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Eddy, Eddy
Eddy, Eddy is a coming of age story, a love story, an earthquake story and a story of finding your way back from grief.
Eddy Smallbone (orphan) is grappling with identity, love, loss, and religion. It's two years since he blew up his school life and the earthquakes felled his city. Home life is maddening. His pet-minding job is expanding in peculiar directions. And now the past and the future have come calling - in unexpected form.
As Eddy navigates his way through the Christchurch suburbs to Christmas, juggling competing responsibilities and an increasingly noisy interior world, he moves closer and closer to an overdue personal reckoning.
Eddy, Eddy is a richly layered novel, deftly written with humour and pathos: a love story, peopled with flawed and comical characters, both human and animal; and a story of grief, the way its punch may leave you floundering - and how others can help you find your way back.
Loosely mirroring A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, Eddy, Eddy revels in language's stretch and play, the blessings of story and songs, and the giddy road to adulthood.
Eddy Smallbone (orphan) is grappling with identity, love, loss, and religion. It's two years since he blew up his school life and the earthquakes felled his city. Home life is maddening. His pet-minding job is expanding in peculiar directions. And now the past and the future have come calling - in unexpected form.
As Eddy navigates his way through the Christchurch suburbs to Christmas, juggling competing responsibilities and an increasingly noisy interior world, he moves closer and closer to an overdue personal reckoning.
Eddy, Eddy is a richly layered novel, deftly written with humour and pathos: a love story, peopled with flawed and comical characters, both human and animal; and a story of grief, the way its punch may leave you floundering - and how others can help you find your way back.
Loosely mirroring A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, Eddy, Eddy revels in language's stretch and play, the blessings of story and songs, and the giddy road to adulthood.
Paperback
Published July 1, 2022
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About the author
Kate De Goldi
28 books72 followersKate De Goldi is a full-time writer who grew up in Christchurch and now lives in Wellington. Her first book was for adults: called like you, really, it was published under the name Kate Flannery, and gave a series of interlinked short stories about the women in a Catholic family. Since then she has won numerous awards and accolades for her fiction, including the American Express and Katherine Mansfield Awards for short stories, and the overall Children’s Book Award in 1997 for her young adult novel Sanctuary.
In 2000, her novel about adoption, Closed, Stranger won an Honour Award in the New Zealand Post Children and Young Adults' Book Awards, and in 2001, Kate was made an Arts Foundation Laureate. Her book Clubs, illustrated by Jacqui Colley, won the picture book category of the New Zealand Post Children’s and Young Adult Awards in 2005; that year it also won the overall book of the year, and it also gained the Russell Clark Award at the LIANZA Book Awards.
Kate’s most recent novel, The 10PM Question (2008), won Book of the Year and Best Young Adult fiction at the 2009 New Zealand Post Children and Young Adults' Book Awards. It was also runner-up in the Fiction category at the Montana NZ Book Awards 2009, at which it won the Readers' Choice Award. It was a finalist in the LIANZA Children's Book Awards for the Esther Glen Award, and was shortlisted for the Nielson BookData NZ Booksellers' Choice Award.
The 10PM Question has been selected to appear in the prestigious international publication The White Ravens 2009 and with sales of over 14,000 copies the book now wears a Silver Premier NZ Bestseller sticker and remains at No. 1 on the NZ Bestsellers List (week ending 22 August 2009). The rights have been sold to Allen & Unwin Publishers in Australia, and Dutch and German rights have also been sold. It is due to be published in North America later this year.
Kate is also very well known as an astute and energetic book reviewer for radio and television.
In 2000, her novel about adoption, Closed, Stranger won an Honour Award in the New Zealand Post Children and Young Adults' Book Awards, and in 2001, Kate was made an Arts Foundation Laureate. Her book Clubs, illustrated by Jacqui Colley, won the picture book category of the New Zealand Post Children’s and Young Adult Awards in 2005; that year it also won the overall book of the year, and it also gained the Russell Clark Award at the LIANZA Book Awards.
