A review by ashleyvharris
Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • 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

I just don’t know how to feel about this book!!! I hate it so much I love it? Or maybe it’s the other way around???

TJR has an undeniable talent for transporting readers to a special place in time. Her distinct sense of voice is easy to get lost in. When you combine that voice with dynamic, lively settings like 1970’s SoCal, TJR’s storytelling really soars.

The characters in this novel feel well-developed, although not fully in all cases, as with band members Warren, Pete, and Eddie. Graham and Karen are underrated and I wish we could’ve seen a bit more of them, both together and individually. 

Daisy and Billy felt the most dynamic given their roles as main characters. But my real struggle with this book came from the pure un-likability of Daisy Jones. There was not a moment that I found her bearable or sympathetic. Her selfishness, immaturity, and manipulation of people around her were like nails on a chalk board. I was not able to connect with her on any level.

Billy was just as unlikable as Daisy, but was more accessible in his journey of sobriety and parenthood. The real difference between him and Daisy being that he put in the work to achieve the life he wanted for himself and his family while Daisy simply didn’t. 

I would never have finished this book if not for Camila. She is the hero of this story and a worthwhile character to root for. Camila is what gives this book life, which I assume is exactly what TJR intended. Camila is the readers way into the story. She is most of us; on the outside of fame looking in. Without her, this world of fame, drugs, and rock’n’roll would feel too removed for us to truly find a place of redemption in it.

With grit, devotion, and two very different women, TJR brings to life a fleeting moment in time that remains a pivotal piece of US and music history.
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