It’s 1983, and Malibu is getting ready for the party of the year that pro-surfer and model Nina Riva – estranged daughter of legendary rocker Mick Riva – throws every year. Nina’s siblings gather too: not-really twins Jay and Hudson, normally joined at the hip, now have a terrible secret that threatens to pull them apart; and baby sister Kit, headstrong and on a quest for independence. The crowd at the party grows speedily and sets in motion a chain of events that will forever change their lives.
Taylor Jenkins Reid is everywhere and since I’d never read anything by her, I figured I’d give it a go; this one was what my library carried (I mainly read in English and the English-language section is somewhat limited in my hometown). I was a little surprised that I liked it, to be honest; authors who are very popular tend to be overhyped and are almost inevitably a letdown, and though it didn’t shatter my world or anything I did really enjoy it.
The novel hinges on the characters, and though they’re not always equally well-rounded and believable, they were engaging and flawed to a degree where I could relate but that didn’t make them grating or abjectly horrible. The setting is fun, and also provides a good reminder that the eighties honestly sucked, particularly for women. It’s also not particularly predictable.
The novel isn’t without its flaws. It’s mostly well-written, but it felt a little disjointed at some points, as if the author couldn’t make the funny parts and the sad parts work together, so like oil and water they float together in the same bowl, touching but never mixing. The story of Nina also felt like something I’ve read dozens of times before, though I couldn’t tell you where. The funny parts are funny, though, I’ll say that much. I also felt a sense of frustration at the characters and their seeming inability to resolve any conflict in a satisfactory manner, but that’s kind of the point I guess.
It was a quick, fun read, and I’ll be sure to check out the author’s other books, but not right away.
