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Edward Vukovic

Grind Paperback – 2 February 2016

by Edward Vukovic (Author)

13 ratings

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Arrives: 12 - 23 Feb

Ziva's love of coffee is double-edged. Throughout her life, she gives her talent freely to those desperate for a glimpse into destiny's promise. Predicting the future with chilling accuracy, she understands the cost and has sworn never to divine her own truth. Having fled the economic aftershocks of the Balkan war, she struggles adjusting to her new life and clings to the remnants of her past, until she meets Isaac. Against her better judgement, Ziva 'reads' for herself and what she sees will change her life irrevocably. Told from the perspective of multiple characters, Grind follows the plight of Ziva, an ordinary immigrant with an extraordinary gift, and highlights the impact we have on each other through the interconnectedness of chance encounters.

Product details

Publisher : Createspace Independent Publishing Platform (2 February 2016)
Language: : English
Paperback : 398 pages
ISBN-10 : 1533220964
ISBN-13 : 978-1533220967
Dimensions : 13.97 x 2.29 x 21.59 cm

Customer Reviews:
13 ratings

Product description

About the Author

Edward Vukovic is a Melbourne-based writer and novelist and writes for numerous publications and websites. When he's not writing about his poor parenting skills, his obsession with LEGO, the Eurovision Song Contest or fantasy football you will likely find him yelling at the television, unaware that the players of whatever sport he's watching at the time can't actually hear his ranting. Edward is married to his wonderfully patient and talented wife Vesna and is a proud, if sometimes bewildered, father to his amazing son Oliver. Visit him at edwardvukovic.com to see more examples of his work.

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Top reviews from Australia

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Beck

Great book to disappear into

Reviewed in Australia on 8 March 2016

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I really liked this book. Firstly, I just liked the story - I always love books with independent characters that somehow cross paths, either physically or in a metaphorical (emotional) way.

The character development is awesome, and something I'm quite fussy about. If I don't connect at some level with most of the characters in a book, I don't enjoy it as much. These characters are complex and well-drawn, but with a little left out just so you can fill the holes yourself - invariably you fill them in a way that makes them familiar to you, and hence easy to connect to.

I also found that the author did a great job with the female characters - some male authors tend to lack a little in this area but this author was very insightful.

It almost lost a star just for the complexity of the writing, which isn't a failing of the author skill-wise, but not a preference of mine. I like some detail, but sometimes it was too much for me. The author is very skilled at weaving a lacework of adjectives that build a clear picture, but sometimes for me it clogs it up. It did loosen up about a third of the way through (or I got used to it and more tolerant!).

The use of language was very accurate for the location, setting and cultures it portrays - I enjoyed that part of the writing a lot. It's very "Melbourne".

One person found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

A page turning slice of life in Melbourne's recent past.

Reviewed in Australia on 18 July 2016

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In intriguing view of a recent past of the city of Melbourne through the people who contribute to the communities we experience today. Structured to keep you reading and engaged and with flowing narrative, the book gives insight to many of the attitudes, places and faces we see in the city today. A good read for anyone who wants to examine more about their own Australian experience.

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Jessie

I'd recommend it and I don't even drink coffee!

Reviewed in Australia on 6 January 2017

Is it cliche to compare a book that features coffee with a coffee shop? I hope not...

This book is told from a variety of view points and as they are introduced, the characters swirl through the plot like the steam and scent of coffee in eddies of breezes, mingling and changing as they meet. Just as if you were to follow your nose walking through your favorite local coffee shop, the scent of some of the characters drew me in. I wanted to know more about the woman who reads the future in coffee cups and I drank those stories up looking for seconds. Others pushed me back, the real estate agent was not what I hoped for, nor what I was expecting. Yet others, like the homeless man, changed on closer inspection, the difference between the initial scent of a cup and the surprising flavor on the tongue.

These people living in an Australian city have nothing but coffee in common, until they all drift toward the ceiling, swirling, changing and intersecting. Once that happens, once all the characters intersect, some in big ways some smaller you are left with an overall ambiance that is better than any of them individually.

Would I recommend it? Yes and I don't even drink coffee.

(Also the book has undergone a rewrite and additional editing since the first reviews posted on Amazon, don't let them scare you off!)

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

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Roses are Amber

Australian setting contemporary fiction with a coffee theme.

Reviewed in Australia on 23 November 2016

Grind is a contemporary piece of literature set in Melbourne, Australia and follows five different characters towards an end when it is revealed how they are all connected. Throughout the story coffee is a common thread linking them all. The book is primarily written in first person from multiple points of view.

