Malibu Rising | Book Review

A riveting tale of love, betrayal, sacrifice & bonding. Malibu Rising is a compelling read that shines with a solid storyline. A crisp & stunning narration by Taylor Jenkins Reid catapults this beautiful book to the top reads of the year. One of those books you are not sure what you liked so much about it. Yet, something about it just makes it close to your heart.

Malibu Rising is the story of the Riva siblings – Nina, Jay, Hud & Kit. They have a famous father, Mick, weak in character – with numerous women & one night stands in his life. He abandons them & June (their mother) early in their lives. June single handedly raises not only her 3 children, but also Mick’s son from another woman.

The instant love for the abandoned child, the grit with which she raises the 4 kids and her ever lasting hope that Mick will someday return to them is inspiring as well as anguishing. Honestly, I felt like admonishing June for repeatedly forgiving Mick and allowing him to betray her, not once but twice. And, despite it, till her last breath she lives in the hope of Mick returning to her.

As fate would have it, Nina almost relives her mother’s life. I was exasperated, half expecting Nina to repeat her mom’s mistakes. But, one fine moment she stands up and walks over him left, right & center!

Book Review

What is beautiful about this book is it’s narration. Taylor Jenkins Reid narrates the entire lives of all the characters in the course of one single evening. That of the Riva’s famous party. It is all happening in those few hours. Malibu Rising is an intricately woven tale which feels like moving in a circle. It takes you from one character to the other, all of them interlinked. And within this confined space, the traits of each of them stands out so distinctly. Be it the loud mouthed Kit, soft hearted Hud or the ever so soft & good heart Nina.

Engaging Sequences

There is a brilliant sequence in the book that I thoroughly enjoyed. Mick returns to the Rivas and hopes they take him back into the family. But not this time! For goodness sake, Nina admonishes him and how! Claps! I would have literally pulled my hair had she forgiven the man following into her mother’s footsteps. It was such a revelation to see Nina vent out her anger, her frustration, her sorrow and her desires – which she had forever kept within her.

Or the other much funny yet scintillating sequence when Carrie Soto comes roaring to Nina’s and walks left, right and center over Brandon! All her blurt towards Brandon, the tattered position of Brandon in this whole rigmarole – which ultimately leaves him empty ended both sides – it’s a fun read down to the wire.

A Perfect Ending

If there could be anything better, the author has a perfect ending to this memorable read. Every piece falls into it’s rightful place. Most of all Nina finally starts living for herself. And how beautifully it links to the burning of Malibu once again – the city that has burnt repeatedly. But, the fire not only symbolizes destruction, but also the rising from the ashes. An abundance of hope & happiness is what Malibu Rising leaves you with.

This book deserves all the accolades it is garnering. The strong point of Malibu Rising is it’s solid storyline which is gripping from the word go. Surely one not to be missed. Get it now on Amazon.

If you enjoyed this book, you may also want to read Black Cake (Charmaine Wilkerson), another gripping story of strong family ties.