Greek Expectations: The Last Moussaka Standing
Contents:
Determined never to be the stereotypical Greek woman stuck in the kitchen, she chose to while away long summer days holidaying in Greece playing, "What's the time Mr Wolf?
Unfortunately Zeus had other ideas, and in a twist of fate some years later, Ekaterina found herself married to a Greek-Cypriot and battling against the stale old laws of Greek tradition. Part memoir, part rant, part survival guide, Ekaterina's cautionary tale of Greek love and life gives a hilariously witty insight into the trials and tribulations of being a modern woman tormented by guilt-inducing mother-in-laws, pandofla-wielding Grandfathers, and oppressively hairy husbands.
Paperback , 1 , pages. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about Greek Expectations , please sign up. Lists with This Book. Nov 10, Julie Haigh rated it it was amazing Recommends it for: Recommended to Julie by: Saw it on goodreads giveaways and won it. I was lucky enough to win a signed copy of this book in a goodreads. What a treat it was to read. The author's bubbly personality shows through the writing.
There was even humour in the inside cover page eg. Names, characters and events are all true. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locale is NOT a coincidence' -well this ha Great!
Greek Expectations: The Last Moussaka Standing [Ekaterina Botziou] on Amazon .com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Growing up in a big, not-so-fat. Editorial Reviews. About the Author. With a father hailing from Greece and a mother with roots as mixed as a tequila sunrise, Ekaterina Botziou grew up with a .
Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locale is NOT a coincidence' -well this had me laughing before I had even started the book! This isn't a novel or a memoir but it is light-hearted look at life in a Greek family living in England and their various traditions and quirks.
Funny and informative, it is quite wonderful. It's quite a short book, pages, but Ekaterina manages to say so much in so few words and there's so many funny anecdotes. My absolute favourite chapter was the one where she described their annual holidays in Greece. A fabulous chapter, the book is great for this chapter alone.
Here are experiences, jokey observations, poems, stories and recipes.
Even the titles for the chapters are well thought out and this all adds up to a great presentation. Congratulations on an excellent book. Jun 30, Maria Constantine rated it really liked it. Ekaterina Botziou's colourful depiction of her family, her childhood memories, going on holiday to Greece, and her marriage to a Greek-Cypriot man afford an enjoyable and entertaining read. I found the stories relating to her father particularly amusing, especially the time he ' I was able to contrast my experiences in having a f Ekaterina Botziou's colourful depiction of her family, her childhood memories, going on holiday to Greece, and her marriage to a Greek-Cypriot man afford an enjoyable and entertaining read.
I was able to contrast my experiences in having a father who is a perfectionist with excellent DIY skills. I was also touched by one of her comments where she states: I believe my Greek-Cypriot father was greatly influenced in his views by having three daughters as he instilled career aspirations and the importance of academic qualifications in his daughters.
Therefore, I was able to compare and contrast my experiences with those of the writer. Ekaterina Botziou's 'Greek Expectations: The Last Moussaka Standing' is written with skill, humour and wit; she is clearly a talented writer and I look forward to reading her next book. Oct 16, Una Rose rated it it was amazing. This book makes you want to crack open the Oozo and remember those sunny days spent on a Greek beach in your teenage years and ponder what life might have been had you taken up that gorgeous local bar man's offer!
What a hoot this book is, exploring the life of one half-Greek lady who after a lifetime living with a Greek father goes on to marry her very own Greek man, although one she must surely be able to mold into her own fashion, given her feisty, gutsy personality that shines through each p This book makes you want to crack open the Oozo and remember those sunny days spent on a Greek beach in your teenage years and ponder what life might have been had you taken up that gorgeous local bar man's offer!
What a hoot this book is, exploring the life of one half-Greek lady who after a lifetime living with a Greek father goes on to marry her very own Greek man, although one she must surely be able to mold into her own fashion, given her feisty, gutsy personality that shines through each page. Ekaterina has a great sense of humor and a great talent for exploring deep into the pysche of the Southern Mediterranean male and what life was like when she visited as a child, both bemused and alarmed at the difference in culture and her dad once he touched Greek soil.
With its recipes and phrase list, all that is missing is a list of the best beaches not mentioned in the guidebooks. A definite read for anyone with the tiniest connection to Greece or who pines after those days when gorgeous dark haired, beefy young Greek men smiled at you. And certainly obligatory reading for all Greek men! Jan 24, Julie rated it really liked it. So much of what Ekaterina Botziou says about Greek customs, Greek men and Greek families, I have experienced first hand and her observations are spot on.
