily gag.") I especially enjoyed her character-establishing anecdotes.
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