Review: Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

“When you think of me, I hope it ruins rock ‘n’ roll” 

Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

• Buy the book here
• Page Count: 355
• Genre: Fiction
• Content warnings: Drugs, addiction, abortion

Daisy Jones & the Six tells the story of 1970s rock band The Six and their breakup after their wildly popular album Aurora.

The Six was on the rise, led by singer Billy Dunne, when the band crossed paths with Daisy Jones. Daisy came of age in LA, going out on the Sunset Strip and surrounded by a world of sex and drugs. But rock ‘n’ roll was where Daisy’s heart and talents lived. When given the opportunity to collaborate with The Six for a song, Daisy seized the chance.

Daisy and Billy’s chemistry was just as alluring as it was volatile. The duo’s vocals, and rumored feud, captured the attention of the world. Daisy Jones & the Six rose to new heights with their collaborative album Aurora and embarked on a massive tour. But after one epic show in Chicago, the After tours, an album, and many years apart, Daisy Jones & the Six have left the reasons for their mysterious split to legend. But now the truth is going to come out.

I was pretty excited to read this book because of how much I enjoyed The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Daisy Jones & the Six brings the same captivating energy to the page. The story invokes parallels to Fleetwood Mac and their famous album Rumours (which just so happens to be one of may favorite bands and albums of all time). You can’t read this book and not feel those vibes in the story.

But TJR does not rely on that parallel to keep the book exciting. Just as with Evelyn Hugo, she builds a history so intricate that you’ll find yourself pausing to say, “wait, this isn’t rely, is it?”

Each character has their own private challenges and flaws. Daisy and Billy both struggle with addiction. Billy, for the majority of the story, on the sobriety part of the journey, while Daisy is actively engaging in drug use. The other band members personal dramas of drugs, romances, and band betrayals are also explored. Often times, the characters will recount the same events with discrepancies in their stories.

What makes Daisy Jones & the Six a five star read for me? I think it is the fullness of the story. You really do feel like you’re reading a tell-all from a band long past their drama. There’s the main story that the book focuses on — the tense drama between Daisy and Billy — but then there’s the perspectives of all the other band, members, too, who see it differently. From the POV of a Rolling Stone reviewer, Daisy and Billy’s performances are electric and iconic. For Daisy and Billy, they are painful. For some of the band members, they are frustrating and riddled with other personal dramas. Giving the story multiple narrators worked so well for me in Daisy Jones & the Six. It made the story feel believable. It made the characters feel so much more real.

If you are the type of reader that doesn’t like to stray from popular American mainstream styles of fiction writing, this one might not be for you. Daisy Jones is a story told in interview format, with each member of the band recounting memories of specific events. For me, this was an interesting diversion from my typical reading habits. But it is certainly a matter of taste.

Unfortunately for us, no, Daisy Jones & the Six never took the world by storm with the album Aurora. But they soon will, when the adapted miniseries premieres starring Riley Keough as Daisy Jones! I can’t wait.