One of the hardest requests to fulfill, as a bookseller, is the request for a "happy" or "light" book. There are few books where nothing bad happens—that wouldn't be very interesting, and it's also not actually what the reader is looking for. I know, because I am that reader, constantly on the hunt for something that is light, but not superficial; happy, but not cheesy. We want smart, but we don't want to think too hard. What we need are books that will allow us to escape reality, to keep us engaged but not ask too much of our brains, which—and I can't imagine I'm speaking solely for myself—are maxed out most days. You want this too, right? I have good news for you. Greta and Valdin fits the bill.
As is often the case with such books, "plot" is not really the focus here—which is not to say it doesn't have one or that it's not compelling, it's just not central to the appeal. This can make for a book that is difficult to describe, but I'll do my best.
Greta and Valdin is about family, relationships, and the joys and anxieties of being a person in the world. Greta and Valdin Vladisavljevic are siblings from New Zealand; they are half-Maori and half-Russian, and their family is kind of a mess. Valdin recently abandoned his promising career to become a TV personality and is absolutely not in love with his ex-boyfriend—the brother of his uncle's husband—who moved from Auckland to Buenos Aires a year ago. Greta is struggling with her masters thesis in comparative literature, pining over another grad student, and generally making questionable life choices (in one chapter, she is ghosted by a Tinder match while on a trip and winds up lost in the woods). On top of all that, their mom is keeping secrets, their nephew is having an identity crisis, and the ex-boyfriend is suddenly back in the picture. It's all a little chaotic but completely compelling.
This book hit all the right notes for a perfect summer read. The humor is snappy, the characters are irresistible, and the setting is not-here. My only complaint is that I wish the book were twice as long; I did not want to stop spending time with the tumultuous and exuberant Vladisavljevics. Debut author Rebecca K Reilly is sharp, witty, and has a magical ability to transform life's many iniquities into relatable anecdotes that would have you rapt at any cocktail party. You may never have what I assume is the singular experience of chatting with Reilly at one such party but you can spend 300 pages with this messy, joyful family.
Emma Kaas co-owns the Norwich Bookstore with her husband, Sam. When not at the bookstore you’ll most likely find her reading books, baking bread, tinkering with spreadsheets, or pulling tarot cards.