Greta & Valdin

Ahh I love this book so much. At about 60% I started panicking a little that these lovely bizarre enrapturing people were going to leave my life in about 100 pages and I wouldn't be able to call them to catch up on the latest news. I don't know. I love the voice, the tone, the language, the characters, the story. Man I thought I was done with coming-of-age-in-college stories, but I guess I was just done with some of them. This story, just about people trying to figure things out at all ages, really gives its characters room to be themselves, and this allows them to feel real, complex, fully developed. Plus it's funny, so funny, without cutting into the emotions of any part of the story. I looked at my highlights and they are all small show more moments that made me laugh because they rang true. I quite enjoyed this reminder of, and different viewpoint of, NZ. show less

Greta & Valdin is a riveting read about two siblings, their family and all the things that happen. Sometimes you don’t think there’s much happening but the characters are so engaging, that’s quite acceptable. And then everything happens. It’s a brilliant debut novel with a lot of nods to New Zealand, Eastern European and Māori culture.

Greta and Valdin are brother and sister who share an apartment. Both have their upheavals in life and love (Greta is an eternal student, Valdin has turned his back on life as a physicist to be a TV presenter and both have relationship issues). They are also part of a family that while not big in number, is big in their lives with multiple things to say and do. The story is about their lives, told show more in alternating chapters as they navigate old love, new love and life in general. Both are gay, and Greta thinks she has a crush on Holly, who is really nasty. Valdin is thinking of his ex Xabi a lot, who has gone to South America (and also happens to be their uncle’s husband’s brother). Neither is quite sure what they want from life, but they love their family and their friends. It’s a wonderfully enjoyable ride that gathers speed towards the end as big decisions are made and we get an insight into the other characters. I did feel that this was a little rushed to try up some loose ends, but overall everyone got what they wanted and/or deserved. It’s chaotically good fun.

I also loved the multiple New Zealand and Auckland references made in this book (although I’m sure there are some that went over my head because I’m Australian). It was great to read a novel with a lot of energy that wasn’t set in London/New York/Paris. Auckland works just fine. I also found Greta and Valdin’s commitment to their culture (Māori/russian) fascinating, and how their family dealt with the darker sides of their histories. Even the small details were interesting, because it added up to a detailed portrait of both of them (and I loved that Valdin hid his Aesop things away from everyone!). It’s both serious, as well as incredibly funny at times as the siblings get caught up in small and big things. Bonus points for having multiple characters with the same or similar names as it just made things more realistic (and extra points for having a cast of characters list at the front).

I thought Greta & Valdin was wonderful – a complex look at siblings, family and all the things that happen in between that is funny, delightful and full of emotion.

http://samstillreading.wordpress.com show less

This is a delightful read about the eponymous Greta and Valdin, siblings who share an apartment in Auckland, and their extended (and very intertwined) family. Lots of queerness, lots of relationships (romantic, sexual, familial, and otherwise), and moments of real humor. Both Greta and Valdin read as neurodivergent to me, which was great.

This book is SUCH a New Zealand book. (I did feel my Kiwi friends led me astray, though. No one eats pie in this book!) It has a very strong sense of place and time, which meant I did a bit of googling as I was reading. You can absolutely get everything in it without googling, but I like to know what all the things mean. If you also do, maybe don't google weta unless you enjoy pictures of horrible show more insects.

But, truly, this was a sweet, fun, sometimes funny book with great characters. I very much enjoyed it. show less

An actually funny New Zealand novel – we can do it! And also touchingly sweet at times. Twentysomethings with families and loves and sexualities even more complicated than twentysomethings are notorious for having. Snapshots of Wellington and Auckland, of non-Anglo New Zealand, of the anguish and blunders of love. I did notice every character, from teen to grandfather, seemed to talk like a witty twentysomething, but it was so amusing it was forgivable.

Greta and Valdin are sister and brother living together in Auckland, New Zealand, in their young adulthood. They are both gay and somewhat directionless. Greta is in grad school and tutors part time, in love with another woman who turns out to be unavailable but who nonetheless uses Greta while she goes out and lives her life. Valdin is still in love with his ex, who left when Valdin when through a mental health crisis. Surrounding the siblings are family and friends who are complicated and loving.

The story is told in short snippets, going back and forth between Greta and Valdin's point of view. It reminded me a little of Normal People, except with characters that are a little older, a little happier, and more gay. And there are show more quotation marks. I'm not sure I'm the audience for young adult ennui, but I did root for these characters to find their way and thought the ending really paid off. show less

i thought this was pretty great. it was unexpectedly funny, and in ways that surprised me each time. but mostly it was just this family story where the two eponymous siblings get along really well but everyone is exploring who they are and what they really want, and what that means in and for their family. and as they do, they learn history and secrets that have shaped the family (as a group and as individuals) and then having to figure out if and how this information changes who they are and how they fit. it's really well done and lovely all around. and again, much more funny and charming than anticipated.

This is a quirky novel set (mostly) in Auckland, New Zealand. Greta and Valdin are sister and brother, both in their 20s and sharing a flat, worrying about careers and relationships. Greta is not enjoying online dating but then she meets Ell at a party, but is her interest reciprocated? Valdin is still missing his ex, Xabi, who has moved to another continent.

I really enjoyed the portrayal of Greta and Valdin's family, a mix of Maori, Russian and Catalonian, and an older brother who is married with children, and of their friends and friends of their parents. Most of the story is told in a first person narrative alternating between Greta and Valdin, then near the end some of the other characters get a turn at offering their viewpoint.

This show more is a funny and quite charming story. show less