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storieswithbee's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Genre: Adult Contemporary Fiction
Age range: 15+
Trope: Celebrity
Overall: 4/5
Content warning: *Abortion, Depictions of Mental Illness (Addiction, Anxiety, Depression), Cheating, Substance Abuse (Alcohol/Drugs), Eating Disorder, Unplanned Pregnancy, Pregnancy, Profanity, Sexual Themes, Self-harm, Parental Neglect*
I listened to this book in an audio format, and I highly recommend that everyone does this.
Taylor Jenkins Reid's 'Daisy Jones & The Six' and 'The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo' are extremely reminiscent of one another. If you liked one, then I can almost guarantee you'll like the other.
Reading this book for the first time - not having read the blurb - and heading into this story blind, I was thrown off guard that we were delving into the life and the backstory of a singer and a rock and roll band from the seventies. We were introduced to so many characters very early on that played so many integral parts. And that came across as a little confronting, but that evoked confusion is deliberate.
This book is written in a documentary-style format that takes you across the span of years with Daisy Jones and the band known as The Six. It features their rise to fame, their challenges across that time, and their eventual split.
The characters were so well fleshed out already, and that was all the more satisfying with how well this book was narrated. Listening to how each character talked, the emotions in their voices, the pauses, the breathiness, and the laughter, gave the reader/listener this whole new depth in how they could submerge themselves into the story. I genuinely felt as if I was watching a proper interview with the characters, just without viewing it in front of me. I found it so incredibly fascinating.
The main themes behind the book were thought-provoking, but also really genuine in their mundaneness. All the characters' struggles were real-life struggles. All the conflicts were valid to the main storyline, but they were also complimentary to the time, and to the characters themselves. Nothing felt out of place or too extreme, or too far-fetched.
All in all, I think this book was a phenomenal read. However, for me, I found that I was comparing this book back to Evelyn Hugo a lot more than I wanted to. I loved that damn book, and because I loved that book, this one paled slightly in comparison. I think it will depend on what you read first. Should that turn you off this book? Absolutely not. Daisy Jones and The Six will be characters that I never let go of.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual content, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
Moderate: Child abuse, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
archer_w27's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
honestly, i wasn't a fan of this book. i could go on for quite a bit about why, but i'll keep it short. TJR wrote this in a different format than (i believe) most of her books, and i think that's obvious. it was very difficult for me to develop any attachment to these characters. while i liked a few of them, i wasn't able to connect with most. when writing in a new format, you have to be sure you don't lose the characters or the plot, and i think that's exactly what happened. i wasn't really invested in this story, the relationships, the characters, etc. i think the issues in this book were never truly resolved or resolved too quick. i never found myself wanting to pick up this book. i also wish TJR would have better utilized the fact that this was in the 70's. you could have told me the events were set in present day and i would have believed you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Alcohol
Moderate: Eating disorder, Self harm, Abortion, and Pregnancy
kelly_e's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Title: Daisy Jones & The Six
Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4.50
Pub Date: March 5. 2019
T H R E E • W O R D S
Complex • Entertaining • Visceral
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Everyone knows Daisy Jones & The Six: The band's album Aurora came to define the rock 'n' roll era of the late seventies, and an entire generation of girls wanted to grow up to be Daisy. But no one knows the reason behind the group's split on the night of their final concert at Chicago Stadium on July 12, 1979 . . . until now.
Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late sixties, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it's the rock 'n' roll she loves most. By the time she's twenty, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things.
Also getting noticed is The Six, a band led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she's pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Billy goes a little wild on the road.
Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes that the key to supercharged success is to put the two together. What happens next will become the stuff of legend.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I was definitely late showing up to the Daisy Jones & The Six party, yet better late than never, right? After reading The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo I knew I wanted to explore TJR's entire backlist. Although I am not a groupie by any means and don't have a musical bone in my body, I do have an understanding of the powerful nature of music. I don't know if there's much more I can add that hasn't already been said, but here's my review.
I tandem read the audio along with a physical copy and would suggest this to anyone who hasn't read it yet. Written in a documentary/interview style where each of the members of the band gives there take on the events of how the band came together and eventually fell apart. The format is what makes this story work for me. The full cast audio offers another layer of depth, where each of the voices is distinct and makes each character come to life. These factors are what made the band feel so real, as opposed to the fictional one that it is. I got to witness the high and the lows firsthand. The writing is gritty and raw. TJR does a fantastic job writing unlikeable characters and capturing the essence of misinterpretation.
