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selinaleona_'s review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
kasdaye's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
cassiemartino's review against another edition
3.0
you know the drill - trying to pound this out before my ~special gummy snack~ kicks in
one of my friends is backpacking through various national parks in the american southwest rn, and it got me thinking about what a big, adventurous life he seems to live in my eyes. the exciting places he goes, the beautiful wilderness he sees. that's what this book is, but on a global scale. this is probably my sheltered americanness showing, but like, there's characters and cultures and cities all across the fucking globe mentioned in this novel. i have a very small (and sad and unhappy but that's a discussion for another time), unadventurous, sheltered little midwestern american life. i was actually blown away by how these characters can just fuck off to argentina one day like it's no big deal. they move to different countries and study in different countries and it's just like... how is their world so big? how do i get a life that big and exciting? i really loved this aspect of the book, even though it was jarring at first and it seems like i'm having an emotional breakdown abt it here
and speaking of international influences, i think this was the first novel i've read set in new zealand/aotearoa! it was so incredibly fun to read abt this family with maori heritage - i've literally never seen that representation in a novel before. i really want to find more fiction that centers maori characters. i wish that little bit of this big-ass family's culture was explored a little more in depth
the big-ass family affected my view of the novel too - it was fun at times, bc i love a good family drama, but there were just so. many. people to keep up with. when i saw a list of characters in the beginning of the novel like it was a shakespearean tragedy, i knew i was in for a heck of a time. it was kinda hard to keep up with who was who at times, and i think i got a little distracted and confused because of that
ANYWAY i'm starting to ramble lmao, this was a unique read and i really need to go on the hunt for more new zealand/aotearoa/maori books
one of my friends is backpacking through various national parks in the american southwest rn, and it got me thinking about what a big, adventurous life he seems to live in my eyes. the exciting places he goes, the beautiful wilderness he sees. that's what this book is, but on a global scale. this is probably my sheltered americanness showing, but like, there's characters and cultures and cities all across the fucking globe mentioned in this novel. i have a very small (and sad and unhappy but that's a discussion for another time), unadventurous, sheltered little midwestern american life. i was actually blown away by how these characters can just fuck off to argentina one day like it's no big deal. they move to different countries and study in different countries and it's just like... how is their world so big? how do i get a life that big and exciting? i really loved this aspect of the book, even though it was jarring at first and it seems like i'm having an emotional breakdown abt it here
and speaking of international influences, i think this was the first novel i've read set in new zealand/aotearoa! it was so incredibly fun to read abt this family with maori heritage - i've literally never seen that representation in a novel before. i really want to find more fiction that centers maori characters. i wish that little bit of this big-ass family's culture was explored a little more in depth
the big-ass family affected my view of the novel too - it was fun at times, bc i love a good family drama, but there were just so. many. people to keep up with. when i saw a list of characters in the beginning of the novel like it was a shakespearean tragedy, i knew i was in for a heck of a time. it was kinda hard to keep up with who was who at times, and i think i got a little distracted and confused because of that
ANYWAY i'm starting to ramble lmao, this was a unique read and i really need to go on the hunt for more new zealand/aotearoa/maori books
butch_angel's review against another edition
Fell into a reading slump right as I started this and haven’t felt compelled to pick it up again yet, although I plan to eventually. Will be reading someday as I am still very interested in the concept.
bekeblume's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
lit_laugh_luv's review against another edition
2.0
I just...what? The first half of this was a solid 5 stars but at around the 50% mark it just devolves into a convoluted mess. It feels like a firework going off in every which direction, with an onslaught of underdeveloped minor characters and a web of social relationships that are impossible to keep track of. While I recognize every family is different, the family dynamics here are so incredibly unrealistic and it feels like every character has a queer identity simply for the sake of it? I was debating DNF'ing this all the way through to the 85% mark just given how much it deviated from the beginning narrative scope.
Despite both Greta and Valdin being in their mid to late 20s, they act so incredibly juvenile that it's hard to relate to virtually anything they experience. The dichotomy between what's happening in their life and how they react to it is so jarring, and really detracts from the overall messaging. Even their parents, who are largely present for wisdom and comedic relief, are so split in their portrayal they each feel like they're comprised of two separate characters each. Everyone just feels like a zany caricature without any one to contrast against.
While there is some darkly comedic and razor sharp quips on millennial life (ranging from online dating, soaring rents, and social justice), it was really hard for me to enjoy this when the cast of characters are so repetitive and the plot is shoved into the last 30%. Several scenes are needlessly dramatized and cryptic, and there ends up being so many loose ends from the sheer amount of subplots that get introduced. So many important discussions simply don't occur, and the emotional payoff of the ending was not particularly satisfying for me given it involves so many characters who you really only have a limited sense of.
I could see why this resonates with some readers, and especially enjoyed learning more about New Zealand and Māori culture, ultimately the back half of this was a complete disappointment for me. I think with the volume of content and themes the author intended to explore, it needed to either be presented as a series or needed at least 100+ pages to flesh these things out in a meaningful way. I try not to be overtly critical in my reviews, but this one especially hurt given the beginning is SO strong and there really was a lot of potential here.
Thank you to Avid Reader Press and NetGalley for the ARC!
Despite both Greta and Valdin being in their mid to late 20s, they act so incredibly juvenile that it's hard to relate to virtually anything they experience. The dichotomy between what's happening in their life and how they react to it is so jarring, and really detracts from the overall messaging. Even their parents, who are largely present for wisdom and comedic relief, are so split in their portrayal they each feel like they're comprised of two separate characters each. Everyone just feels like a zany caricature without any one to contrast against.
While there is some darkly comedic and razor sharp quips on millennial life (ranging from online dating, soaring rents, and social justice), it was really hard for me to enjoy this when the cast of characters are so repetitive and the plot is shoved into the last 30%. Several scenes are needlessly dramatized and cryptic, and there ends up being so many loose ends from the sheer amount of subplots that get introduced. So many important discussions simply don't occur, and the emotional payoff of the ending was not particularly satisfying for me given it involves so many characters who you really only have a limited sense of.
I could see why this resonates with some readers, and especially enjoyed learning more about New Zealand and Māori culture, ultimately the back half of this was a complete disappointment for me. I think with the volume of content and themes the author intended to explore, it needed to either be presented as a series or needed at least 100+ pages to flesh these things out in a meaningful way. I try not to be overtly critical in my reviews, but this one especially hurt given the beginning is SO strong and there really was a lot of potential here.
Thank you to Avid Reader Press and NetGalley for the ARC!
ambfreitas's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
allisonheimer's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
sarahhunt's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5