Book Review- Taylor Jenkins Reid's Malibu Rising

Primarily set in the 1970’s and 80’s, Taylor Jenkins Reid’s latest novel, Malibu Rising, is the story of a four siblings living in Malibu. Their father, Mick Riva, is a famous singer, who left his family when his children were young. His ex-wife struggles financially, surviving by running her parent’s fish restaurant. When their mother dies from cancer, Nina, the eldest Riva child and barely an adult, takes over the family restaurant and care of her younger siblings. Nina’s fortune changes when she is discovered surfing and becomes a model. Her financial windfall is further enhanced by her marriage to a tennis star. As they become adults, Nina’s siblings follow her lead : Jay is a surf pro and Hud is a sports photographer, while youngest sibling, Kit, is also an accomplished surfer. The Riva siblings lives change after throwing one wild, unforgettable party in 1983, where secrets are revealed and irrevocable decisions are made.

Malibu Rising is my third Reid novel ( I also read Daisy Jones & The Six, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo), and this has, by far, been my favorite. The Riva family, especially Nina and Kit, are fabulous characters. I love the Malibu setting and surf culture aesthetic. I was delighted by the overlap of characters from Reid’s previous stories. Mick Riva is a connecting presence and one of Evelyn Hugo’s husbands! The overlap does not mean that you need to read Reid’s novels in order of publication, the books are independent stories. However, the connections are a fun Easter egg for fans.

Reid is excellent at writing historical fiction set in California during the 60’s/70’s/80’s. I mentioned this in a previous review, but it bears mentioning again: I’m from California, but I was born in 1977, so I feel that Reid’s novels transport me to my parent’s time growing up in Los Angeles. I love this time capsule aspect to her writing. She’s a fabulous storyteller, but I’m equally attracted to her themes and settings.

I bought Malibu Rising for my recent vacation to Los Angeles and it couldn’t have been a more perfect pick. I’m looking forward to Reid’s next book, Carrie Soto is Back, which also promises to link characters. In Malibu Rising, Nina Riva’s husband cheats on her with fellow tennis champion, Carrie Soto. I can’t wait for this drama to continue!

Book Review- Alix Strauss' Death Becomes Them: Unearthing the Suicides of the Brilliant, The Famous & The Notorious

Alix Strauss explores the methods and reasoning behind famous suicides in history, breaking the sections based on the profession of the deceased. She also includes facts and statistics about suicide.

I saw this book a few years ago at Powell’s and it has been sitting on my TBR bookcase. I decided to take it on a recent vacation to Los Angeles and finished it up while waiting at a car dealership. I have to warn would-be readers that the subject matter and book cover will initiate some very awkward conversations with strangers. A car salesman seemed to think that I might be suicidal and offered some deep advice. It got weird.

I’m not suicidal. However, this book would not be a good choice for a person who has suicidal ideation. Strauss provides some very specific information about methods of suicide. This is information that anyone could easily find with an internet search, and she certainly doesn’t glorify suicide, yet to a person who might be having those thoughts, I could imagine that reading this could influence them. One of the statistics that startled me the most involved suicide by jumping, how bones breaking and piercing organs is usually the cause of death. I never thought about bones piercing flesh and that is an image that I have had on my mind.

I picked this book because I have been affected by suicide. My father killed himself with a gun shot to the head. This trauma has shaped my life and I’m forever trying to understand it. Krauss’ chapters on suicides using guns was of particular interest to me. I don’t have clarity on the “why”, but I now understand the mechanics of the method.

I found many of the stories to be fascinating, particularly what leads people to kill themselves. I discovered that Dorothy Dandrige is buried in the same mausoleum as my parents- they are death neighbors! Her story is especially tragic. I was particularly interested in the chapters involving writers. Hemingway was such a character. I also connected with the Kurt Cobain section. He died when I was a teenager and was the first big celebrity death that I felt impacted by. I remember going to school the next day, wearing my Nirvana shirt, and feeling a sense of mourning with my friends. It may seem like teenage melodrama in hindsight, but reading about Cobain’s public funeral took me back to that time and those emotions.

I found Death Becomes Them to be an engrossing read, but due to the subject matter, I would be hesitant to recommend it, as it was made abundantly clear through Strauss’ examples, you never know what is really going on in a person’s mind. Also, if you read it, don’t carry it around in public, unless you want some uncomfortable conversations and unsolicited advice.