I also loved the inclusion of the entire album of lyrics being included at the end of the book. I cannot begin to imagine how much extra work and research that took to get everything just right. Again, this is an ode to music and the power it has.
Daisy Jones & The Six is a tribute to an era - the sex, the drugs, and the rock 'n' roll - all brought the music world to life. There's just something so unique about TJR's writing style, each book is so different, yet so good and entertaining. I am definitely interested in watching the mini-series. And I look forward to continuing to make my way through her backlist as I await news of something new.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of 70s rock
• TJR lovers
• readers who like mixed media
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Music can dig, you know? It can take a shovel to your chest and just start digging until it hits something."
"Everybody wants somebody to hold up the right mirror."
"I thought about trying to force her into rehab. But you can't do that. You can't control another person. It doesn't matter how much you love them. You can't love someone back to health and you can't hate someone back to health and no matter how right you are about something, it doesn't mean they will change their mind."
Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4.50
Pub Date: March 5. 2019
T H R E E • W O R D S
Complex • Entertaining • Visceral
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Everyone knows Daisy Jones & The Six: The band's album Aurora came to define the rock 'n' roll era of the late seventies, and an entire generation of girls wanted to grow up to be Daisy. But no one knows the reason behind the group's split on the night of their final concert at Chicago Stadium on July 12, 1979 . . . until now.
Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late sixties, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it's the rock 'n' roll she loves most. By the time she's twenty, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things.
Also getting noticed is The Six, a band led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she's pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Billy goes a little wild on the road.
Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes that the key to supercharged success is to put the two together. What happens next will become the stuff of legend.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I was definitely late showing up to the Daisy Jones & The Six party, yet better late than never, right? After reading The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo I knew I wanted to explore TJR's entire backlist. Although I am not a groupie by any means and don't have a musical bone in my body, I do have an understanding of the powerful nature of music. I don't know if there's much more I can add that hasn't already been said, but here's my review.
I tandem read the audio along with a physical copy and would suggest this to anyone who hasn't read it yet. Written in a documentary/interview style where each of the members of the band gives there take on the events of how the band came together and eventually fell apart. The format is what makes this story work for me. The full cast audio offers another layer of depth, where each of the voices is distinct and makes each character come to life. These factors are what made the band feel so real, as opposed to the fictional one that it is. I got to witness the high and the lows firsthand. The writing is gritty and raw. TJR does a fantastic job writing unlikeable characters and capturing the essence of misinterpretation.
I also loved the inclusion of the entire album of lyrics being included at the end of the book. I cannot begin to imagine how much extra work and research that took to get everything just right. Again, this is an ode to music and the power it has.
Daisy Jones & The Six is a tribute to an era - the sex, the drugs, and the rock 'n' roll - all brought the music world to life. There's just something so unique about TJR's writing style, each book is so different, yet so good and entertaining. I am definitely interested in watching the mini-series. And I look forward to continuing to make my way through her backlist as I await news of something new.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of 70s rock
• TJR lovers
• readers who like mixed media
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Music can dig, you know? It can take a shovel to your chest and just start digging until it hits something."
"Everybody wants somebody to hold up the right mirror."
"I thought about trying to force her into rehab. But you can't do that. You can't control another person. It doesn't matter how much you love them. You can't love someone back to health and you can't hate someone back to health and no matter how right you are about something, it doesn't mean they will change their mind."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Grief, and Alcohol
Moderate: Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, and Blood
channamason's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
my favorite TJR book i’ve read. kept my interested and excited. not exactly a page turner but it’s very readable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction and Alcoholism
Moderate: Misogyny and Abortion
alyssadavis's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
“You have these lines you won’t cross. But then you cross them. And suddenly you possess the very dangerous information that you can break the rule and the world won’t instantly come to an end. You’ve taken a big, black, bold line and you’ve made it a little bit gray. And now every time you cross it again, it just gets grayer and grayer until one day you look around and you think, There was a line here once, I think.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Alcohol
Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Chronic illness, and Eating disorder
prairieraven's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
redefiningrachel's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, and Abortion
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, and Death of parent
apalershadeofwhite's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This story is so beautifully melancholic. It's dealing with all these issues - personal, public, controversial, common - and it's done in such a way that you feel every ounce of it. You feel for these characters as if they were actual people you were having a conversation with, and it breaks your heart that someone could be going through things like these all the while dealing with them alone.
