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outsidestar's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
"Malibu catches fire. It is simply what Malibu does from time to time."
I loved this book, but I don't think it fully made it to 5 stars for me.
Before I get into what it's about, let me say that I am now hopelessly in love with TJR's writing. That's how I want to write someday. The whole book is written flawlessly, but that beginning? She had me at the prologue. I knew I was going to love it right then and there.
Now, back to the topic at hand. Malibu Rising tells the story of the four Riva children, the story of their parents, the story of family bonds and, in some way, the story of fire. The book takes place over one single day of August 1983 but, as the day unfolds, we get flashback chapters on everything that came before, starting in 1956 when June Costas met Mick Riva.
"Our family histories are simply stories. They are myths we create about the people who came before us, in order to make sense of ourselves."
This is a story of childhood and growing up, sometimes faster than you should; a story about the struggles of being a single parent, especially when the money is tight; a story about realizing you don't owe anything to people who hurt you or betray your trust, whoever that may be; a story about healthy relationships and toxic ones; and ultimately it's a story about Nina Riva, a strong as hell female character who will do whatever it takes because that's just how fiercely loyal she is.
I don't want to say much more because this is one of those books you're better off reading without knowing much about it to begin with. Just know that you will love Nina, Jay, Hud and Kit in every possible way and that I cried.
"I love you just for being, whoever that is."
A massive thank you to NetGalley and Cornerstone (Random House UK) for the e-ARC in exchange of an honest and voluntary review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death of parent, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Police brutality and Adult/minor relationship
adoras's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
This was my third TJR novel, and I flew through it, but ultimately didn't enjoy it quite as much as the first two.
Like Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones, Malibu Rising deals with the lives of the rich and famous. Mick Riva (who I believe was mentioned briefly in both those novels) fathered four children, who grew up without him and to an extent raised themselves. The oldest three, Nina, Jay, and Hud, found varying degrees of fame and acclaim, and this book covers the span of a day, centered around a huge party that the family hosts on a yearly basis. There are also a lot of flashbacks to Mick and June's story and the siblings' younger years.
For the most part, the multiple POVs just heightened my need to keep reading instead of becoming distracting or annoying. The exception was when we actually get to the party and start to get a ton of briefer, fragmented sections from random partygoers. I understand what this was meant to achieve, but it didn't quite work for me. Also, although I enjoyed the main characters, I felt somewhat removed from all of them. This was done in a purposeful, more successful way in Daisy Jones or even Evelyn Hugo because we're hearing the characters tell us a story. But I didn't feel as immersed here.
My favorite of the siblings was Nina, who has a pleasing people problem. As the oldest sibling, she took care of the other three and in many ways became a mother to them. She was always the responsible one who would offer to do more than was asked and take awful treatment without speaking up. In general, the family dynamic here is fantastic. TJR is so good at making you believe in character bonds, whether they're romantic or platonic or familial, and this is no exception. I really loved the message that family is what you choose, whether or not you're also related to them by blood, and that you have to choose being there for them.
Writing-wise, I've always been aware that I'm being manipulated by TJR, and I can see why that turns people off. Personally, it doesn't bother me, because on me it's usually very successful. This one didn't hit me as hard, but I've always been interested in stories that involve absent parents and adoption/familial bonds that aren't biological. For the most part, I like her writing style--maybe not the most gorgeous prose, but a lot of specific moments that get right to the heart of something. But sometimes, it's just cheesy. For example: That broke his already malfunctioning heart. Come on.
Another thing I enjoy about her work is how they talk about the way that women move in the world. This is heightened by the fact that she writes a lot of historical fiction (and/or books with a lot of flashbacks) and talks a lot about Hollywood and fame, which really heightens issues like misogyny. What I didn't really like were some of the flashbacks to June and Mick's love story (which should probably appear in quotes). It wasn't enjoyable to read a character be treated like shit by a man and be broken by that with nothing else to her character. I get that it happens, and what the ultimate point of everything was, but I think in this case it could've simply been a backstory for the siblings without actual flashbacks, at least from her or Mick's POV. Everything that needed to be accomplished was accomplished better by the present day story.
I feel torn on the ending. I think it was an appropriate and satisfying ending on a character level, but not narratively. It felt like it was building to something that never paid off.
Despite my issues, I really enjoyed this book. I've been picking up and putting down a couple books in the last week, and I knew reading this ARC a few months early would be an almost sure winner. It's only while writing this review that I was able to unpack some of my issues with that. It's a 3.5 rounded up to 4 based on pure enjoyment while reading, but an even 3 thinking about it after the fact.
Like Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones, Malibu Rising deals with the lives of the rich and famous. Mick Riva (who I believe was mentioned briefly in both those novels) fathered four children, who grew up without him and to an extent raised themselves. The oldest three, Nina, Jay, and Hud, found varying degrees of fame and acclaim, and this book covers the span of a day, centered around a huge party that the family hosts on a yearly basis. There are also a lot of flashbacks to Mick and June's story and the siblings' younger years.
For the most part, the multiple POVs just heightened my need to keep reading instead of becoming distracting or annoying. The exception was when we actually get to the party and start to get a ton of briefer, fragmented sections from random partygoers. I understand what this was meant to achieve, but it didn't quite work for me. Also, although I enjoyed the main characters, I felt somewhat removed from all of them. This was done in a purposeful, more successful way in Daisy Jones or even Evelyn Hugo because we're hearing the characters tell us a story. But I didn't feel as immersed here.
