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A review by allthatissim
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
5.0
An epic party thrown by four siblings constitutes Malibu Rising on the surface. But this story is a deep dive inside relationships, much like surfing on the high waves. Four siblings, all surfers, united by the love of their mother and the absence of their father.
Nina Riva, the oldest of the lot, pulls together her family after the death of their mother. Their father, Mick Riva who abandoned them after getting famous, was merely a star figure in their lives. This is a story of Mick and June, Mick's betrayal, Nina's struggle to raise her family since the age of seventeen, the siblings' bond, their passions, and of course the most coveted party of the year that went wild!
You can say this story was a pure pleasure, a tabloid pleasure at that with no dull moment and all excitement. A few pages after the party starts get a bit uninteresting as we get introduced to numerous characters present in the party (who had no link whatsoever with the overall story), but it quickly picks the pace again.
At this point, I can safely say that TJR has become my auto-read author. Her writing and sense of presenting the story are impeccable. Just look at the annotations! I was surprised. The writing flows like butter and you can't help but highlight everything. Similar to the Malibu fire mentioned in the story that consumes the whole party, this book too engulfs you from page one till the end. The plot switch between the party and the past, to Mick and June's story, takes us to the magnificent Malibu of the 80s.
Nina, Jay, Hud and Kit - all four siblings - have some kind of secret or burden and this party would shape their future by the end of it, based on the decisions they take and the secrets they share in the open. To see Nina overburdened with the care of her family was heartbreaking. June, their mother, was a pure soul who had so much love to give. But the most tragic part of all of their lives was probably Mick Riva - none of them deserved what he did to them. Mick and June's love story was dramatic and swoony and one point and then it just became a flawed tragedy.
The siblings were flawed but strong. They never stopped fighting for their survival! And to think with a celebrity father, your life would be easier.
Read this for the drama, the love between siblings, engaging writing and the pure entertainment value.
#irecommend
Nina Riva, the oldest of the lot, pulls together her family after the death of their mother. Their father, Mick Riva who abandoned them after getting famous, was merely a star figure in their lives. This is a story of Mick and June, Mick's betrayal, Nina's struggle to raise her family since the age of seventeen, the siblings' bond, their passions, and of course the most coveted party of the year that went wild!
You can say this story was a pure pleasure, a tabloid pleasure at that with no dull moment and all excitement. A few pages after the party starts get a bit uninteresting as we get introduced to numerous characters present in the party (who had no link whatsoever with the overall story), but it quickly picks the pace again.
At this point, I can safely say that TJR has become my auto-read author. Her writing and sense of presenting the story are impeccable. Just look at the annotations! I was surprised. The writing flows like butter and you can't help but highlight everything. Similar to the Malibu fire mentioned in the story that consumes the whole party, this book too engulfs you from page one till the end. The plot switch between the party and the past, to Mick and June's story, takes us to the magnificent Malibu of the 80s.
Nina, Jay, Hud and Kit - all four siblings - have some kind of secret or burden and this party would shape their future by the end of it, based on the decisions they take and the secrets they share in the open. To see Nina overburdened with the care of her family was heartbreaking. June, their mother, was a pure soul who had so much love to give. But the most tragic part of all of their lives was probably Mick Riva - none of them deserved what he did to them. Mick and June's love story was dramatic and swoony and one point and then it just became a flawed tragedy.
The siblings were flawed but strong. They never stopped fighting for their survival! And to think with a celebrity father, your life would be easier.
Read this for the drama, the love between siblings, engaging writing and the pure entertainment value.
#irecommend