Prepare to be delighted
Greta and Valdin, by Rebecca K Reilly
How about a Southern Hemisphere story for the shorter days and chilly weather? The ‘Around the Globe’ book club at Riverstone Books in Pittsburg (Squirrel Hill location) tipped me off to this quirky, contemporary adulting story set in Auckland, New Zealand.
When I meet characters like Greta and Valdin, in this case siblings and roommates, I am the happiest of readers, possibly giddy, and definitely annoying to my real-life companions as I frequently mention how
my dopamine centers are going bananas. Both Greta and her older brother Valdin have POVs in this wry, droll, and tender novel—a romp in the best way.
Greta is a graduate student in literature in love with the wrong woman. Valdin works in television and is nursing a broken heart after his boyfriend moved to Argentina. Both grapple with their love lives, their work lives, and the fact that their mother (who is Māori) and father (who emigrated from Russia as a child) have had tangled lives and loves of their own.
Greta and Valdin is Reilly’s debut novel. I second the Amazon reviewer who said something like “5 million stars.” It gets 5 million stars from me, which means that even though one plot element required me to suspend disbelief when it wrapped up so tidily, I didn’t care. It’s fiction! A made-up story, well—at times hilariously—told, by a talented writer. (A selection of don’t-take-my-word-for-it examples: Time Must-read Book of the Year; New York Times Editors’ Choice, NPR Best Book of the Year, Kirkus Reviews Best Fiction Book of the Year.)
I will absolutely pick up whatever Reilly writes next and it’s on my books-to-gift-at-the-holidays shortlist. None of the readers I’ve mentioned it to has already read it, and it’s got big-hearted, immersive energy that I find welcome during the holiday season. For nonfiction readers, I’ve got my eye on Sam Quinones’ The Perfect Tuba.
What books will you gift this year?
Happy Reading!
https://www.riverstonebookstore.com/our-story
https://samquinones.com/the-perfect-tuba
*yes, I read a library copy, but scout’s honor I brought home a big stack from Riverstone.
I have been reading serious nonfiction about difficult topics for a long time without a break. This sounds like it might be a nice change to bring some joy!
Loved this book and second your recommendation