It’s the summer of 1983, and the famous end-of-summer party, hosted by Nina Riva, daughter of legendary singer, Mick Riva, was set to be in full swing. With the music swelling and the champagne flowing, the secrets of the Riva family will all come bubbling to the surface by the morning. If you were anybody who wanted to be somebody, this was the party to be at, if only to say you were there.
If you’re looking for a book to get you out of a reading slump, “Malibu Rising” by Taylor Jenkins Reid is for you. With its Old Hollywood aesthetic, family drama, and fame, “Malibu Rising” is bound to take you far from your bedroom and to the sunny beaches of Malibu.
Diving into the lives of the Riva kids, Nina, Jay, Hud, and Kit, Reid explores the importance of finding family, accepting and learning from the past, and living out the legacy that we forge for ourselves.
Throughout the book, two different storylines intertwine with each other; the first is where the Riva kids are now, on the day of the party, and the second tells the story of how Mick Riva met his first wife, June Costas, and how they started a family together in the early years of his career.
I enjoyed the interwoven plots because I learned more about Mick and June’s past, as well as their characters and motivations for their actions. We also get to see the different perspectives of the Riva kids throughout the night of the infamous, annual Riva party, which made me feel connected to each sibling in different ways.
Nina, the eldest daughter, talented surfer, and supermodel, went through tremendous character development throughout the book, and watching her transform throughout her character arc was easily one of my favorite parts of the book.
In the beginning, Nina is a people pleaser, willing to fit into a box to make others more comfortable. However, by the end of the book, her personality had changed from demure to outspoken; she felt free enough to express her true thoughts and feelings to others who had hurt her, regardless of their reaction.
Jay, the eldest son and championship surfer, was one of those guys that seemed like the life of the party. His pride in his surfing abilities stuck out to me the most. As a championship surfer, he viewed his surfing career and success as part of his identity, which I could relate to. His determination and devotion to surfing were traits that I admired about his character. As someone who is dedicated to creative writing and telling stories, I feel like my characters and ideas are a part of my identity, and they’re an integral part of how I work through my own experiences.
Hud, the second eldest son, is a surfing photographer. He and Jay are practically inseparable, doing everything together from a young age. Whenever Jay competes in his surfing competitions, Hud is there to capture him in action.
What I liked about Hud’s character was his humbleness. Although everyone notices Jay because of his surfing career, Hud doesn’t mind, and he celebrates his brother’s success. He’s not concerned with ego, winning or anything like that, and I found that refreshing about him.
Lastly, Kit, the youngest of the Riva kids, is a junior in college. She’s a bit awkward and average, the polar opposite of her older sister, Nina. As the youngest, Kit finds herself chasing after validation and recognition from her older siblings. She’s talented in surfing, almost as much as Jay is, but her siblings’ successes outshine her. Always on the sidelines, she’s a bit of an underdog since no one ever really notices her. I can relate to her in that way, and that made Kit feel more real to me than a fictional character on a page.
What I loved about this book was how it focused on the importance of family. The Riva siblings had a bond that was built on an unwavering foundation of trust and loyalty to each other. Throughout the difficulties of their childhood, the siblings relied on each other to make ends meet, and their relationships with each other were a constant in their lives when everything else was inconsistent. Although there were conflicts in the book between them, they came together at the end by unconditionally loving and accepting each other.
Quickly becoming one of my favorite books I’ve read this year, “Malibu Rising“ and the Riva kids hold a special place in my heart, and I promise you won’t be sorry for adding it to your TBR list.
If you’ve read “Malibu Rising,” what are your thoughts on it? Let us know @HerCampusSJSU!