My favorite of the siblings was Nina, who has a pleasing people problem. As the oldest sibling, she took care of the other three and in many ways became a mother to them. She was always the responsible one who would offer to do more than was asked and take awful treatment without speaking up. In general, the family dynamic here is fantastic. TJR is so good at making you believe in character bonds, whether they're romantic or platonic or familial, and this is no exception. I really loved the message that family is what you choose, whether or not you're also related to them by blood, and that you have to choose being there for them.
Writing-wise, I've always been aware that I'm being manipulated by TJR, and I can see why that turns people off. Personally, it doesn't bother me, because on me it's usually very successful. This one didn't hit me as hard, but I've always been interested in stories that involve absent parents and adoption/familial bonds that aren't biological. For the most part, I like her writing style--maybe not the most gorgeous prose, but a lot of specific moments that get right to the heart of something. But sometimes, it's just cheesy. For example: That broke his already malfunctioning heart. Come on.
Another thing I enjoy about her work is how they talk about the way that women move in the world. This is heightened by the fact that she writes a lot of historical fiction (and/or books with a lot of flashbacks) and talks a lot about Hollywood and fame, which really heightens issues like misogyny. What I didn't really like were some of the flashbacks to June and Mick's love story (which should probably appear in quotes). It wasn't enjoyable to read a character be treated like shit by a man and be broken by that with nothing else to her character. I get that it happens, and what the ultimate point of everything was, but I think in this case it could've simply been a backstory for the siblings without actual flashbacks, at least from her or Mick's POV. Everything that needed to be accomplished was accomplished better by the present day story.
I feel torn on the ending. I think it was an appropriate and satisfying ending on a character level, but not narratively. It felt like it was building to something that never paid off.
Despite my issues, I really enjoyed this book. I've been picking up and putting down a couple books in the last week, and I knew reading this ARC a few months early would be an almost sure winner. It's only while writing this review that I was able to unpack some of my issues with that. It's a 3.5 rounded up to 4 based on pure enjoyment while reading, but an even 3 thinking about it after the fact.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Violence, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Child abuse, Grief, Misogyny, and Sexual content
Minor: Car accident, Miscarriage, and Abortion
Fire, Drowning, Driving While Intoxicated, Dieting, Sexual Harassmentmiyaosamu's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
“Throughout it all, this grace had always saved her.”
— Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for providing an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Another astonishing work by Taylor Jenkins Reid, the focus on family and its meaningful themes were beautifully done and hard hitting emotionally. Malibu Rising centers around the Riva siblings, children of Mick Riva (who had his own chapter in Evelyn Hugo!), each of their individual lives and how it all spiraled in the span of twenty-four hours. Nina and Kit Riva were my favorites by the end. I related the most to Kit and adored her fiery spirit as well as her process of figuring herself out and who she wants to be. Nina on the other hand, her full story was the most devastating, the way she feels obligated to carry so much on her shoulders after everything that’s happened to her family but also admired how much truly she cares for her loved ones to a huge extent. It was Nina’s overall character arc that genuinely breathtaking and intriguing to see from beginning to end especially the development of her inner thoughts and mindset on life.
— Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for providing an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Another astonishing work by Taylor Jenkins Reid, the focus on family and its meaningful themes were beautifully done and hard hitting emotionally. Malibu Rising centers around the Riva siblings, children of Mick Riva (who had his own chapter in Evelyn Hugo!), each of their individual lives and how it all spiraled in the span of twenty-four hours. Nina and Kit Riva were my favorites by the end. I related the most to Kit and adored her fiery spirit as well as her process of figuring herself out and who she wants to be. Nina on the other hand, her full story was the most devastating, the way she feels obligated to carry so much on her shoulders after everything that’s happened to her family but also admired how much truly she cares for her loved ones to a huge extent. It was Nina’s overall character arc that genuinely breathtaking and intriguing to see from beginning to end especially the development of her inner thoughts and mindset on life.
“Capable is a question I never had the luxury of asking. Because my family needed me. And unlike you, I understand how important that is.”
I enjoyed Jay and Hud’s arcs and their close brother bond as well but I definitely did not resonate with them on the emotional sense as I did with Nina and Kit. I did wish the second half of the book still focused around the siblings instead of veering off a bit all over the place with numerous different perspectives changing every few pages with the people who were at the party. I guess it did add a bit of that flair, interesting drama, and comedy to the story, but it felt detached lacking that depth that the first half of the book had with telling each of the siblings’ stories, feelings, their childhoods and along with their parents’ backstories. It was part one and about the last 5 percent of the book that really hit and had me a sobbing mess with the stunning dialogue between the siblings and the completion of character arcs. Overall, I loved this book truly and reading a book set in Socal was captivating to me. Fans of TJR will find Malibu Rising a quite satisfying and of course, heart shattering and healing read!
“They had taught her that family is found, that whether it be blood or circumstance or choice, what binds us does not matter. All that matters is that we are bound.”
“Maybe our parents' lives are imprinted within us, maybe the only fate there is the temptation of reliving their mistakes. Maybe, try as we might, we will never be able to outrun the blood that runs through our veins.”
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, Grief, Infidelity, Suicide, and Toxic relationship
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