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A review by gabriel_sakoda
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Malibu Rising's egregious lack of subtext and pedantic prose prevent this otherwise compelling drama from being that memorable. Reid, although a good writer, spells out every single character's thoughts and feelings as well her own to ensure that no one misunderstands even the slightest emotion. Furthermore, when the party starts, Nina's first response is to hide from it, leading the party to immediately become irrelevant to her character and the narrative as a whole.
Despite this, Malibu Rising still presents an engaging microcosm of celebrity life and show biz. Mapping out the connections between characters is thoroughly enjoyable and proves Reid's ability to create a well developed hierarchy of people, even if none of the characters are that deep themselves.
Despite this, Malibu Rising still presents an engaging microcosm of celebrity life and show biz. Mapping out the connections between characters is thoroughly enjoyable and proves Reid's ability to create a well developed hierarchy of people, even if none of the characters are that deep themselves.