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A review by helenecats
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
What's your take on Taylor Jenkins Reid? She seems to be a beloved author on here. Yet I had never heard of her until I joined Bookstagram. I buddy read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in November, and buddy read Malibu Rising this month.
I'll start with the positive:
- Part I was engrossing and I grew more and more attached to the characters, especially Nina, and her mum June.
- The flashbacks to the Riva's childhood, and their mum's love story with Mick, were excellent.
- It was fun to see some references to characters from Evelyn Hugo
- All the surfing descriptions didn’t put me off, even though I've never surfed (ironic, since I lived in Australia for a year!)
- TJR tackled similar themes in both books such as alcoholism, fame, parenting, misogyny, poverty, family (blood and chosen), as well as queerness, and overall, it is well tackled.
Now for what bothered me (very mild spoilers):
- So.many.characters. in Part II! WHY? I really didn't care about all the various party-goers, the ensuing mayhem, all the drug-taking and making out and smashing everything. I didn't think it worked.
- So.many.descriptions of clothes and faces and bodies. I am reading a book, not watching a fashion show… This was the case with Evelyn Hugo as well.
- Nothing much happened plot-wise. There was no big twist. It was all wrapped up nicely. No epilogue or "10 years later" kind of chapter.
- I appreciate what TJR is doing, in her books, regarding her portrayal of women trying to make it in a man's world. But she tries to include brief references to racism, without outright going into it, so it seems disingenuous. (There is nothing revolutionary in saying that the police is more polite to rich white people - duh) One of the characters definitely would have been singled out by the police due to his skin colour, in the 80s, but in there, the police ignores him!?
- Some of the side characters read like one-dimensional clichés, and I really didn't care what might happen to them.
- I saw the "twist" about Kit coming from a mile off.
What did you think of this one, if you've read it? It's really tough to rate this one - the first half would probably be 4 stars, but the second half, 2.5, 3 at a push? It did seem more realistic and less centered on one character than Evelyn Hugo, but I don't think I'll read any other TJR books. Especially not the one about Carrie Soto (who was extremely annoying in this book!)
I'll start with the positive:
- Part I was engrossing and I grew more and more attached to the characters, especially Nina, and her mum June.
- The flashbacks to the Riva's childhood, and their mum's love story with Mick, were excellent.
- It was fun to see some references to characters from Evelyn Hugo
- All the surfing descriptions didn’t put me off, even though I've never surfed (ironic, since I lived in Australia for a year!)
- TJR tackled similar themes in both books such as alcoholism, fame, parenting, misogyny, poverty, family (blood and chosen), as well as queerness, and overall, it is well tackled.
Now for what bothered me (very mild spoilers):
- So.many.characters. in Part II! WHY? I really didn't care about all the various party-goers, the ensuing mayhem, all the drug-taking and making out and smashing everything. I didn't think it worked.
- So.many.descriptions of clothes and faces and bodies. I am reading a book, not watching a fashion show… This was the case with Evelyn Hugo as well.
- Nothing much happened plot-wise. There was no big twist. It was all wrapped up nicely. No epilogue or "10 years later" kind of chapter.
- I appreciate what TJR is doing, in her books, regarding her portrayal of women trying to make it in a man's world. But she tries to include brief references to racism, without outright going into it, so it seems disingenuous. (There is nothing revolutionary in saying that the police is more polite to rich white people - duh) One of the characters definitely would have been singled out by the police due to his skin colour, in the 80s, but in there, the police ignores him!?
- Some of the side characters read like one-dimensional clichés, and I really didn't care what might happen to them.
- I saw the "twist" about Kit coming from a mile off.
What did you think of this one, if you've read it? It's really tough to rate this one - the first half would probably be 4 stars, but the second half, 2.5, 3 at a push? It did seem more realistic and less centered on one character than Evelyn Hugo, but I don't think I'll read any other TJR books. Especially not the one about Carrie Soto (who was extremely annoying in this book!)