NotesFromtheVoices

  “The Malibu fire of 1983 started not in the dry hills but on the coastline. It began at 28150 Cliffside Drive on Saturday, August 27 – at the home of Nina Riva – during one of the most notorious parties in Los Angeles history. The annual party grew wildly out of control sometime around midnight. By 7 a.m., the coastline of Malibu was engulfed in flames. Because, just as it is in Malibu’s nature to burn, so was it in one particular person’s nature to set fire and walk away.” — “Malibu Rising” by  Taylor Jenkins Reid This part of the prologue of “Malibu Rising” hooked me from the beginning. Taylor Jenkins Reid did a great job sharing the Riva family story. The story is told in two parts from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. and 7 p.m.-7 a.m. with Nina Riva’s annual end-of-summer party being the focus.  The book went back and forth between the 50s and 80s to help readers understand the story of siblings Nina, Jay, Hud, and Kit Riva. To know their story, you have to know the story of their parents, legenda