Daisy Jones & The Six: Reese's Book Club: A Novel Paperback – February 4, 2020

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 Stars)Taylor Jenkins Reid delivers an electrifying, immersive, and emotionally charged novel with Daisy Jones & The Six, a book that feels so real you’ll find yourself Googling the band to see if they actually existed. Told in an interview-style format, this novel captures the rise and fall of a legendary 1970s rock band, delivering a story filled with passion, ambition, heartbreak, and the intoxicating highs and devastating lows of fame.Plot Summary (No Spoilers!)At its core, the novel chronicles the meteoric rise of Daisy Jones & The Six, a fictional band that becomes a worldwide sensation before suddenly disbanding at the height of their success.Daisy Jones is a magnetic, effortlessly cool, and self-destructive singer-songwriter whose raw talent and rebellious spirit make her an icon in the making.The Six, led by the intensely driven Billy Dunne, are a rising rock band with their own complicated dynamics. Billy, a gifted musician with a troubled past, struggles between his devotion to his family and his addiction to fame, temptation, and self-destruction.When Daisy and The Six are brought together by a producer who sees their explosive potential, they create magic—but with it comes tension, passion, ego clashes, addiction, and heartbreak that threaten to tear them apart. The novel unravels the mystery of why they broke up, and the answer is as messy and emotional as you’d expect from a behind-the-scenes look at rock ‘n’ roll history.What Makes This Book Exceptional?1. The Unique Interview-Style FormatThe entire book is written as an oral history, with band members, producers, managers, and loved ones giving their versions of events. This documentary-like storytelling is incredibly immersive, making it feel like a real-life Behind the Music episode. The shifting perspectives also add intrigue, as each character’s memory of events differs, leaving the reader to decide the “truth.”2. Authentic 1970s Rock ‘n’ Roll VibesReid captures the essence of the 1970s music scene with remarkable authenticity. From the hedonistic excesses of fame—sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll—to the creative genius behind songwriting and the internal politics of a band, the novel transports you straight into the heart of the era. You can almost hear the music as you read.3. Complicated, Flawed, and Real CharactersDaisy Jones is a beautifully tragic character—wild, independent, yet deeply vulnerable. She embodies the reckless spirit of rock stars, but beneath her confidence lies a deep longing for love and validation.Billy Dunne is equally compelling. His struggle with addiction, his desperate need for control, and his devotion to his family versus his undeniable connection to Daisy make him one of the most complex characters in the book.Camila (Billy’s wife) deserves special mention. While she’s not part of the band, she is the emotional anchor of the story. Her strength and unwavering belief in Billy bring another layer of depth to the narrative.4. A Love Story That’s Not Just RomanticWhile there is undeniable chemistry and tension between Billy and Daisy, the book isn’t just about their relationship. It’s about love in all its forms—love for music, love for family, love that destroys, and love that saves.5. Lyrics That Feel Like Real SongsAt the end of the book, Reid includes the lyrics to the band’s songs, making the story feel even more authentic. The music feels real, and you’ll wish you could hear the songs play on the radio. (Thankfully, the TV adaptation has brought them to life!)Why You Might Struggle With This BookThe Interview Format May Not Be for Everyone. If you prefer deep inner monologues and traditional storytelling, the oral history style might take some adjustment. However, once you get into the rhythm, it enhances the experience.The Characters Make Frustrating Choices. Like real people, the characters are deeply flawed, making decisions that will make you want to scream at them. But that’s also what makes the book feel so real.Final ThoughtsDaisy Jones & The Six is an emotional, nostalgic, and utterly engrossing novel that feels like stepping into the golden age of rock ‘n’ roll. Taylor Jenkins Reid masterfully creates a band so vivid, so believable, that you’ll mourn the fact they never actually existed. This book is about music, ambition, addiction, and the tangled relationships that make and break legends.Would I recommend it? Absolutely, especially if you love music, messy relationships, and powerful storytelling.Would I read it again? Yes, and I’d listen to Fleetwood Mac while doing it.If you loved The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan, or Almost Famous, this book will be your next obsession.

Daisy Jones is a rich girl whose parents let run wild. At 14 she is hanging out in clubs doing drugs and having sex. She dreams of being a great song writer. When she signs to join the band "The Six" her dreams come true. The leader of The Six is Billy Dunne. He gets out of control with drinking and girls. He marries Camila and they have 3 daughters. Julia is the oldest daughter. Together Daisy & Billy write some amazing songs and have a chart topping album. They go on tour and have an unbelievable concert at Chicago Stadium. Daisy knows she's in love with Billy. Will Billy let himself love Daisy? Will he stay with Camila and his girls? How does Julia become the storyteller? The whole book is written in quotes from all of the band members to the author. It is an unusual book that will take you to the 70's rock & roll scene.

I have to admit, I was definitely skeptical about the unique interview-style layout of Daisy Jones & The Six at first. But once I started getting into it, the story completely pulled me in. By halfway through, I was absolutely obsessed! I even watched the show immediately after finishing the book, and it was such a perfect way to bring everything full circle—seeing the story visually unfold added a whole new layer of depth. This book is raw, passionate, and so incredibly authentic. As a huge music junkie, it hit me on a whole other level. The characters, the drama, the vibe—it all felt so real and alive. I can’t recommend this story enough!

People you wish you knew and a story you wish were true. I really want to hear the music and buy the album.

Advertised as a fictionalized version of Fleetwood Mac. The similarities are superficial at best. Did the publisher leak this? Feels like a bait and switch. I think the author watched VH1's Behind The Music religiously, took copious notes, and here we are. A composite of every one of those bands.It's okay but I've read bios of real rock bands which are better than this. And much crazier. Wildly debauched, wildly inappropriate times. This is so tame. So sanitized. Some vague descriptions of drug use. A little sex. Read Ozzy's bio. Or Motely Crue's The Dirt. Or Slash's bio. Or Hammer Of The Gods, the Led Zeppelin bio. Much more insane, socially unacceptable behavior. I'm sure even with light rockers Fleetwood Mac. But I kind of feel the target demo here might be teenage girls and soccer moms so we have to keep everything PG-13. Well, she's laughing all the way to the bank with this respectable, mildly entertaining milquetoast effort.Not a single jailbait groupie? Not a SINGLE TV is destroyed? No rioting? No shady managers who steal all their money? File this book under fantasy! A Millennial writer took a look at Boomers and remade them in her own image. Historical fiction should be true to how people really were---good, bad, and ugly-- and I feel like these characters are a bit too 21st Century. I was waiting for one of them to talk about the importance of wellness and self-care!Plus there some things that I just found cringey. Like the lyrics. Holy cheesiness. Granted, a lot of actual rock lyrics aren't exactly Keats either.And lines like, "I'm a sucker for brown eyes". Who says that? "I'm a sucker for green eyes" I could see. Even blue eyes. But brown eyes?Oh and a guy says to another guy wearing a tight T-shirt, "I can see your nipples". I'm willing to bet no guy in history has ever said that to another guy. Would a girl say that to another girl in a tight T-shirt? Probably. But that's just not how guys talk.For another popular contemporary book by a female author, read Normal People. Or White Teeth. I'm not anti-chick lit.......but this one is lame.PS--there's a chance she's not to blame. Who knows? Maybe the draft she submitted to her publisher was much rawer and more honest but the agent said, "Well, this needs to appeal to a wider audience to you need to remove all rough edges, all things that could maybe, possibly offend someone in a book club". So we get something very safe...........and very mediocre.