A review by aina21
Malibu Rising, by Taylor Jenkins Reid
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
omg. omg. omg
I was actually really scared when I started reading this book that it wouldn't live up to the hype that surrounds both it and its author. But it did. The characters that Taylor Jenkins Reid constructs are incredibly complex and nuanced, their fears and insecurities are ones that have understandable foundations and realistic portrayals. Yes, some things are generalized or brushed over but at no point are you left wondering why a character acted the way they did.
There is also an incredibly complex backstory to most if not all characters, which adds depth is done not only for the main cast of characters but also side characters (As a fan of anime I am especially fond of backstories). This makes one feel as if they too are humans, and not solely in the story to serve a purpose. In fact, some side characters where in the story to serve no purpose at all.
I don't think this is a book that changes the way you see the world, nor is it a book that revolutionizes the way stories are told, but I do think it is a book that does an exceptionally good job at telling a story. For that, it gets my approval and my heart. I think I will most likely be rereading this book.
This book has also gotten me out of a reading slump, not in one where I didn't read but one where I forgot how fun it is to read, and this book made me love reading again.
I was actually really scared when I started reading this book that it wouldn't live up to the hype that surrounds both it and its author. But it did. The characters that Taylor Jenkins Reid constructs are incredibly complex and nuanced, their fears and insecurities are ones that have understandable foundations and realistic portrayals. Yes, some things are generalized or brushed over but at no point are you left wondering why a character acted the way they did.
There is also an incredibly complex backstory to most if not all characters, which adds depth is done not only for the main cast of characters but also side characters (As a fan of anime I am especially fond of backstories). This makes one feel as if they too are humans, and not solely in the story to serve a purpose. In fact, some side characters where in the story to serve no purpose at all.
I don't think this is a book that changes the way you see the world, nor is it a book that revolutionizes the way stories are told, but I do think it is a book that does an exceptionally good job at telling a story. For that, it gets my approval and my heart. I think I will most likely be rereading this book.
This book has also gotten me out of a reading slump, not in one where I didn't read but one where I forgot how fun it is to read, and this book made me love reading again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcoholism
Minor: Drug abuse, Lesbophobia, Pregnancy, Drug use, and Medical content