It is quite a talent to point out all the faults a foreigner is likely to encounter on marrying a Greek yet at the same time let your profound love for the country shine through. Like all good satires, the book is based on truth but it is done in such a good-natured way. If you are looking for a humorous, light-hearted read, want to find out more about Greek culture or are thinking of visiting Greece, this is a must-read.
However, if you are planning on getting married to a Greek then proceed with caution. You may not feel quite the same again after reading this book! Nov 23, Marissa rated it it was amazing. Hers happens to be Greek. It is written almost like a warning. She tells it like it is.
Buy for others
Her storytelling style is amusing and fun, laced with a sarcastic tone which I found laugh out loud funny at times. She intersperses little tales and vignettes from her life throughout. I found it to be an easy and enjoyable read. Nov 03, Athina Pantazatou rated it it was amazing Shelves: My "date added" and "date read" sections on Goodreads can prove me wrong, but this is only because I lack basic social sharing skills like updating statuses on time! Truth be told, I devoured Greek Expectations within 48 hours!! Ekaterina has a sharp, critical eye and an amazing sense of humour which make up a refreshing, witty,passionate, original and inventive narrative.
You will go "oh. Nov 25, Maria Sullivan rated it it was amazing. Thoroughly enjoyed this tongue-in-cheek book looking at marriage in the Greek community, made me laugh out loud a few times especially with the stereo-typical Greek men and their mummies! Recommend this book especially for those Shirley Valentine wannabes! Interesting Greek Book Given my experience of Greece, this is a highly accurate representation of Greek values and traditions as viewed by outsiders. Enjoyable and amusing to read! I laughed the whole way through while reading excerpts to my Greek husband who also cracked up as he nodded his head in agreement.
She is spot on! Like the author, my kids are also "half-breeds.
Botziou also includes short poems and childhood memories, both of which are very endearing. I wish she'd have written more of the childhood memories. They are wonderful to read! This one is too short! Overly zealous politically-correct readers should stay away. All others, read and reread and enjoy. I read this book in one sitting laughing at almost every page. This is a true take of a girl growing up in England with Cypriot culture eventually marrying a Greek man.
Greek Expectations: The Last Moussaka Standing by Ekaterina Botziou
In her own words-scan-da-lous. If in doubt just bring more food. This book sui I read this book in one sitting laughing at almost every page. This book suits everyone not just people of Cypriot of Greek heritage. A hilarious insight into the culture of Ekaterina's family. On the surface, it seems she resents the traditions and the culture.
She also must have a very secure family to know she is simply poking fun and not to take her seriously. The truth is that through all the jokes and sarcastic remarks you can sense that deep down she is extremely proud of her heritage. Ekaterina is an incredibly funny and talented writer that perfectly describes her life as a Greek. I love the book, I can't rave on enough about it and it was quite enjoyable to read. I laughed wholeheartedly and enjoyed each page.
As far as the complainers out there that can't avoid the criticisms about the book, they obviously need something or someone to complain about. Just enjoy the book for what it is and stop looking for things to complain about. I don't go out of my way to write negative reviews for those I didn't approve of. If you didn't like the book, whatever. Your loss, so many other people have enjoyed it and love it. Not everything in this world has to be perfect. One person found this helpful.
If ever you want to know about becoming a greek wife, this is the book for it. I delighted inEkataerina's story of fitting into a macho world of greek men who somehow never grow up as they go from the cloistered arms of their mothers to that of their wives and then expect that the wives will continue in the same fashion. Her sense of humour is infectious as she shows other women how to tiptoe through the minefield of being a Greek wife, especially if you have not grown up in these hallowed surroundings where your every move is watched and reported on and analysed, sometimes most unfavourably.
Greek Expectations: The Last Moussaka Standing by Ekaterina Botziou
Hers happens to be Greek. It is written almost like a warning.
She tells it like it is. Her storytelling style is amusing and fun, laced with a sarcastic tone which I found laugh out loud funny at times. She intersperses little tales and vignettes from her life throughout. I found it to be an easy and enjoyable read. I loved the humor in the book and overall found it enjoyable. I loved the small window it opened to married life in Greece. Cute, quick read of the cultural differences of marrying into a real Greek family.
Full of real life examples of what to expect.
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Genuinely a fun read! Ekaterina Boziou has a sharp, critical eye and an amazing sense of humour which make up a refreshing, witty,passionate, original and inventive narrative. You will go "oh. See all 28 reviews. Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers.
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