Eddy, Eddy
De Goldi, KateWelcome to a year in the life of Eddy Smallbone, orphan, checkout operator, nanny and pet minder. Navigating the earthquake-disturbed streets of Christchurch, Eddy, on the cusp of adulthood, has plenty to keep him busy while he wrestles with the big questions of life.
With a nod to Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, this moving coming-of-age story is written with empathy and warmth, and is populated with quirky characters, both human and animal. [Larger font]
Pages
288
288
Year
2022
2022
Reviews
28-02-2024
Several people absolutely loved Eddy's development and the quirky characters. Others did not like the beginning as it darted around the place and felt convoluted. All but one of us was encouraged to keep going and then enjoyed it.
04-12-2023
Divisive! The notes were excellent, explained a lot. Majority of the group were not enamored, finding story disjointed and the language overengineered. Minority thoroughly enjoyed it, the mildly eccentric characters and family bonds.
30-10-2023
It is a beautifully written, wonderful story. We particularly enjoyed the wordplay; local post-quake Christchurch setting; quirky, real multi-layered characters; the humour and well crafted storyline. A fabulous read!
16-10-2023
We loved the characters, storyline and slow build up to change of pace after climax in this story. Our ESOL member struggled with the language and some of us kept our dictionary close at hand to extend our vocabulary, while others let the new big words wash over us and let the story flow.
05-10-2023
The setting - post earthquake Christchurch - adds depth to this very engaging and beautifully crafted story.
02-10-2023
Not so popular with the group - some felt the author tried too hard to over complicate the language. Local references to Christchurch interesting.
16-08-2023
Overall the group really enjoyed this book and it prompted a good discussion. Most members felt it was slow to start but couldn't put it down by the end. The group felt it was well-written and tackled/covered issues of emotional awareness in men, male mental health and the various forms 'family' can take - all with graceful tact.
26-06-2023
A good story that helps to share the experience of living in the cleanup after the earthquake with a unique found family of people and animals. The challenging vocabulary made many of us read with a device nearby to look up words. The characters were well drawn but to some of us always felt like characters rather than fully formed people. One in our group felt Boo seemed old beyond her years, but many of us recognised her in people we have known.
22-06-2023
Group had mixed opinions on the rating. Some felt it was a bit wordy. Characters were well-written and described.
13-04-2023
Divisive in our group with scores ranging from 3-5. Loved the Christchurch setting and quirky characters. Some thought too many characters.
20-03-2023
This stimulated the most discussion of any book the group has tackled. So many stories of Christchurch arose from Eddie's adventures.