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A review by thefallingshelf
Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Ah, my first review of 2021. Feels good, feels organic!
I had had Daisy Jones & The Six hyped up to me for a long time, and rightfully so. It does have a lot of things that I love: a strong ensemble cast, incredible historical details that really set the scene and make you feel like you're right there in the 70s with the cast, and of course, a fascinating, NEW way to tell stories. I really feel like that last one is the strongest factor in the fact that Daisy Jones got four stars, even though I really and truly think the characters are pretty terrible overall. I want to read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo soon to see if my issue was with these specific characters and I like the cast of that novel more, OR if these sort of morally ambiguous/unlovable but fascinating characters are kind of Reid's thing. We'll have to see.
Just about halfway through the novel, I really had to pull myself back and ask some friends if they'd read it, and if so, if they'd liked/finished it. Most hadn't read it; the one who had had a similar experience to me re: the characters. The thing was, they were just all so damn unlikeable to me even halfway through the book -- I think the scene that stuck out to me was when Daisy and Billy<Spoiler> verbally spar at the restaurant after starting to write songs together. I know they're the protagonists, but jeez. I was so bored of their<Spoiler> will they won't they act. Daisy just seemed like a whiny brat the whole novel -- I found it really difficult to root for her at any point. I felt bad for her at times and even could sympathize with her here and there, but it really did seem like Billy had a point when he says something along the lines of talent is wasted on her because she's never had to earn anything. That's very much true. One of her main struggles toward the beginning of the book is not getting to sing her own music that she's written -- but the thing is, the stuff she has written isn't that good. I really felt like throughout the whole novel, Daisy just expected everyone to validate her and her choices at all times, and would lie and manipulate people around her to get her way. Honestly, I think that was why the<Spoiler> final scene between Daisy and Camila was so jarring to me. There really weren't that many scenes throughout the book where anyone dared tell Daisy that she had her head in the clouds and that she needed to get her sh*t together -- her early conversation with Teddy is really the only other one that springs to mind. Go Camila, but it's tiring that Camila had to be the only grownup in the room throughout the whole book.That's not to say Billy is without fault. I, like Daisy, got bored of hearing how he turned his life around just for Camila, and how Camila was his savior, etc., etc. It's not lost on me that Camila is a Latina woman who is expected to wait around for her deadbeat husband to clean up his act while serving as primary caregiver to their children while he's on the road. Also,<Spoiler> I was shocked by the choice to fridge Camila in the end. Maybe it's one of those twists where the author wants to PROVE how unfair life is, but it just didn't sit right with me. Also, just logically, she is the only character who didn't abuse drugs and alcohol in her youth; I feel like it would have made more sense for another character to die, either instead of or in addition to her. Plus...it just felt shitty, especially with Julia as the author and interviewer (a twist I really did enjoy!). Camila is probably my favorite character in the whole book, and the way she handles Billy's addiction struggle is really admirable. And the thing is, Billy is so much more likable to me than Daisy because he works hard, he struggles, he suffers to get his life back where he wants it to be. If this novel had been written by a man, I would assume it was just ingrained misogyny that made Daisy so unlikable versus Billy in this aspect -- but I just can't figure out why Reid did that.Why did Daisy's happy ending get shoehorned into the end of the book? We see lots of moments with Billy really happy and at peace -- of course, they all revolve around the weird Madonna complex he has about Camila and their kids -- but I was left with SO many questions about Daisy's life post-rock and roll. How did her charity come about? What are her kids like? Apart from applauding Simone's daughter, what is Daisy's relationship with Simone like?
Now some of what I liked. Obviously, the storytelling method. I actually listened to this book as an audiobook, and oh my god, getting to hear it with an entire speaking cast with distinct voices for each character? Amazing. If you enjoy this method of storytelling, I really recommend giving it a reread in this format. And the details -- I love when writers focus on the smallest little things and really narrow in on that. The scene when Daisy walks into her pool wearing the beautiful kimono? I so hope the Amazon series does that scene. I think a shot of Riley Keough in that moment would be so gorgeous. That's another thing -- clearly, the story is strong, unique, and really hooks you -- if you don't believe me and the way I powered through that audiobook, just ask Reese Witherspoon!! Now, I didn't love the adaptation of Little Fires Everywhere on Hulu, though I did love the book (and Everything I Never Told You is coming up on my TBR list; one can never have enough Celeste Ng), but I'm hoping that experience will be flipped for Daisy Jones. Maybe I'll love the TV show, though reflecting on the book I remember more and more problems with it. I do, however, stand by my 4-star review. I really think Daisy Jones is such a creative and compelling story -- it has to be, with some of those characters!! -- and I really, highly recommend it to anyone who loves rock and roll, biography (to get them out of their comfort zone a little bit!), or the 70s. Daisy Jones is an experience -- but I'm glad I don't have to experience it with Daisy.