Kate’s most recent novel, The 10PM Question (2008), won Book of the Year and Best Young Adult fiction at the 2009 New Zealand Post Children and Young Adults' Book Awards. It was also runner-up in the Fiction category at the Montana NZ Book Awards 2009, at which it won the Readers' Choice Award. It was a finalist in the LIANZA Children's Book Awards for the Esther Glen Award, and was shortlisted for the Nielson BookData NZ Booksellers' Choice Award.
The 10PM Question has been selected to appear in the prestigious international publication The White Ravens 2009 and with sales of over 14,000 copies the book now wears a Silver Premier NZ Bestseller sticker and remains at No. 1 on the NZ Bestsellers List (week ending 22 August 2009). The rights have been sold to Allen & Unwin Publishers in Australia, and Dutch and German rights have also been sold. It is due to be published in North America later this year.
Kate is also very well known as an astute and energetic book reviewer for radio and television.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 136 reviews
August 4, 2022
3.75
I am always going to be up for a novel set in my hometown of Christchurch, they seem like such rare beasts. Kate de Goldi ( as far as I know ) is the only NZ author to have portrayed a post-earthquake Christchurch in a work of fiction and she does so very convincingly.
Eddy, Eddy seems to share a similar style and tone to From the Cutting Room of Barney Kettle another YA- adjacent novel also set in Christchurch. Readers of that novel will be familiar with the slightly frenetic nature of storytelling. It's a whirlwind of characters ( and animals ) all quoting things at each other at a rapid pace. The idea of community as family is strong here. Eddy seems to excel in collecting up not just pet-minding jobs but all manner of waifs, strays and misfits. It's charming in a retro kind of way, all homemade jams and bonding over Bananagrams. The spirit of Dickens's A Christmas Carol haunts the entire thing.
However, as with “Barney”, there are some surprises buried here which ultimately gives the book a bit more edge. For a person not overly fond of animals, Dickens or Christmas this is not exactly a story that hits my reading sweet spot, so I was happy with these little doses of reality.
I also wonder if any teenagers exist in the 2020s that are remotely similar to the ones described here. They seem so clever and well read and thoughtful of others. Youths from a bygone age? Oddly I was most reminded of I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith - set in the 30s - maybe it was all the wholesome board games and homemade gift giving ;)
Still, I enjoyed the rare experience of being in a uniquely Cantabrian novel and was particularly tickled by all the road cones and the trip to Cass Station in homage to Rita Angus amongst other little uniquely South Island joys.
- Still mulling this book over a week later, so that must be a good sign
I am always going to be up for a novel set in my hometown of Christchurch, they seem like such rare beasts. Kate de Goldi ( as far as I know ) is the only NZ author to have portrayed a post-earthquake Christchurch in a work of fiction and she does so very convincingly.
Eddy, Eddy seems to share a similar style and tone to From the Cutting Room of Barney Kettle another YA- adjacent novel also set in Christchurch. Readers of that novel will be familiar with the slightly frenetic nature of storytelling. It's a whirlwind of characters ( and animals ) all quoting things at each other at a rapid pace. The idea of community as family is strong here. Eddy seems to excel in collecting up not just pet-minding jobs but all manner of waifs, strays and misfits. It's charming in a retro kind of way, all homemade jams and bonding over Bananagrams. The spirit of Dickens's A Christmas Carol haunts the entire thing.
However, as with “Barney”, there are some surprises buried here which ultimately gives the book a bit more edge. For a person not overly fond of animals, Dickens or Christmas this is not exactly a story that hits my reading sweet spot, so I was happy with these little doses of reality.
I also wonder if any teenagers exist in the 2020s that are remotely similar to the ones described here. They seem so clever and well read and thoughtful of others. Youths from a bygone age? Oddly I was most reminded of I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith - set in the 30s - maybe it was all the wholesome board games and homemade gift giving ;)
Still, I enjoyed the rare experience of being in a uniquely Cantabrian novel and was particularly tickled by all the road cones and the trip to Cass Station in homage to Rita Angus amongst other little uniquely South Island joys.
- Still mulling this book over a week later, so that must be a good sign
August 9, 2022
I'm so sad it's finished. I've read it now and I won't have the joy of not knowing what happens in this book again. If you're a Kate De Goldi fan, if you loved The 10 pm question, you'll most likely be into this one. Kate loves a troubled soul. She writes about quirky, clever, and funny young men who are searching for their place in the world. Set in Christchurch after the first earthquake this is the story of a city in ruins, lives ruined, and the rebuilding that they are able to do after trauma.
