jillkaarlela's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Something I did really like about this book is how centered it is in family, love, and acceptance. I loved some of the character arcs, especially of the Riva children. There was so much struggle and growth. I also loved how many dramatic twists and turns there were, which I can say I honestly didn’t expect any of them.
I don’t think this book was bad by any means, it was extremely well constructed. Taylor Jenkins Reid does a fantastic job of creating a whole new social world with celebrities and extensive casts of characters that connect her historical fiction books. However, my hate for Mick Riva tainted this book for me. It was extremely fast paced and interesting as it followed the lives of the Riva family and celebrities of that time. But, I can’t stand Mick Riva, and this book is full of extremely complex flawed characters that I did not like, but I think that was the point: to show these extremely flawed characters and their growth. I am also a huge mood reader, and I don’t think this is my favorite genre. If you like the dramatic historical fiction, you would love this.
I would be aware of the content warnings, because this does center around a celebrity party in Malibu in the 1980s, so there was lots of drinking, smoking, and drug use.
Age rating: 14+, closed door, but references to it.
I don’t think this book was bad by any means, it was extremely well constructed. Taylor Jenkins Reid does a fantastic job of creating a whole new social world with celebrities and extensive casts of characters that connect her historical fiction books. However, my hate for Mick Riva tainted this book for me. It was extremely fast paced and interesting as it followed the lives of the Riva family and celebrities of that time. But, I can’t stand Mick Riva, and this book is full of extremely complex flawed characters that I did not like, but I think that was the point: to show these extremely flawed characters and their growth. I am also a huge mood reader, and I don’t think this is my favorite genre. If you like the dramatic historical fiction, you would love this.
I would be aware of the content warnings, because this does center around a celebrity party in Malibu in the 1980s, so there was lots of drinking, smoking, and drug use.
Age rating: 14+, closed door, but references to it.
A surprisingly deep quote I liked from this book is: “Too much self-sufficiency is sort of mean so the people who love you, Kit thought, you robbed them of how good it feels to give of their sense of value.”
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Alcoholism, and Child death
Minor: Sexual content
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