Ziva is Eastern European, with a gift of sight, she reads the signs left by the dregs in strong Turkish cups of coffee. She has come to Australia, following her brother and his wife, but she struggles to make friends and fit in.

Isaac owns a bar, he mourns the loss of his wife who died several years ago, he owns a dog he names Dante and he writes poetry.

Simon is a struggling estate agent, when he's late for work one day a colleague takes the call about a property he's been trying to sell for ages and makes the deal. His day gets worse when he finds the others in the office have also stolen his supply of precious coffee and it tips him over the edge, sending him on a dangerous drinking spree.

Michel is a mysterious homeless man with a shocking past and one he tries to escape, fearing violence from the bosses he stole from, he hopes his new life will keep them away, instead his past deeds return in an innocent form to haunt him.

Danielle is a schoolgirl who brushes the lives of all the other characters as they meet her one by one at a traffic light crossing.

This book takes a bit of getting into, especially as there is no indication which character each new chapter is about. The first person narrative is not necessarily the fault, but perhaps helpful chapter headings with just the character's name would ease the reading experience. As it is, each new chapter takes a bit of time to work out who is talking and it interrupted the flow of the story for me.

The good thing is that there is plenty of rich writing to indulge in and the coffee theme is fun and well done. I particularly enjoyed Ziva's coffee cup readings. Harder for me was the teasing out of the characters, it took a long while to understand that there were several characters and that the story had changed to someone new, meaning I had to re-read sections. We got to know the characters from their background story build ups but not from any striking dialogue or minds-eye visualisation.

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Natalie

A compelling and moving book that brings tears as well as laughter

Reviewed in Australia on 16 May 2017

You want to read this book! It is storytelling at its finest. Grind immediately draws you in with rich character development and a journey that evokes nostalgia, loss, love and laughter. You really feel for each and every one of the characters. Their stories draw you in like, just like a good cup of coffee. The pacing is excellent, the story arc is clever. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and highly recommend it. Now... about that coffee.

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Top reviews from other countries

fuzzylogic

Exquisitely written drama

Reviewed in Canada on 15 December 2017

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At first, this book reads like a collection of short stories chained together by the eternal friend of writers everywhere, coffee. But all the clues are there that each early character story is connected. It can be difficult to have a time-hopping head-hopping narrative without confusing or frustrating a reader, but Edward Vukovic stays on top of it and presents compelling human drama.

FlorenceT

Masterfully crafted character-driven story!

Reviewed in the United States on 17 January 2017

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The story is a microcosm of the world at large, bound by the aromatic substance, coffee. This is an entirely enjoyable and intelligent book, weaving multi-faceted characters through each other’s lives culminating in a powerful resolution.

Masterfully crafted by Vukovic, the characters' lives intersect and will be forever changed, each character finding redemption.

I cannot help but associate the title ‘Grind’ with a different meaning, the grind that is life for the characters, each with a burden to bear. Will it lighten, I wonder…?

Absolutely recommend this. ‘Grind’ draws the reader into the lives of its characters, reminding us that we all have our privates selves, that it is a priilege to be let into that private world. We are the same – doing the best we can in our world – no matter the texture of our story; and interconnected – our actions have impact on others .

2 people found this helpful

JoDee Neathery

How do you take your coffee?

Reviewed in the United States on 12 February 2018

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Because the author is Melbourne-based, some of the grammar, spellings, and slang got in my way, but as I got used to the differences, it did not distract me as the plot moved forward. One thing that did cause pause was the use of first person narratives alternating between characters requiring the reader to pay particular attention to the chapter headings to determine who was speaking. I enjoyed the concept of the coffee stains predicting the future not unlike tarot cards or tea leaves, but I was somewhat confused that this story line seemed to drop off through the novel. The descriptions were detailed and successfully placed the reader inside the different scenes and you could literally smell the coffee brewing. Grind not only referred to coffee, but reflected life as a grind for the characters. Tighter editing would have prompted me to give it a higher rating, but overall a rewarding dip into the struggles of ordinary lives and relationships.

CJ S.

An engrossing read!

Reviewed in the United States on 20 March 2018

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A wonderful read full of well-written characters. A play on words for the title and the book itself.

My favorite character would obviously be Ziva!

Highly recommended!

Kindle Customer

Glad I got it

Reviewed in the United States on 28 July 2017

Verified Purchase

Well the cover grabbed me first! And the story did too. Glad I got it..

One person found this helpful

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Grind Paperback – 2 February 2016

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