Malibu Rising Characters: Full List & Analysis

Who drives the story

Main characters

Nina Riva

The eldest Riva, a professional model who became her siblings' guardian after June drowned. She's spent the night dreading questions about her estranged husband Brandon—and by dawn she's told her father off, kicked Brandon out, and booked a trip to Portugal.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Party Nobody Knows Will End in Ashes; Part 2: Four Siblings, Four Secrets; Part 3: Mick Walks In; Part 4: The Fire and the Rebuild
Themes:: Children raising children; The difference between forgiving and forgetting; Rebuilding after ruin; Choosing yourself

Mick Riva

The famous singer father who kept leaving—June, then the kids, then again. He shows up at the party wanting back in, admits he doesn't remember whether he slept with Casey's mother, and leaves a cigarette behind that burns Malibu.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Party Nobody Knows Will End in Ashes; Part 2: Four Siblings, Four Secrets; Part 3: Mick Walks In; Part 4: The Fire and the Rebuild
Themes:: Children raising children; The difference between forgiving and forgetting; Choosing yourself

June

The siblings' mother, who met Mick in 1956 and took in his son Hud without blinking. She drank more as Mick kept leaving, and she drowned, leaving Nina in charge.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Party Nobody Knows Will End in Ashes; Part 3: Mick Walks In; Part 4: The Fire and the Rebuild
Themes:: Children raising children; Choosing yourself

Jay

A professional surfer with a newly diagnosed heart condition he's only told Lara about. He falls for Lara, finds Ashley's photos in Hud's truck, fights his brother, and forgives him by the end.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Party Nobody Knows Will End in Ashes; Part 2: Four Siblings, Four Secrets; Part 3: Mick Walks In; Part 4: The Fire and the Rebuild
Themes:: The difference between forgiving and forgetting; Secrets as time bombs

Hud

A surf photographer, Mick's son by another woman, raised by June. He's been sleeping with Ashley, Jay's ex, who's now pregnant—and he proposes to her after Jay forgives him.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Party Nobody Knows Will End in Ashes; Part 2: Four Siblings, Four Secrets; Part 3: Mick Walks In; Part 4: The Fire and the Rebuild
Themes:: The difference between forgiving and forgetting; Secrets as time bombs

Kit

The youngest, headed into her junior year of college. She wants her first kiss at the party, gets it from Ricky Esposito, realizes she isn't interested in kissing men, and comes out to Ricky on the spot.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Party Nobody Knows Will End in Ashes; Part 2: Four Siblings, Four Secrets; Part 4: The Fire and the Rebuild
Themes:: Secrets as time bombs

Casey

A young woman wandering the party who turns out to be Mick's daughter. The siblings fold her into the family by the end of the night.

Appears in:: Part 2: Four Siblings, Four Secrets; Part 3: Mick Walks In; Part 4: The Fire and the Rebuild
Themes:: Secrets as time bombs

Brandon Randall

The professional tennis player Nina married in 1982, who left her after an affair and then shows up begging to be taken back. Carrie Soto's arrival snaps Nina out of it, and she tells him to leave.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Party Nobody Knows Will End in Ashes; Part 2: Four Siblings, Four Secrets; Part 3: Mick Walks In
Themes:: Secrets as time bombs; Choosing yourself

Ashley

Jay's ex-girlfriend, now secretly with Hud and pregnant by him. She's the reason the brothers nearly destroy each other and the reason they end the night as family again.

Appears in:: Part 2: Four Siblings, Four Secrets; Part 3: Mick Walks In; Part 4: The Fire and the Rebuild
Themes:: Secrets as time bombs

Also in the story

Supporting characters

Lara

The woman Jay recently slept with and the only person who knows about his heart condition. He tells her he loves her in Hud's truck; she doesn't feel the same.

Appears in:: Part 2: Four Siblings, Four Secrets

Carrie Soto

Brandon's mistress, who arrives at the party and accidentally gives Nina the clarity to stop accepting whatever life hands her.

Appears in:: Part 3: Mick Walks In

How they are connected

Key relationships

Nina Riva June
The eldest Riva, a professional model who became her siblings' guardian after June drowned.
Nina Riva Brandon Randall
She's spent the night dreading questions about her estranged husband Brandon—and by dawn she's told her father off, kicked Brandon out, and booked a trip to Portugal.
Mick Riva June
The famous singer father who kept leaving—June, then the kids, then again.
Mick Riva Casey
He shows up at the party wanting back in, admits he doesn't remember whether he slept with Casey's mother, and leaves a cigarette behind that burns Malibu.
June Hud
The siblings' mother, who met Mick in 1956 and took in his son Hud without blinking.
Jay Lara
A professional surfer with a newly diagnosed heart condition he's only told Lara about.
Jay Hud
He falls for Lara, finds Ashley's photos in Hud's truck, fights his brother, and forgives him by the end.
Jay Ashley
He falls for Lara, finds Ashley's photos in Hud's truck, fights his brother, and forgives him by the end.
Hud Mick Riva
A surf photographer, Mick's son by another woman, raised by June.
Hud Ashley
He's been sleeping with Ashley, Jay's ex, who's now pregnant—and he proposes to her after Jay forgives him.
Brandon Randall Carrie Soto
Carrie Soto's arrival snaps Nina out of it, and she tells him to leave.
Lara Hud
He tells her he loves her in Hud's truck; she doesn't feel the same.

Go deeper

Malibu Rising themes & symbols

Children raising children · The difference between forgiving and forgetting · Secrets as time bombs · Rebuilding after ruin

Themes explained

Read the full Malibu Rising summary

The full story act by act, the ending explained and a quick quiz.

Open the summary