Greta & Valdin: A Novel
A TIME MUST-READ BOOK OF THE YEAR • A NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS’ CHOICE • AN NPR BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR • A KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR
“A heartfelt portrait of a complex family.” —People • “Laugh-out-loud-funny.” —Harper’s Bazaar • “Quintessential rom-com meets the delicious family sprawl of a Russian classic.” —Vanity Fair
The “brilliant” (Daily Mail, London) bestseller that follows a brother and sister as they navigate queerness, multiracial identity, and family drama, all while flailing their way to love—for fans of Schitt’s Creek and Sally Rooney’s Normal People.
It’s been a year since his ex-boyfriend dumped him and moved from Auckland to Buenos Aires, and Valdin is doing fine. He has a good flat with his sister Greta, a good career where his colleagues only occasionally remind him that he is the sole Maaori person in the office, and a good friend who he only sleeps with when he’s sad. But when work sends him to Argentina and he’s thrown back in his former lover’s orbit, Valdin is forced to confront the feelings he’s been trying to ignore—and the future he wants.
Greta is not letting her painfully unrequited crush (or her possibly pointless master’s thesis, or her pathetic academic salary...) get her down. She would love to focus on the charming fellow grad student she meets at a party and her friendships with a circle of similarly floundering twenty-somethings, but her chaotic family life won’t stop intruding: her mother is keeping secrets, her nephew is having a gay crisis, and her brother has suddenly flown to South America without a word.
Filled with “kernels of humor and truth” (Elle) and with an undeniable emotional momentum that builds to an exuberant conclusion, Greta & Valdin careens us through the siblings’ misadventures and the messy dramas of their sprawling, eccentric Maaori-Russian-Catalonian family. An acclaimed bestseller in New Zealand, Greta & Valdin is fresh, joyful, and alive with the possibility of love in its many mystifying forms.
“A heartfelt portrait of a complex family.” —People • “Laugh-out-loud-funny.” —Harper’s Bazaar • “Quintessential rom-com meets the delicious family sprawl of a Russian classic.” —Vanity Fair
The “brilliant” (Daily Mail, London) bestseller that follows a brother and sister as they navigate queerness, multiracial identity, and family drama, all while flailing their way to love—for fans of Schitt’s Creek and Sally Rooney’s Normal People.
It’s been a year since his ex-boyfriend dumped him and moved from Auckland to Buenos Aires, and Valdin is doing fine. He has a good flat with his sister Greta, a good career where his colleagues only occasionally remind him that he is the sole Maaori person in the office, and a good friend who he only sleeps with when he’s sad. But when work sends him to Argentina and he’s thrown back in his former lover’s orbit, Valdin is forced to confront the feelings he’s been trying to ignore—and the future he wants.
Greta is not letting her painfully unrequited crush (or her possibly pointless master’s thesis, or her pathetic academic salary...) get her down. She would love to focus on the charming fellow grad student she meets at a party and her friendships with a circle of similarly floundering twenty-somethings, but her chaotic family life won’t stop intruding: her mother is keeping secrets, her nephew is having a gay crisis, and her brother has suddenly flown to South America without a word.
Filled with “kernels of humor and truth” (Elle) and with an undeniable emotional momentum that builds to an exuberant conclusion, Greta & Valdin careens us through the siblings’ misadventures and the messy dramas of their sprawling, eccentric Maaori-Russian-Catalonian family. An acclaimed bestseller in New Zealand, Greta & Valdin is fresh, joyful, and alive with the possibility of love in its many mystifying forms.
BUY THE BOOK
These clubs recently read this book...
Community Reviews
thenextgoodbook.com
What’s it about?
Valdin lives in New Zealand in a good flat with his sister Greta. He is picking up the pieces after his boyfriend moved to Argentina last year. Greta is also trying to get her love life together and get over the crush she has had on a workmate for way too long. They are surrounded by a colorful and loving family- and many odd but endearing friends.
What did it make me think about?
Family.
Should I read it?
This book is going to be absolutely LOVED by some and not as well liked by others. It is brimming with intelligence and humor but can be chaotic and uneven at times. As I read I thought-
The first 50 pages- “What in the world is going on?”
Pages 50-100- “Who are all these people?”