I had had Daisy Jones & The Six hyped up to me for a long time, and rightfully so. It does have a lot of things that I love: a strong ensemble cast, incredible historical details that really set the scene and make you feel like you're right there in the 70s with the cast, and of course, a fascinating, NEW way to tell stories. I really feel like that last one is the strongest factor in the fact that Daisy Jones got four stars, even though I really and truly think the characters are pretty terrible overall. I want to read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo soon to see if my issue was with these specific characters and I like the cast of that novel more, OR if these sort of morally ambiguous/unlovable but fascinating characters are kind of Reid's thing. We'll have to see.
Just about halfway through the novel, I really had to pull myself back and ask some friends if they'd read it, and if so, if they'd liked/finished it. Most hadn't read it; the one who had had a similar experience to me re: the characters. The thing was, they were just all so damn unlikeable to me even halfway through the book -- I think the scene that stuck out to me was when Daisy and Billy<Spoiler> verbally spar at the restaurant after starting to write songs together. I know they're the protagonists, but jeez. I was so bored of their<Spoiler> will they won't they act. Daisy just seemed like a whiny brat the whole novel -- I found it really difficult to root for her at any point. I felt bad for her at times and even could sympathize with her here and there, but it really did seem like Billy had a point when he says something along the lines of talent is wasted on her because she's never had to earn anything. That's very much true. One of her main struggles toward the beginning of the book is not getting to sing her own music that she's written -- but the thing is, the stuff she has written isn't that good. I really felt like throughout the whole novel, Daisy just expected everyone to validate her and her choices at all times, and would lie and manipulate people around her to get her way. Honestly, I think that was why the<Spoiler> final scene between Daisy and Camila was so jarring to me. There really weren't that many scenes throughout the book where anyone dared tell Daisy that she had her head in the clouds and that she needed to get her sh*t together -- her early conversation with Teddy is really the only other one that springs to mind. Go Camila, but it's tiring that Camila had to be the only grownup in the room throughout the whole book.That's not to say Billy is without fault. I, like Daisy, got bored of hearing how he turned his life around just for Camila, and how Camila was his savior, etc., etc. It's not lost on me that Camila is a Latina woman who is expected to wait around for her deadbeat husband to clean up his act while serving as primary caregiver to their children while he's on the road. Also,<Spoiler> I was shocked by the choice to fridge Camila in the end. Maybe it's one of those twists where the author wants to PROVE how unfair life is, but it just didn't sit right with me. Also, just logically, she is the only character who didn't abuse drugs and alcohol in her youth; I feel like it would have made more sense for another character to die, either instead of or in addition to her. Plus...it just felt shitty, especially with Julia as the author and interviewer (a twist I really did enjoy!). Camila is probably my favorite character in the whole book, and the way she handles Billy's addiction struggle is really admirable. And the thing is, Billy is so much more likable to me than Daisy because he works hard, he struggles, he suffers to get his life back where he wants it to be. If this novel had been written by a man, I would assume it was just ingrained misogyny that made Daisy so unlikable versus Billy in this aspect -- but I just can't figure out why Reid did that.
Now some of what I liked. Obviously, the storytelling method. I actually listened to this book as an audiobook, and oh my god, getting to hear it with an entire speaking cast with distinct voices for each character? Amazing. If you enjoy this method of storytelling, I really recommend giving it a reread in this format. And the details -- I love when writers focus on the smallest little things and really narrow in on that. The scene when Daisy walks into her pool wearing the beautiful kimono? I so hope the Amazon series does that scene. I think a shot of Riley Keough in that moment would be so gorgeous. That's another thing -- clearly, the story is strong, unique, and really hooks you -- if you don't believe me and the way I powered through that audiobook, just ask Reese Witherspoon!! Now, I didn't love the adaptation of Little Fires Everywhere on Hulu, though I did love the book (and Everything I Never Told You is coming up on my TBR list; one can never have enough Celeste Ng), but I'm hoping that experience will be flipped for Daisy Jones. Maybe I'll love the TV show, though reflecting on the book I remember more and more problems with it. I do, however, stand by my 4-star review. I really think Daisy Jones is such a creative and compelling story -- it has to be, with some of those characters!! -- and I really, highly recommend it to anyone who loves rock and roll, biography (to get them out of their comfort zone a little bit!), or the 70s. Daisy Jones is an experience -- but I'm glad I don't have to experience it with Daisy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship