Greta and Valdin
Shortlisted for The Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize 2024
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- £5.99
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- £5.99
Publisher Description
SHORTLISTED FOR THE WATERSTONES DEBUT FICTION PRIZE 2024
THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER
'Delightfully confident . . . a total pleasure' TIMES
'Warm, witty and utterly idiosyncratic' ALICE SLATER
'Hilarious, touching and hotly sublime' JULIA ARMFIELD
'Lovable and joyful' NEW YORK TIMES
A BROTHER. A SISTER. A LOT OF EMOTION IN ONE APARTMENT.
This is the story of Greta and Valdin: twenty-something brother and sister with a near-unpronounceable surname, a sprawling Maori-Russian-Catalonian family and questionable taste in partners.
While Valdin can’t seem to get over his ex-boyfriend who fled the country, Greta has an unrequited crush on fellow English tutor Holly, who uses her for admin support. But all hope is not lost for these lovelorn siblings. Through the misadventures and mess of modern adulthood, at least they still have each other — unless drama gets in the way.
From bad dates to family feuds and embarrassing karaoke nights, this acclaimed bestseller from New Zealand is a fresh, heartwarming and hilarious story about the trials and tribulations of love in its many forms.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Rebecca Reilly’s impressive debut is wonderfully idiosyncratic. Centred around brother and sister Greta and Valdin, the plot follows the eccentric lives of the part-Catalonian, part-Russian, part-Māori Vladisavljevic family. Carefully constructed alternating chapters hilariously narrate Greta and Valdin’s internal monologues as they struggle to navigate heartbreak and the turbulence of modern dating in contemporary Auckland. As Greta and Valdin seek reassurance from their older relatives, it’s revealed that—like all families—the Vladisavljevics are complicated. Reilly’s genius lies in her delightfully messy characters, all of whom are riddled with unique peculiarities and deeply relatable insecurities. As we unravel the Vladisavljevics’ intricacies, it’s impossible not to be charmed by this family of endearing oddballs.
