BOOK REVIEW: Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Creative Oral History of a 70s Rock Band.
This was one of my 12 books in 12 months by 12 friends recommendations for this year. I had heard so many amazing things about the book and the Netflix adaptation so I was really excited. It was also abundantly clear that I needed to read this one as an audiobook. Well, as that is how I get through the majority of my books, it was never even a question.
I will admit that I struggled at first. The structure of the book made me feel like it was trying to be presented as a documentary of a real band from the 80’s, like a “fake true story.” I think part of that is because there is some information that is withheld, butttttttttt….I eventually came around and found myself engaged and enjoying the book for the most part.
It is written in an oral history style, where the “narrator” is interviewing all the different members of the band Daisy Jones and the Six decades after it disbanded. I’m always up for a good unreliable narrator and here we pretty much have seven unreliable narrators who remember the events of their years together all just slightly different.
Basically this book reviews the lives of the members of the band. How they ended up together, the ins and outs and ups and downs of life on the road while on tour, the impact of addiction and how life ended up for them in the end. There really isn’t much more to the premise of the book because it really is focused on the characters and their memories of the events of that time period and how it shaped who they became.
No matter who you choose to go down the road with, you're gonna get hurt. That's just the nature of caring about someone. No matter who you love, they will break your heart along the way.
While I enjoyed the book and found the audio to be engaging, I personally don’t feel like it lived up to the hype that so many people expressed to me. I got a little burnt out with all the drugs and alcohol. This was clearly a huge piece of touring bands in the 70s and 80s, I’ve watched plenty of documentaries, but it just felt that every other page was about partying.
Overall, the characters themselves were well developed. I think it was very clear even with the audio who each character was when it changed between the POVs, and sometimes they were quick changes, but I always knew who was who. There is something to be said about the power of character development when there are distinct elements between characters that come through with such clarity in the words on the page. They all had clear motivations, goals and feelings about each other and the band itself.
With so many characters each with different outlooks on life, it leads to some interesting interactions between each other. Feelings developed, conflicts ensued…some acted on, others not, some reciprocated, others not. There were moments that broke my heart and others where I was simply thinking “what a selfish a-hole.” Let’s get one thing straight, I would never have been as patient and forgiving as Camila. It was Karen, though, that I think I connected with the most. She sought ways to make herself fit into a male dominated world and try to be taken seriously. She was focused and determined and wasn't’ going to let anything or anyone get in her way. Don’t get me wrong, there were some things she did that I didn’t necessarily agree with.
When I think about the themes of the story, there are several different directions you could go. But there are a few ideas that resonated with me. One is the notion that sometimes you have to think about what is needed for the success of the whole vs your personal ego. The two main characters, Daisy and Billy, were each incredibly talented and wanted to be the sole lead singer and songwriter, but it took them years of arguing and fighting and battle to compromise. They needed each other and neither wanted to admit it. However, in the rare occasions when they worked together, the music benefited.
It’s like some of us are chasing after our nightmares the way other people chase dreams.
With the interview format of the book, it’s not until the end when you learn who the “writer” of this history is, and I honestly thought that moment was one of the best of the book. It ties some of the themes together that revolve around the concepts of love and family. It actually gave me pause as I considered the implications of the the stories on the “author.” IYKYK….
Where does this book land on my bookshelf?
I’d say the middle shelf. It was definitely a roller coaster for me. There were moments when I was hooked and couldn’t put it down only to transition into a portion that I didn’t really care for, just to enter into yet another engaging portion. In the end, I’m glad I read it, and when I look back and think about the book in its entirety, I thought it was really well written and creative. I think that I still like The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo more. I would recommend this one if you are looking for something unique to read even though I don’t think I’ll be watch the Netflix adaptation. I will say, you don’t need to be a music fan to enjoy the story.
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