Take a photo of a barcode or cover
thissoftworld 's review for:
Malibu Rising
by Taylor Jenkins Reid
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
For a book that has been aggressively marketed as the “It Book” of the summer, Malibu Rising sure has ended up garnering mixed reviews.
What I liked:
• TJR can write. I enjoy her prose. It has energy.
• Although I felt like the characterization was uneven, there are characters here who felt alive and memorable (June and Nina especially).
• Malibu came to life vividly - love me a strong sense of place.
Howevers:
• So many people - I wanted to know more about the Riva kids in the present day.
• Somehow I was expecting the cause of the fire to be A LOT more dramatic. This isn’t to say that I don’t like TJR’s choice the more I sit with it, but it did seem like we were building towards this giant climactic fire-lighting moment that never came.
• A lot going on for a relatively short novel, told in dual timelines. I enjoy her writing so maybe overall this would have worked better for me if it was a bit longer.
Very well narrated on audio by Julia Whelan.
What I liked:
• TJR can write. I enjoy her prose. It has energy.
• Although I felt like the characterization was uneven, there are characters here who felt alive and memorable (June and Nina especially).
• Malibu came to life vividly - love me a strong sense of place.
Howevers:
• So many people - I wanted to know more about the Riva kids in the present day.
• Somehow I was expecting the cause of the fire to be A LOT more dramatic. This isn’t to say that I don’t like TJR’s choice the more I sit with it, but it did seem like we were building towards this giant climactic fire-lighting moment that never came.
• A lot going on for a relatively short novel, told in dual timelines. I enjoy her writing so maybe overall this would have worked better for me if it was a bit longer.
Very well narrated on audio by Julia Whelan.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Abandonment
Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Gun violence