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

emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

It was a good read and the unique method of how it was written, in the manner of interviews with the band and various other adjacent people, really helped sell the "now" feeling of rock and roll and history and messy messy relationships.  It was interesting to see the various views of the same event all at once instead of spaced into different POV chapters.  This stylistic choice definitely would not work for most but it did here, in a Rolling Stone memorial kind of way.  That said, I could not stop myself from constantly thinking "Fleetwood Mac, Fleetwood Mac, Fleetwood Mac" because, well... Honestly.  What other band had such dynamic personalities and messy interpersonal relationships etc?  I'm of the age where that real history has become just another pop culture touch-point and I'm pretty sure Reid was fully aware of how she was going to be using that resonance every minute she was writing this book.  

Most of the characters were messy and, often, downright unlikeable at various points but it made sense.  These were bigger than life personalities and we were not meant to identify with them.  Sympathize, maybe.  Worry about them, castigate them, definitely.  But they are not the sort of character you hang out with and have a nice chat.  They're far too narrow-focused to be good company.  Which actually made it interesting in the final chapter when we found out what everyone was up to post-band, post-fame.  

To be 100% honest, though... I liked The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo better.  :)

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