I started this but DNF'd at 10%. I just couldn't really get into it. The writing was great, I just didn't feel all that gripped.

Once I was hooked on this, I was HOOKED. This novel of a pair of siblings figuring out their lives and navigating life was excellent. I loved the writing style, I loved the relationships, I loved reading another New Zealand novel. The family dynamic was so well written and the story was so immersive. More from Reilly please!

An absolute delight - quirky, funny, heartwarming and hopeful, the book follows a complicated family through the experiences of Greta and her brother Valdin as they look for meaning and love in a confusing world. Beautifully written and realised and at times laugh-out-loud funny, the relationships between family are complex and sometimes tricky, but underlying it all is a great affection and love.

Amazing book, easily 5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

Greta and Valdin by Rebecca K. Reilly is a delightful and heartwarming read! The chemistry between the characters is palpable, and their journey is filled with humor and genuine emotion. Reilly's writing is both engaging and witty, making it hard to put the book down. The exploration of friendship and love is beautifully done, with relatable moments that resonate deeply. While some plot points could have been fleshed out a bit more, the overall experience is uplifting and enjoyable. Definitely a must-read for anyone looking for a charming story! 4 stars!

A brilliant debut novel which shows how complicated family can be, yet never shying away from the beauty of it. I really enjoyed Rebecca K Reilly’s writing and the development of her characters and I am looking forward to whatever they write next.

Such an amazing debut!! I absolutely loved this story about two queer siblings and their eccentric Māori-Russian-Catalonian family. It’s a hard task to write a novel that makes you laugh out loud throughout but also makes you cry and also makes you think. Rebecca K. Reilly makes it look effortless.

Unfortunately I could not get into this book - other readers may enjoy it more. I did not finish it in the end

Couldn't finish this - found it to be quite visceral and also dull which is an interesting combination. Such a shame as the flashbacks were way better than the present day framing.

I wish I could’ve loved this book as it had every element I would otherwise enjoy: chaotic life, family, mixed nationalities and multiculturalism, however the book lost me with it’s true lack of plot. As many other people mentioned, this is more about a day to day life story of the mundane, the ebbs and flows of life and nothing really happened in the story, it was like reading a sitcom, which i usually rather enjoy, but this book made me realize, as someone with aphantasia, I prefer my sitcoms to be watched and not read. Nevertheless the characters were very funny so if that’s your thing, you’d definitely enjoy this book.

Greta & Valdin is Rebecca K Reilly’s debut novel, published in New Zealand in 2021 and in the UK in February 2024.

It’s a typical literary fiction narrative, in that it concentrates on the characters, rather than the plot. I don’t mean this as an insult, I enjoyed reading it, but reflecting on what actually happens ahead of writing this review - not a lot, really, Greta and Valdin are brother and sister who live together, and love each other a lot although they don’t always get along very well. Their family roots are complicated, with their father coming originally from Russia and their mother being Maori. This makes for a really interesting study on language, and culture, as well as some excellent running jokes about the complexity of Western, English names and how no-one can remember them as they’re so similar sounding.

Although it’s light on action, the character building and examination makes it a fun read. We get to know the family through both Greta and Valdin, as they navigate through finding out family secrets, complicated relationships and they also get to know themselves and what they want from life. Who they want to spend it with.

Recommended for people interested in managing different cultural references, exploring LGBTQ+ relationships and a slow burn debut.

Thanks to Random House and Netgalley for the DRC!

From GoodReads:
I absolutely loved this.
Quirky, wacky, comic, heartfelt, hearbreaking - all from the perspectives of a very unique and lovable brother and sister

Greta and Valdin is easily the most fun book you will read in 2024! Getting to see inside quirky character's heads is one of my favourite things in novels - especially when they're so relatable (idk what that says about me, but anyway) - and it was so fantastic to read a novel set in NZ. I can see this being one of the hottest books of the year and for good reason! Fantastic quirky queer fiction is the best. Looking forward to seeing what she comes up with next!!

LOVE LOVE !!!

This was such a great read I really got into it! The characters were all brilliant and I was sad to finish it!

Greta & Valdin is a heartfelt and humorous story about two queer siblings from a multicultural family and a celebration of diverse experiences in everyday life. It is fun and tender and a joy to read.

This is definitely one for the fans of character studies over plot as there isn't a lot happing, it is more of a day to day family drama, exploration into the families history than action packed narrative.

This was delightful and joyous and just such a fun time, the best kind of chaos. I love a character driven novel, which this was, but the plot and pacing were also absolutely delectable for the most part. G&V were frustrating and hilarious and real and relatable in their own ways - Valdin's anxiety's and overthinking tendencies (the post office scene could've been a journal entry of my own), Greta's self-assurance that's marred by the nagging need for external input, as well as her feeling left in the dark by her family. On the note of family: I adored the dynamics between them all; complex and messy but entirely rooted in love. The social commentary was done so well, profound and punchy but not at all on the nose.

Ultimately I think this was the epitome of queer joy, I just wish the ending hadn't been so rushed, things escalated a little too quickly for my liking which convoluted the story, especially the POV switches right at the end. That being said, I do think the letter was a good finishing point, I just wish there had been a more coherent build up to it. And maybe an epilogue.

Looking forward to whatever Reilly writes next!

If you are very particular about the plot and structure of the novels that you read, it is better to avoid Greta & Valdin. Here, we get a bunch of characters who are at a low phase of their lives, struggling to find meaning amongst the chaos of daily existence and trying to understand how they came to be. We find them striving to get a foothold in their lives, control their careers, find love, support their loved ones, and exist.

A stunning read. So visceral and loved the family themes. Fun and real and honest and raw. Also very pretty cover !!! Great book, think it will be a big summer read

I absolutely loved this book, more than I expected to, and it has shot to the top of my list of favourite books of the year so far. It's funny, touching, likeable and peopled by a cast of characters I wanted to be friends with and wasn't ready to stop spending time around. There's some really good writing comkng out of ANZ lately and this is a great addition to the pantheon, a book I just loved being absorbed in. Highly recommended and thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I absolutely LOVED Greta and Valdin! This is a cool girl, literary novel full of both fun and relatable moments but grounded in place and stories.

Lush, 4.5 stars