Magnolia Parks
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Like many of my fellow peasants, I enjoy gawking at rich people who do fabulous things. Magnolia Parks is full of wealthy, famous 20-somethings steeped in romantic drama because they have too much time on their hands. They are spoiled, annoying brats but they dress really well and they’re British, so it’s fun to hear about their snogging.
The real issue is that it’s 400 pages of the exact same romantic run-around. There’s hardly any character growth and the pattern becomes quite old. This is the first book within a series, and I get the impression that the growth eventually comes, but as a stand-alone, this ain’t it. All of Magnolia’s conversations are about boys and her main love interest, BJ, is alarmingly controlling and manipulative even though I think we’re supposed to be rooting for him as a reader? Red flag central.
Magnolia and BJ have a long history that ties them together and a cheating scandal that ripped them apart. Suspense builds throughout the book about who was involved within the cheating scandal and I appreciate that the author tells us in the end. That being said (I won’t spoil it even though I want to), I was dissatisfied with the reveal and I think it’s a reflection of poor writing.
My favorite things about the book: British words like ‘oy,’ BJ and Magnolia cheekily asking each other ‘How’s the weather’ in reference to how the other one is feeling, and the fashion. Magnolia has a keen, fashion forward eye, and it seems like her only marketable skill is being able to note the exact make and model of anything someone is wearing. I’m personally not a fashion girly, so I got to live vicariously through her and I didn’t think it was overdone.
Overall, these socialities kind of suck. Hastings throws in way too many characters and then chooses to completely underdevelop them. If you want to gawk at the rich and fabulous, I suggest an Amor Towles book instead. Rules of Civility doesn’t have the alluring British twist but it does have the whirlwind of whimsy that comes with being able to drink and do whatever you want as a young, wealthy person with no consequences. Magnolia Parks receives 2 out of 5 flames.
