Warning: This review may contain some minor spoilers. I'm sorry but it's really hard to try to review this book without spoilers, plus the book is from 2019 and there's now a TV adaptation, so I don't think they count as spoilers anymore... But well, it's up to you to read it or not.
" You're all sorts of things you don't even know yet."
You don't have to be a music fan to enjoy Daisy Jones & The Six, you'll love it anyway. This book by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a compelling tale of a rock band that takes you on a nostalgic journey through the music scene of the 1970s. The novel is a fictional account of a band's rise to fame and subsequent fall, told through a series of interviews with the band members and those close to them. And keep that in mind as you read: it's a work of fiction. Because it's written so well that you'll keep thinking it's real.
The novel touches on several themes, including the power of music, the price of fame, addiction, love, and loss. Reid does an excellent job of exploring these themes through the experiences and struggles of the characters. The book also touches on the role of women in the music industry in the 1970's and the challenges they faced in a male-dominated industry (wait, it's still like that, isn't it?).
" Handsome men that tell you what you want to hear
are almost always liars."
When I tell you that reading this book feels like holding and listening to a 70's record, I'm being completely honest. I've done both, and the feeling is exactly the same. The way you know you're holding a piece of history, something that's much older than you are and that's going to last even longer. And now you might think "but that's what it feels like to hold a plastic bag", well you're not wrong, technically, but a plastic bag doesn't make you feel things, usually, and even less the things this book makes you feel.
The story is set in the 1970's and tells the story of a rock band called The Six, consisting of Billy Dunne, his brother Graham, and four other members. The band is doing well on its own, but it's when Daisy Jones joins them that they enter the rock 'n' roll stairway to heaven. The story follows the band's rise to fame, the writing of their best-selling album, and also their struggles with drugs, alcohol, sex and relationships, as well as the internal problems between the band members that lead them to their eventual downfall.
" Life is about who is holding your hand and, I think,
whose hand you commit to holding."
You pick up this book thinking it's about Daisy Jones, because she's in the cover, the title, the summary, etc. And the story/interview starts with her, telling you when and where she was born, her early life, and all this stuff about her. But then The Six show up and everything changes. You find yourself obsessed with this fictional rock band, with one or another member of it, and Daisy becomes just another character in the story, not the main one.
This makes the characters become the heart and soul of the book. They are well developed and realistic, making it easy to get invested in their lives and the story. All of the band members, but especially Daisy and Billy, are complex and flawed, which makes them all the more relatable. Daisy is a free-spirited and rebellious girl who loves fame and attention, but really craves affection and to be seen, while Billy is a talented but troubled musician who struggles with addiction and family issues.
The other band members are just as fascinating, with their own unique personalities and struggles. I really liked and connected with Karen, she's such a free spirit, but also likes to have everything under control. She has her own opinions and sticks to them, no matter what. The way she handles things, how she speaks her mind, and she doesn't want anybody to stand out for her, because she can do it herself. She's the main character of her life, the heroine of her own story. She's the kind of woman I want to be like.
But personally, I think the story revolves mostly around Billy and his personal problems —and that makes sense, since (major spoiler ahead) it's her daughter who interviews them all—, which includes Camila, who doesn't talk that much, but when she does, oh damn, she knows how to make an entrance, and she certainly knows how to talk. I really admire her because she knows what she wants and keeps fighting for it. That moved me, and even made me cry at one point.
" I think you have to have faith in people before they earn it.
Otherwise it's not faith, right? "
The writing style of Daisy Jones & The Six is unique and creative. The novel is written in an interview format, which gives the book a documentary-like feel and makes it an engaging and fast-paced read. That's also why I think the essence and magic of the book is basically in the audiobook. The way each character has their own voice, their own way of expressing themselves. It's not just people reading a book to you, it's them: it's Daisy and Bill and Graham and Karen and Camila, it's every single one of them. They all make it possible to really connect with the story, to get caught up in it. I think if you just read it, with your own voice in your head, the story loses a lot of potential. Reid's attention to detail and research is also impressive, as she captures the essence of the 1970's music scene, the music industry and the challenges faced by rising bands.
" Music is never about music. If it was, we'd be writing songs about guitars.
But we don't. We write songs about women."
Daisy Jones & The Six is a must-read for music lovers, but basically for anyone who enjoys a good story. The book is a nostalgic journey that will take you back to the 1970's music scene and leave you with a newfound appreciation for the power of music, and a brief glimpse into the reality and rawness of the music industry. In conclusion, Daisy Jones & The Six is a captivating novel that will leave you wanting more. Taylor Jenkins Reid has crafted a story that is both entertaining and thought-provoking, and that will stay with you long after you finish reading. If you haven't already, be sure to add this book to your reading list —you won't regret it!
Have you read Daisy Jones & The Six? Will you watch the TV adaptation? Let me know!
As always, thank you for reading me.
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