This time we meet Eddy. His parents dead, he lives with his uncle Brian who is known as Brain. It is obvious why this is from the first pages of the book. Brain is a librarian, with a slightly peculiar way, but almost nobody in Eddy's life is without quirk. And that is what makes this book so appealing. Eddy has left school after throwing a tantrum. He is at a loose end, working at New World Supermarket and walking dogs, feeding birds, frogs, and a bunch of other creatures. He is asked to look after the kids of one of his clients and we meet the wonderful character of Delphine and her brother, the few-worded Jasper. Eddy begins collecting people as well as animals, he has an irresistible charm that seems to attract older women. Then, on a trip to the vet, he meets Boo, the girl who was his love until two years ago. And that is all I'm saying.
One thing anyone who reads Kate's work knows they are in for a vocabularian workout. Even if you pride yourself on your mastery of words you are going to have to reach for your phone to check out some of the words. At one point, about a third in, I started to find it just a bit tedious, but then you just go with the flow. I can imagine that some will get stuck there, but I can assure you that the reward of reading the whole story is totally worth this trial.
Read it, treasure the language, and know that as you turn the final page - in my case at 2 am - you'll sigh with satisfaction. Maybe.
This time we meet Eddy. His parents dead, he lives with his uncle Brian who is known as Brain. It is obvious why this is from the first pages of the book. Brain is a librarian, with a slightly peculiar way, but almost nobody in Eddy's life is without quirk. And that is what makes this book so appealing. Eddy has left school after throwing a tantrum. He is at a loose end, working at New World Supermarket and walking dogs, feeding birds, frogs, and a bunch of other creatures. He is asked to look after the kids of one of his clients and we meet the wonderful character of Delphine and her brother, the few-worded Jasper. Eddy begins collecting people as well as animals, he has an irresistible charm that seems to attract older women. Then, on a trip to the vet, he meets Boo, the girl who was his love until two years ago. And that is all I'm saying.
One thing anyone who reads Kate's work knows they are in for a vocabularian workout. Even if you pride yourself on your mastery of words you are going to have to reach for your phone to check out some of the words. At one point, about a third in, I started to find it just a bit tedious, but then you just go with the flow. I can imagine that some will get stuck there, but I can assure you that the reward of reading the whole story is totally worth this trial.
Read it, treasure the language, and know that as you turn the final page - in my case at 2 am - you'll sigh with satisfaction. Maybe.
Read
December 25, 2022I have complicated feelings about this.
July 31, 2022
"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness."
Ahhhhh Eddy, sweet child, the trauma is very real for our boy (and I promise, he is ours), an orphan raised by an odd-ball Uncle in Christchurch. The earthquakes (which will be a part of our generations memory) are a catalyst for this coming-of-age tale. Expelled from school, juggling odd jobs, and complex relationships with those around him, Eddy shows us how to come full circle in grief: how to find love, find happiness, find reconnection. In this case, with the help of vibrant discourse and a host of wild characters - both human and animal.
This books language is rich - you may require the odd stop to Google the definition of a word - but this really creates an intriguing challenge for soaking up the dialogue between all relatively intelligent characters. Both comical and heart-breaking, each character shines with their own uniqueness, but with a shared love for those around them. They are perfectly flawed and intensely human in their interactions. This novel really captures something very special, very NZ. It made me laugh. It made me cry (from the very beginning dagnamit). It's a slow burn, character-building type novel that gives us glimpses into the earth-shattering events that happen in Eddy's life, and how he navigates his existence post-trauma/s.
Def get this one in your hands folks - the kiwis will particularly feel this one to their bones.
"On and on went the world, thought Eddy, swirling and determined, rearranging itself around his semi-baffled self.
Ahhhhh Eddy, sweet child, the trauma is very real for our boy (and I promise, he is ours), an orphan raised by an odd-ball Uncle in Christchurch. The earthquakes (which will be a part of our generations memory) are a catalyst for this coming-of-age tale. Expelled from school, juggling odd jobs, and complex relationships with those around him, Eddy shows us how to come full circle in grief: how to find love, find happiness, find reconnection. In this case, with the help of vibrant discourse and a host of wild characters - both human and animal.