This book had had such an freaking amazing start. Phenomenal, really! I really liked the documentary-style writing because it was super experimentative for me, but it also played into my sporadic habit of jumping down pages to read the dialogue lol. I think, on the surface at least, it's written in a really accessible way; I think even non-readers would enjoy this! I mean, you can't read the word "I'd've" and expect a formal piece of work lol. I think there's an initial worry with this kind of niche writing style, but TJR is a writer like no other and somehow manages it. What talent.
However, although I think this novel is written in a really accessible way for readers and non-readers alike, I don't think it is very universal. I am definitely someone who thrives while reading more traditional writing styles and I think there's something so powerful in a good description; whether it be tension or the linguistic side of writing or even just being written in a beautiful way. It's definitely fun to experience with writing styles, as both a writer and a reader, but I think the power that description can have is personally an integral part of my reading experience.
With this writing style, as well, I think it draws special attention to the little things. Every single thing someone could say is important. You have to really look at what they're saying and see if it could possibly foreshadow or symbolise something else. For example, some things would seem like an insignificant detail to read in a book but is actually a significant narrative point or turning point in a documentary.
I really like the grittiness of this book though, which was enhanced by the setting and plot as well as the writing style. We got to see what love is like on tour, what relationships and friendships are like, with an insane amount of candour. It made for some shocking things, but also some really funny moments as well. (Side note: I'm sorry but the name Karen Karen had me howling.) An example I like is when Karen is asked to wear mini skirts and low-cut tops and she says "an ugly face isn't, you know, the end of a man". I love that we got deeper things than just the sex and drugs that come with rock and roll and touring; we're getting other things like social commentary, which is really well broached. (Side note #2: Warren is a pig.) For instance, Billy expected to be in complete control and when finally letting someone else have a say in the creative process, even though he 'didn't think he should have', he expected to be praised and rewarded for making people feel included.
The author's note actually took me so off guard! I was not expecting that. I think I forgot that despite this being a book, it is still a documentary-style writing piece on this band, so of course there's going to be a character who is writing it! And that plot twist was one I didn't suspect at all, which just shows that TJR is crazy talented and can even shock you in experimentative writing styles like this!
This book had had such an freaking amazing start. Phenomenal, really! I really liked the documentary-style writing because it was super experimentative for me, but it also played into my sporadic habit of jumping down pages to read the dialogue lol. I think, on the surface at least, it's written in a really accessible way; I think even non-readers would enjoy this! I mean, you can't read the word "I'd've" and expect a formal piece of work lol. I think there's an initial worry with this kind of niche writing style, but TJR is a writer like no other and somehow manages it. What talent.
However, although I think this novel is written in a really accessible way for readers and non-readers alike, I don't think it is very universal. I am definitely someone who thrives while reading more traditional writing styles and I think there's something so powerful in a good description; whether it be tension or the linguistic side of writing or even just being written in a beautiful way. It's definitely fun to experience with writing styles, as both a writer and a reader, but I think the power that description can have is personally an integral part of my reading experience.
With this writing style, as well, I think it draws special attention to the little things. Every single thing someone could say is important. You have to really look at what they're saying and see if it could possibly foreshadow or symbolise something else. For example, some things would seem like an insignificant detail to read in a book but is actually a significant narrative point or turning point in a documentary.
I really like the grittiness of this book though, which was enhanced by the setting and plot as well as the writing style. We got to see what love is like on tour, what relationships and friendships are like, with an insane amount of candour. It made for some shocking things, but also some really funny moments as well. (Side note: I'm sorry but the name Karen Karen had me howling.) An example I like is when Karen is asked to wear mini skirts and low-cut tops and she says "an ugly face isn't, you know, the end of a man". I love that we got deeper things than just the sex and drugs that come with rock and roll and touring; we're getting other things like social commentary, which is really well broached. (Side note #2: Warren is a pig.) For instance, Billy expected to be in complete control and when finally letting someone else have a say in the creative process, even though he 'didn't think he should have', he expected to be praised and rewarded for making people feel included.
The author's note actually took me so off guard! I was not expecting that. I think I forgot that despite this being a book, it is still a documentary-style writing piece on this band, so of course there's going to be a character who is writing it! And that plot twist was one I didn't suspect at all, which just shows that TJR is crazy talented and can even shock you in experimentative writing styles like this!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, and Pregnancy
nehanaomi's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
definitely grew on me the more I read, very excited to hear the songs in the tv series!
the reveal of the author had me gagged! the rest of the book suddenly made so much sense
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
nixicat1's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Misogyny, Abortion, and Death of parent