What motifs are used in the novel, Malibu Rising?

Reid uses the motif of fire to illustrate the destructive force of infidelity. In the dry land of California, one spark of flame can cause acres worth of loss and destruction. Similarly, the destructive force of infidelity spreads beyond just the husband and wife to impact children and those with whom the unfaithful partner had his affair. In the Riva’s story, the fire of infidelity causes death and poverty, but also a renewal as the siblings realize all they need is one another.