This books language is rich - you may require the odd stop to Google the definition of a word - but this really creates an intriguing challenge for soaking up the dialogue between all relatively intelligent characters. Both comical and heart-breaking, each character shines with their own uniqueness, but with a shared love for those around them. They are perfectly flawed and intensely human in their interactions. This novel really captures something very special, very NZ. It made me laugh. It made me cry (from the very beginning dagnamit). It's a slow burn, character-building type novel that gives us glimpses into the earth-shattering events that happen in Eddy's life, and how he navigates his existence post-trauma/s.
Def get this one in your hands folks - the kiwis will particularly feel this one to their bones.
"On and on went the world, thought Eddy, swirling and determined, rearranging itself around his semi-baffled self.
December 23, 2022
This is a gorgeous New Zealand novel that is (very) loosely based on the novel “A Christmas Carol” and it takes place in the weeks leading up to Christmas. It’s a perfect, warming read for this time of year.
Eddy is a delightful and very bright 19 year old who is drifting in his life. He dropped out of High School, recently lost his much loved dog and fills his days pet sitting, dog walking and working part time in a supermarket. He is an orphan who was raised by his somewhat eccentric but very loving uncle.
This is one of those books with a cast of tight knit and quirky characters who you grow very fond of over the course of the book. It is also one of those books (like Isaac and the Egg or Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine) where you don’t initially realise why the main character is as they are. There are a series of reveals over the book which had a strong impact on me.
Another character in the novel is the city of Christchurch where the book is set. It takes place two years after the 2011 earthquake that caused so much damage and the wounds in the city mirror the wounds that Eddy is carrying internally.
Having said that, I must stress that it’s not in any way a depressing read. Eddy is a wonderful character and there’s a lot of humour in this book.
Eddy is a delightful and very bright 19 year old who is drifting in his life. He dropped out of High School, recently lost his much loved dog and fills his days pet sitting, dog walking and working part time in a supermarket. He is an orphan who was raised by his somewhat eccentric but very loving uncle.
This is one of those books with a cast of tight knit and quirky characters who you grow very fond of over the course of the book. It is also one of those books (like Isaac and the Egg or Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine) where you don’t initially realise why the main character is as they are. There are a series of reveals over the book which had a strong impact on me.
Another character in the novel is the city of Christchurch where the book is set. It takes place two years after the 2011 earthquake that caused so much damage and the wounds in the city mirror the wounds that Eddy is carrying internally.
Having said that, I must stress that it’s not in any way a depressing read. Eddy is a wonderful character and there’s a lot of humour in this book.
December 23, 2022
I absolutely loved this book, it feels wrong to have finished it because I could imagine reading it forever, or maybe I just don’t want to let go of this Eddy and his newly expanded circle of glorious people who, unknowingly to him, are bringing him back from the brink that he doesn’t even know he’s on. His internal and external dialogue are so on the money it’s staggering, I related to him so much. Although I feel I could go on reading about Eddy forever, I knew by the end that he was going to be OK. A book I will treasure having read. I felt a bit like this about the 10pm Question.
June 13, 2022
This book shares so much with Sarah Winman’s STILL LIFE. If you loved it, you will love this. It’s full of characters and animals (including a talking parrot) you’ll love, a traumatised earthquake-damaged city that permeates the entire book and a gently unfolding story of grief and love and family and religion and the human spirit. It is sure to make you feel feelings. And these characters stay with you. So if you’re in the mood for quirky whimsy and life-affirming charm, this is the book for you (out in July).
October 6, 2022
At first I wasn’t sure about this one. Not a fan of A Christmas Carol, and I tired of the vocabulary work-out, and religious/choral references. However, I kept reading, appreciating Christchurch after the first quake as a fitting setting for the cast of quirky characters. Several got under my skin, and I found myself rooting for Eddy and Boo, puzzled and annoyed by Thos, delighted by the incorrigible Delphine, and full of fondness for generous, wise Brain. And who could forget the various animal charges of Eddy’s pet minding business? “Mother” is a scream (literally).