Pages 100- “What is going to happen with Valdin?” “I am concerned for Greta.” “I can’t put this book down to see why the dog is barking….”
This chaotic novel had so many disparate threads that at the beginning I was slightly overwhelmed. But the author deftly weaves all these threads together. We somehow go from “What is going on?” to caring deeply about this family. They are kooky, they are messy, they are smart, and they are endearing. I wasn’t so sure about adding a couple more character’s perspectives at the very end- but I guess, why not? Some readers may not be able to get past the chaos, but if you can just refer back to the character list at the front of the book, all is not lost. Just keep reading as these two siblings may end up to be your favorite book characters this year!
Quote-
“The houses in the suburb are too big, too grand, and the trees are too tall and imported. People have gates with keypads to protect themselves from each other. Expensive dogs yap through black iron bars as you walk by, letting you know you aren’t supposed to be there. I always walks a bit more hastily than I usually do here, just in case the police come and take me away. Maori male, approx. thirty years, thin build, seen enjoying the shade of a colonial tree. Witnesses include a $3000 Pomeranian and ten high-tech home security systems.”
What’s it about?
Valdin lives in New Zealand in a good flat with his sister Greta. He is picking up the pieces after his boyfriend moved to Argentina last year. Greta is also trying to get her love life together and get over the crush she has had on a workmate for way too long. They are surrounded by a colorful and loving family- and many odd but endearing friends.
What did it make me think about?
Family.
Should I read it?
This book is going to be absolutely LOVED by some and not as well liked by others. It is brimming with intelligence and humor but can be chaotic and uneven at times. As I read I thought-
The first 50 pages- “What in the world is going on?”
Pages 50-100- “Who are all these people?”
Pages 100- “What is going to happen with Valdin?” “I am concerned for Greta.” “I can’t put this book down to see why the dog is barking….”
This chaotic novel had so many disparate threads that at the beginning I was slightly overwhelmed. But the author deftly weaves all these threads together. We somehow go from “What is going on?” to caring deeply about this family. They are kooky, they are messy, they are smart, and they are endearing. I wasn’t so sure about adding a couple more character’s perspectives at the very end- but I guess, why not? Some readers may not be able to get past the chaos, but if you can just refer back to the character list at the front of the book, all is not lost. Just keep reading as these two siblings may end up to be your favorite book characters this year!
Quote-
“The houses in the suburb are too big, too grand, and the trees are too tall and imported. People have gates with keypads to protect themselves from each other. Expensive dogs yap through black iron bars as you walk by, letting you know you aren’t supposed to be there. I always walks a bit more hastily than I usually do here, just in case the police come and take me away. Maori male, approx. thirty years, thin build, seen enjoying the shade of a colonial tree. Witnesses include a $3000 Pomeranian and ten high-tech home security systems.”
a thoroughly modern book, lots of references and phrases and ideas that are very now. two main characters, greta and valdin, were interesting though valdin's story appealed to me more. i found the middle of this a total drag, and it was difficult to keep track of the family tree throughout the story. but the intro is alright, and by the last quarter, i was actually enjoying this book. so i'd say 2 stars for the middle half and maybe 3.5-4 stars for the rest of it.
this is a book full of emotion, but it felt dramatic rather than a quiet/daily kind of thing. not a bad thing necessarily, but a different tone than what i tend to gravitate towards for sure. (another review pointed out this is in part due to the dialogue being super unrealistic at times, which is so true.) feels very much like a Novel(TM). like this author didn't just start writing, they really wanted to make a piece of work. very put together and neat.
there were some references to places in new zealand and england(? i think) and references to maori words and culture that i'll be honest probably went over my head. maybe that would've enhanced the experience. overall though, enjoyable enough but not that impressed.
rating: 2.75 stars
this is a book full of emotion, but it felt dramatic rather than a quiet/daily kind of thing. not a bad thing necessarily, but a different tone than what i tend to gravitate towards for sure. (another review pointed out this is in part due to the dialogue being super unrealistic at times, which is so true.) feels very much like a Novel(TM). like this author didn't just start writing, they really wanted to make a piece of work. very put together and neat.
there were some references to places in new zealand and england(? i think) and references to maori words and culture that i'll be honest probably went over my head. maybe that would've enhanced the experience. overall though, enjoyable enough but not that impressed.
rating: 2.75 stars
See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.