By Melissa Khan
It’s 1983, and Nina Riva is still planning on having the end of summer party she throws with her three younger siblings every year. Throughout the course of one day, we learn the history of the Riva siblings and of the bonds that tie them together in Taylor Jenkins Reid’s novel Malibu Rising. Careful Nina seems to be repeating her mother’s mistakes. Brothers Jay and Hud have been keeping secrets from each other for the first time ever. Talented Kit is struggling with her identity. And having a famous absentee father is not helping any of them.
Interwoven with the present day are excerpts from the past, from Mick and June’s first date to their first child to the first time he walked away. And the aftermath of these decisions is written in such heartbreaking detail. The first part of the novel switches between chapters from the present and the past, with each sibling’s perspective progressing from the start of their day leading up to the start of the party. Flashback chapters mostly centre on moments through the lens of their mother. With these changing perspectives, we start to form a picture of the family and their relationships with one another.
The second part begins at the start of the party and includes shorter chapters from the perspectives of other guests at the party. These outside views show us the siblings in another light, one that proves how drastically different of an image one can portray. We also begin to learn through flashback chapters how the siblings moved into adulthood, which I felt did a good job of bridging the gap between these characters as children to who they are in the present day.
I think the changing perspective between chapters was a great way to paint the picture of Nina, Jay, Hud, and Kit. I loved hearing how their shared history affected them differently. However, I felt at times that we didn’t get enough to really sink our teeth into the characters. I would have loved to read more about Jay and Kit specifically, there was so much more to get out of their storylines, and I wish we got to spend more time with them. There were moments when Jay’s actions felt out of character, and I would have loved to see it corrected or explained. Kit’s struggle with her identity and future was raw and complicated and could have benefitted from getting more than a struggle with how to dress or who to kiss.
I felt so much sadness reading this novel. It was everything I expected from Reid, a beautiful, complicated story that got me to empathize with every character I encountered. If you were a fan of any of Reid’s previous work, I would highly recommend checking this one out as well. It will leave you feeling hopeful and sad and eager for more!
Thank you, Penguin Random House Canada, for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.