Both funny and moving. 4.5 stars
Both funny and moving. 4.5 stars
August 29, 2022
One can skim-read large portions of many books these days; too many works are padded out to make them several hundred pages longer than they need to be. 'Eddy, Eddy' is not a book that should be skim-read. Every sentence is exactly as it should be, and every page sparkles with wordplay. An entirely charming read!
Read
August 7, 2022busy with thesis, this was a nice break read in two-ish sittings. a plot that leave little breadcrumbs to follow. populated with precocious and charming characters. sideways bits of class commentary were a little wonky.
January 15, 2023
Disappointing. Been wanting to read this, loved 10.00pm and it has such huge accolades. But I got cranky with Kate "showing off". Yes very clever and yes lots of interesting vocabulary but just too much.
Charming quirky characters, heartwarming plot.
Charming quirky characters, heartwarming plot.
February 10, 2023
This follow up novel is just as good as The 10pm Question, looking at Eddy and his unconventional family 2 years on from the Christchurch earthquakes as he tries to put his life back together. Such good characters and vibrant writing. Highly recommended.
September 29, 2023
Took me a while to get into and figure out the writing style but once I did I didn’t want to put it down. Such a beautiful heartbreaking story
March 4, 2024
Loved this, quite different from my usual but just lots of smiling and unique in writing style!!
August 7, 2022
Eddy, Eddy follows protagonist Eddy as he navigates his life after leaving school and experiencing plenty of trauma in post-earthquake Christchurch. This book is dark and humourous and tearful and hopeful.
I’m so invested in Eddy’s community and chosen family, the characters are vibrant and have been given rich backstories. I love Delphine so much and am obsessed with her texts. Shout out to Boo and Sue too, I love to see strong women in books!
I struggled each time I came across the character Brain… needing to read Brain and not Brian. Knowing full well it was a nickname, I couldn’t help but feel confused all over again on pages 190 and 191 when he’s referred to as Brian. He has a wonderful presence in the book and in Eddy too. The vocabulary and knowledge they share is inspiring albeit pretentious. I was grateful to read this on a kindle so that defining words was easy.
I really enjoyed the sense of community and tradition, learning how some characters have reshaped their religious identities with non-religious ones but still embraced singing carols, home made figurines for Noah’s Ark, etc. It adds a beautiful warmth to the book.
I also just love Christmas.
I’m so invested in Eddy’s community and chosen family, the characters are vibrant and have been given rich backstories. I love Delphine so much and am obsessed with her texts. Shout out to Boo and Sue too, I love to see strong women in books!
I struggled each time I came across the character Brain… needing to read Brain and not Brian. Knowing full well it was a nickname, I couldn’t help but feel confused all over again on pages 190 and 191 when he’s referred to as Brian. He has a wonderful presence in the book and in Eddy too. The vocabulary and knowledge they share is inspiring albeit pretentious. I was grateful to read this on a kindle so that defining words was easy.
I really enjoyed the sense of community and tradition, learning how some characters have reshaped their religious identities with non-religious ones but still embraced singing carols, home made figurines for Noah’s Ark, etc. It adds a beautiful warmth to the book.
I also just love Christmas.
April 20, 2025
I read this book as assigned reading to complete a project for my materials and services for YA class.
There is another review that I looked at floating around somewhere in Goodreads-land for this book, and the review was this: "cute but tedious", which is the most apt description for this book. The ending was beautiful and well written and thoughtful, but it took for-fucking-ever to get there. The first 50 pages of this book was basically just the main character walking dogs for his pet sitting gig, and the rest of the story minus the last 15% of the book was just as slow with next to nothing happening in the book. No wonder it took me almost a month to read this book. This is more a character-exploration than anything.
Anyways, this was the review I wrote for class... Perhaps a bit nicer than the one I wrote for Goodreads.
