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andiewritesandreads 's review for:
Malibu Rising
by Taylor Jenkins Reid
I had high hopes for this book after loving The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Somewhere inside Malibu Rising is a great book, but the plot gets bogged down by too many characters and inconsistent pacing. The story is at its best when focused on the Riva children and their parents.
I had trouble putting this book down, but once we reached present day in the “past timeline” I found myself liking the book less. That being said, I was super invested in the overall story. The writing was utterly gorgeous in spots. Nina is a great character and her arc is excellent—all the Riva kids had pretty interesting arcs—but I wish we saw more of her story. The end should have been a big moment, but it fell flat for me. The entirety of the ending felt rushed and uneven.
I understand what Reid was trying to do. She’s a great story teller, but the scope and chaos of the party scene robbed the central characters of their emotional climax. The nuttiness of the rager began to grate on me and detract from the emotional punch of the last scenes. There were some good minor characters but we could have seen them all through the Riva kids’ eyes. Being in so many heads was all too much for me.
The setting was fantastic, and Reid continues to do a great job capturing the nuances of different eras. She will still be an autobuy author for me, even though I didn’t love this one!
Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine/Random House for my e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
I had trouble putting this book down, but once we reached present day in the “past timeline” I found myself liking the book less. That being said, I was super invested in the overall story. The writing was utterly gorgeous in spots. Nina is a great character and her arc is excellent—all the Riva kids had pretty interesting arcs—but I wish we saw more of her story. The end should have been a big moment, but it fell flat for me. The entirety of the ending felt rushed and uneven.
I understand what Reid was trying to do. She’s a great story teller, but the scope and chaos of the party scene robbed the central characters of their emotional climax. The nuttiness of the rager began to grate on me and detract from the emotional punch of the last scenes. There were some good minor characters but we could have seen them all through the Riva kids’ eyes. Being in so many heads was all too much for me.
The setting was fantastic, and Reid continues to do a great job capturing the nuances of different eras. She will still be an autobuy author for me, even though I didn’t love this one!
Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine/Random House for my e-arc in exchange for an honest review.