Lit Preview: Surf, Sun and Sand

Surf, sun and sand: Malibu in a nutshell.  But that sunshine may blind us to the complexities of Malibu’s residents. Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Malibu Rising dives into the lives of the Riva children, who are Malibu residents and happen to be the children of rock star Mick Riva. While they know who their father is, none has a significant relationship with him. Mick was a stereotypical rock star: an absent womanizer their entire young lives. But the four Riva kids are thick as thieves:  eldest child Nina is responsible, often to her own detriment; Jay the good looking championship surfer; Hud the introspective photographer; and Kit, the youngest, is still searching for her place in the world. 

Malibu Rising unfolds over the course of one day, the day of the famed Riva beach bash. As the hours tick by, the party escalates and emotions come to a head.  Alternating focus between the four Riva siblings by the hour is a clever device and Jenkins Reid inserts flashbacks to flesh out the characters. She provides context for the Riva kids’ current state by including the story of their father and mother in the flashbacks. Whether past or present, the moments the siblings sped together are the most fun and, at times, the most heartbreaking. By the end if the party, and with a visit from several unexpected guests, the Riva house ends up on fire.

Taylor Jenkins Reid writes humbly. No unnecessary flourishes that some writers employ, seemingly just to show us that they can. Rather, Jenkins Reid is straightforward and her pitch is perfect. One of the best passages of the book describes the Riva kids’ first experiment with surfing. The waves, sun, sand and freedom are so perfectly described that you can practically feel the sand between yours toes, the exhilaration of standing on a board for the first time and your skin reddening from the rays. Several chapters fly by before you realize how breezy a read it is. But just like Malibu's surf, sun and sand, Jenkins Reid’s simplicity in form belies the emotional complexity that she builds within the Riva offspring. Malibu Rising is a fun read. With an engaging plot and relatable characters, Jenkins Reid proves again she is a writer to watch.