Seasoned New Zealand novelist Kate de Goldi tells the story of Eddy Smallbone, a 19-year-old who struggles to find his place in the world after the devastating 2011 Christchurch earthquake. Living with his uncle Brian–whom Eddy affectionately nicknames “Brain”–he works through a series of pet-sitting gigs, slowly piecing together a found family, consisting of his best friend Toss, his former girlfriend Boo, and a memorable cast of new faces, including a nun with a foul-mouthed cockatoo, and a spirited five-year-old with two unruly dogs. De Goldi’s sharp and thoughtful characters and clever turns of phrase help balance the heavier themes of grief, healing, and belonging. While the novel’s slow, meandering pace and literary fiction style may not appeal to every reader, Eddy, Eddy offers a unique look at love, loss, and finding one's way back home. Given its mature themes and frequent references to relationships and sexuality, Eddy, Eddy will resonate most with older teens who are ready for a slower, more emotional story
There is another review that I looked at floating around somewhere in Goodreads-land for this book, and the review was this: "cute but tedious", which is the most apt description for this book. The ending was beautiful and well written and thoughtful, but it took for-fucking-ever to get there. The first 50 pages of this book was basically just the main character walking dogs for his pet sitting gig, and the rest of the story minus the last 15% of the book was just as slow with next to nothing happening in the book. No wonder it took me almost a month to read this book. This is more a character-exploration than anything.
Anyways, this was the review I wrote for class... Perhaps a bit nicer than the one I wrote for Goodreads.
Seasoned New Zealand novelist Kate de Goldi tells the story of Eddy Smallbone, a 19-year-old who struggles to find his place in the world after the devastating 2011 Christchurch earthquake. Living with his uncle Brian–whom Eddy affectionately nicknames “Brain”–he works through a series of pet-sitting gigs, slowly piecing together a found family, consisting of his best friend Toss, his former girlfriend Boo, and a memorable cast of new faces, including a nun with a foul-mouthed cockatoo, and a spirited five-year-old with two unruly dogs. De Goldi’s sharp and thoughtful characters and clever turns of phrase help balance the heavier themes of grief, healing, and belonging. While the novel’s slow, meandering pace and literary fiction style may not appeal to every reader, Eddy, Eddy offers a unique look at love, loss, and finding one's way back home. Given its mature themes and frequent references to relationships and sexuality, Eddy, Eddy will resonate most with older teens who are ready for a slower, more emotional story
June 9, 2025
Initially I found this a little bit of a push to get into - such florid language and overly quirky characters. By a quarter in, I had fallen in love with all of those characters (both human and animal!) and let’s face it, I love obscure language. There are exquisitely gentle, tender, touching moments as the story unfolds, along with some humour. I had so many strong feelings throughout but also kept returning to wonder why it is in the YA category, a book for all ages anyway. Loved the post-quake CHCH setting.
July 22, 2022
This is simply an absolute delight, brilliantly crafted and a joy to read
September 3, 2022
Kate de Goldi has an extraordinary ability to write characters that I wish were my best friends. First it was Frankie Parsons, now it's Eddy Smallbone. Eddy lives in Christchurch and the novel is set in the aftermath of the 2011 earthquakes. Eddy lives a patchwork life, working several jobs (at the supermarket and an increasing number of pet minding gigs with an eccentric assortment of owners) and comes from a very much not nuclear family, having grown up in the care of Uncle Brain (and the help of Brain’s gorgeous and bizarre friends).
You get a sense of the city-wide catastrophe, where although all the characters seem secure again and living as normal, whenever Eddy has to drive anywhere, the road closures and traffic are nightmarish and make leaving the house far too complicated. The occasional conversations about life pre-earthquake and what the city lost had me mourning the collapse of a cathedral I don't think I ever even saw.
It took a while for me to notice that Eddy was dealing with another, more personal loss, and my awareness grew alongside a slowly increasing dread and suspicion as to what the loss what was eventually revealed at the end of the book.
This book is just so funny (many laugh out loud moments tucked in the most unexpected places) and clever – from the litany of 'Brain words', the undercurrent of Eddy's religious education and irritating presence of the Modern Priest to the many philosophically sarcastic ramblings. I feel like I’m understating it by calling it ‘an extraordinary coming-of-age story’ when it feels more like I’ve been privileged enough to Eddy’s world for a while, experience a different life for a while, and emerge a little heartbroken but with new friends, a better vocabulary and a greater love for people who think deeply.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
You get a sense of the city-wide catastrophe, where although all the characters seem secure again and living as normal, whenever Eddy has to drive anywhere, the road closures and traffic are nightmarish and make leaving the house far too complicated. The occasional conversations about life pre-earthquake and what the city lost had me mourning the collapse of a cathedral I don't think I ever even saw.
