Book Review: Daisy Jones & The Six

DAISY JONES & THE SIX | Taylor Jenkins Reid
03.05.2019 | Ballantine Books
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Daisy Jones & The Six hit the height of their fame in the 1970s and then mysteriously and abruptly decided to split. This is the story of how Daisy Jones met The Six, their rise to stardom, and all of the behind the scenes drama.

Daisy Jones was a free spirit, who came of age in L.A. during the late sixties. Her life was filled with sneaking into clubs, and the quinestial sex, drugs, and rock and roll of the time period. While she loved the partying, it was the music that drove her. Daisy wanted to become a star. She wanted to write her own songs and have the world hear her.

The Six were a band making their name for themselves at the same time Daisy was gaining popularity. Led by the brooding and troubled, Billy Dunne, the group was embarking on their first tour when they cross paths with Daisy. They share a producer and the sparks between Billy and Daisy instantly gives him the idea that they should merge their talents. What results is the story of a legendary band that eventually broke up despite their overwhelming success.

I used to think soul mates were two of the same. I used to think I was supposed to look for somebody that was like me. I don’t believe in soul mates anymore and I’m not looking for anything. But if I did believe in them, I’d believe your soul mate was somebody who had all the things you didn’t, that needed all the things you had. Not somebody who’s suffering from the same stuff you are.

Last year Taylor Jenkins Reid stole my heart with THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO. I was swept away to another time and a life of a movie star I couldn’t even begin to fathom. Reid has the undeniable ability to write a story that will truly sweep you off your feet and place you in another person’s life. Get ready to live through Daisy and the band and enter into the sixties and seventies within the pages of this book.

In DAISY JONES & THE SIX, Reid chooses to set the story up in an interview style that has the reader reminiscing about watching Behind The Music. Through this interview we meet Daisy, each member of The Six, and those who were closest to them during their rise to fame. I love that Reid allowed the reader to soak in each individual story, for both Daisy and The Six, which effortlessly lead to them meeting and ultimately joining forces. This writing style had it all: Nothing felt rushed or forced. Each character had a say in the parts that applied to them. There was a mixture of seriousness and comical relief (I’m looking at you Warren!).

While I didn’t build an in-depth relationship or understanding of every single character involved in the interviews, I felt like I was able to clearly see the viewpoints of most. Certainly Daisy and Billy steal the show with the bulk of the narratives stemming from them. This isn’t a negative. In fact, it fits their story perfectly. It is after all the story of Daisy’s life and who better to tell the story of The Six, than the leading man.

I think you have to have faith in people before they earn it. Otherwise it’s not faith, right?

At the end of the day, I would hate to pick a favorite character, but I know I wouldn’t hesitate to say Billy. There was something so undeniably endearing and heart-wrenching about his story that I couldn’t help but look forward to his sections. You truly watch Billy transform from this ordinary guy, to someone on the brink of fame, to someone hitting rock bottom and the climb back to the top. Billy had my full attention and I wanted to know more about him at times than what was happening with anyone else.

No book is ever perfect and despite loving this one to no end, my biggest issue was that I didn’t feel as connected to Daisy as I felt the marketing for this book led me to believe I would. It was hard for me to like her off the bat because I just didn’t sympathize with her attitudes and actions. I did grow to enjoy her character, but she was no Billy Dunne!

If I could recommend one thing about this book to anyone considering picking it up, it would be to choose the audiobook. I’m sure reading it is a wonderful experience, but the audiobook was a full cast production that captivated my attention and made me never want to leave it. I’ve never experienced anything like this with an audiobook and I think it’s something everyone should try out. Even if you’re one of those people that doesn’t think audiobooks are for you, try this one! It gives the characters a real voice and makes you feel like you’re listening to a real band tell you their story.

This book is available to buy from: Amazon | Book Depository

Disclosure: What Jess Reads is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This in no way influences my opinion of the above book.