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A review by lit_laugh_luv
Greta & Valdin by Rebecca K Reilly
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!