It took a while for me to notice that Eddy was dealing with another, more personal loss, and my awareness grew alongside a slowly increasing dread and suspicion as to what the loss what was eventually revealed at the end of the book.
This book is just so funny (many laugh out loud moments tucked in the most unexpected places) and clever – from the litany of 'Brain words', the undercurrent of Eddy's religious education and irritating presence of the Modern Priest to the many philosophically sarcastic ramblings. I feel like I’m understating it by calling it ‘an extraordinary coming-of-age story’ when it feels more like I’ve been privileged enough to Eddy’s world for a while, experience a different life for a while, and emerge a little heartbroken but with new friends, a better vocabulary and a greater love for people who think deeply.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
April 19, 2023
Eddy, Eddy has left me with complicated feelings! On the one hand, I loved the immersion into Eddy’s thoughts, the host of quirky characters, and the depiction of post-quake Christchurch in the same era during which I moved to this broken city. On the other, something about Eddy frustrated me and kept me from being completely sold on this one. I think maybe it’s because he is just a wee bit too good to be true? Eddy is a flawed character but given his age, he copes a bit too well (until he doesn’t) with everything thrown at him. He is a bit too smart, a bit too worldly, a bit too capable. On the whole, this was still an amazing novel, just not quite the 5 stars I’d hoped for!
December 28, 2023
Cute, but tedious.
October 27, 2023
Been putting this one off since Mum gave it to me for Christmas last year, since it's set in Christchurch post-quakes and I didn't think I wanted to read about that time (as with novels set in lockdown pandemic time).
I'm glad I've finally read it; it's an absolutely charming, heartwarming, bittersweet little book. And it turns out that reading about Christchurch at that time is not so bad, and in fact it's kind of nice to be like, yes, that's how it was.
I'm glad I've finally read it; it's an absolutely charming, heartwarming, bittersweet little book. And it turns out that reading about Christchurch at that time is not so bad, and in fact it's kind of nice to be like, yes, that's how it was.
July 24, 2023
This book came so highly praised, I just couldn't get through it so gave up 2/3rds through. The central character frustrated me and everytime I read Brain, instead of Brian it drove me insane....sadly it tried to be clever but it didn't grab me!
July 17, 2024
Very good book, set in post quake Christchurch, about Eddy a young dogwalker/pet sitter, who is dealing with a previous trauma. What has happened is gradually revealed. Although a lot of sad things happen, this really isn't a sad book, and it ends on a hopeful note.
February 14, 2023
3.5 ⭐️ this grew on me! was drawn to it having been through the earthquakes as a young person. beautiful mix of characters, human and animal. familiar scenes and places. enjoyed the second half much more than the first.
July 13, 2024
Ponderously literary, beautifully character driven. Will be hard to find it a teen audience but still stunningly written. Did feel like it used the word comestibles about a thousand times.
October 2, 2024
One of the most lovely books I've ever read.
July 31, 2025
A lovely, gentle meditative book. I'll remember it and Eddy for a long time.
November 28, 2022
5 stars! Like others, I loved this book and read it in a vaguely mesmerised state. 19 year old Eddy has obviously suffered through something traumatic and is trying to get through each day as best he can, but it becomes increasingly difficult to ignore the past.
The setting is a beautifully depicted post earthquake Christchurch, the themes cover grief, family, and love, and the characters are quirky but real. It is hard to fault it on anything. Totally recommended.
The setting is a beautifully depicted post earthquake Christchurch, the themes cover grief, family, and love, and the characters are quirky but real. It is hard to fault it on anything. Totally recommended.
June 30, 2025
2,5/5 Ich habe eeewig gebrauchte um in die Geschichte einzusteigen und mochte anfangs den Protagonisten Eddy auch so gar nicht. Am Ende ergab sich dann allerdings doch eine ganz schöne Coming-of-Age Geschichte. Man muss leider nur durchhalten…
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