Synopsis

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.

The making of that legend is chronicled in this riveting and unforgettable novel, written as an oral history of one of the biggest bands of the seventies. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a talented writer who takes her work to a new level with Daisy Jones & The Six, brilliantly capturing a place and time in an utterly distinctive voice.

 

 

Audiobook Review

5 “color me impressed” stars

 

Would have I read this very hyped book if I hadn’t been pushed? No.

When I read it was about a band and there would be drugs and excess, I was not interested. Drugs are one of my triggers in books due to a friend plunging in that hell when I was a teenager.

But one of my friends, Daisy @DGBookBlog made a bargain with me: I would read “her” book and she would read one of my YA fantasy, Six of Crows. Each of us going outside of our comfort zone.

As Kaz Brekker would say “the deal is the deal”.

 

Even with this, would have I finished the book if it had been a physical book that I read? No.

I am pretty sure I would have lost interest due to the special “format” with multiple POV and interviews.

 

But listening to that story was …fabulous!

This format was meant to be read by these excellent narrators! All along I felt like watching one of my husband’s documentaries with war veterans retelling their memories.

I was so amazed that I began looking for that band and their songs that I never had heard before …. Just to realize that they never existed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had absolutely no idea as I went into this book mostly blind!

And that’s when the extent of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s talent hit me like a Macktruck!

This sounded so real!

These people felt like real old band members, now retired and retelling their lives and adventures in vivid details.

I never found a moment, a sentence where this felt like a fictional story!

 

I am still in shock.

For nearly two hours of listening to part of that audiobook I was so convinced it was a biography.

Just ….WOW!

 

What will you find in this story?

You will follow the lives of six band members plus their wife, friend and manager alongside one addition: the famous Daisy Jones.

We get a slice of their lives in the late 1970ies when they’ll be thrown together to collaborate on an album and then tour the US.

Prior that time, you’ll learn who Daisy Jones was, from some sentences about her childhood with neglectful parents to her early experience with sex and drugs. Her friendship with the singer Simone, who will be the only person always in her corner. Completely honest with her and never letting Daisy down.

Daisy will live her life as if she had not one care in the world. You could take her like she was or leave her. She would NOT compromise.

Daisy has things to tell and sing. She had an enormous talent. But in the beginning, she wasn’t heard by producers. Until one day she’ll meet Teddy, also the producer of The Six.

 

When Daisy will join The Six, who was basically Billy Dunne’s band, it will give something phenomenal but also extremely layered, conflicted and painful.

 

Daisy was using drugs. Over abusing drugs. To fill the void. To mask feelings. To forget that she will come to love someone that won’t be able to be with her.

 

Billy was the leader of the band and former alcoholic and drug addict. He was in recovery as he decided that he loved his wife and wanted to be worthy of his family. He was a genius at music too but Daisy was hard to be around given her way of life, her excess.

 

I won’t tell more about the plot.

 

This book is of course about a band playing rock n roll in the 70ies but more than that, this is a book about feelings. About temptations. About acting like someone you want to become. About resisting the fall because you know that it would destroy you. It’s a story about hope and trust when you love a former addict and band member.

It’s about not wanting perfect kids, perfect life or a perfect husband. But wanting YOUR life, YOUR kids, YOUR husband.

It’s about finding your soul mate, someone who looks so much like you that you don’t have to talk to communicate. But you know that person is like fire to your fire. And it will only destroy you. What you need to live is water. And so you choose that person who is water for you and turn your back to the one you love.

Its’ about the complexity of human relationship, about a battle of ego. It’s about evolving as a band, letting everyone have a say but still being in the lead.

It’s brilliant, it’s raw, it’s messy and it’s extraordinarily REAL!

 

Thank you Daisy, for bossing me up and having me finally read the book I never would have read without you!

 

Have you read this one? Or made such a deal with another friend?

Thanks for reading!

Sophie

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37 Comments

  2. Sometimes being pushed to read a book is a very good thing! I want this to be my next Taylor Jenkins Reid book after loving the seven husbands of evelyn hugo next year. I have heard it is best to consume as an audiobook so that is how I will read it as well 😀

    Reply

      1. I finished it last night and really did! It took for forever to get into tho, since I didn’t have time to sit and give it several hours of reading time at a time – but once I did, I really did! Onto the next now! ❤️

        Reply

  4. I’m so, so happy you ended up loving that one, it’s such a fantastic read, one of my favorites for sure 🙂 I haven’t tried the audiobook but maybe I should 😀

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  7. Ive read this author’s other famous book, the 7 husbands of Evelyn Hugo and it has everything I avoid in books but I loved it. It’s now one of my all-time favorite books however Im so scared to read Daisy Jones and the six. But your review is so convincing.

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  8. How neat that you each chose a book for each other to read! I love that idea. I’m not really interested in this book for just the reasons you mentioned Sophie. Though your review is very seductive!! If only I had time to listen to audiobooks.

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    1. Thank you Lashaan! And now after seeing your comment on my other post about the audiobook challenge I just want to recommend this one to you too!

      Reply

  10. My #otspsecretsister sent this book in last month’s box, but I’m also on hold for the audio at my library. Everyone says this is a book that needs to be experienced audibly, and your review only confirms that. I cannot wait for it to drop on my phone!!

    Lindsi @ Do You Dog-ear?

    Reply

  12. Fab review! I usually avoid books about musicians for the same reasons you mentioned. Now I’m curious to see how this one would work for me. And I’d definitely try the audible.

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  13. Oooh! I have heard such good things about it, I can’t believe I still haven’t read it but yeah, now I think i might listen to the audiobook after reading this review of yours <3

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  14. I totally agree with you on this one! It is a fantastic audiobook that has makes such an impression. So glad that you enjoyed it, Sophie!

    Reply

    1. Thank you Lori!!!! It’s so weird to say that the best format for a book is in audio but it truly was!

      Reply