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Monday, March 11, 2019

#ATBR2019 REVIEW: Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid @tjenkinsreid @randomhouse @jessmapreviews

Daisy Jones & The Six
by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Huge thank you to Ballantine Books for these copies.
Jessica and I both give this one 5 Stars - continue below to see why.


Publisher:  Ballantine Books
Publish Date:  March 5, 2019
Hardcover
368 Pages
Standalone
Genre: Historical Fiction

Everyone knows Daisy Jones & The Six, but nobody knows the reason behind their split at the absolute height of their popularity . . . 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 and 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.
 

My Review:


WHERE DO I EVEN START?!?!

I'll admit that when I read the "author's note" at the very beginning, I thought I was reading a legit non-fiction documentary type novel about a band that really existed.  Did I pay attention to the genre this is placed in, historical FICTION?  Nope.  You know why? Because it's written so brilliantly that you don't even notice.  You are pulled into this world where we learn of the ups and downs and while Billy Dunne and Daisy are the leaders, you are rooting and feeling for EVERY.SINGLE.CHARACTER.

While this is only my second Reid book, I'm flabbergasted and completely impressed with her ability to write such different types of stories - even creating the song lyrics AND it's being optioned for the screen.  WHO IS TAYLOR JENKINS REID?! 

I actually did wonder just how much I would like this as I'm not big on "documentaries" in general.  Written like an interview of sorts with each character giving their perspectives, it never once got confusing and the voices of each character was very clear.  I love how each was flawed and yet so strong in the person that they were - even as they struggled.  I really did not come across a single character I didn't like.

Reid also has this genius ability to give you a reveal towards the end of the book that is as impactful as it is subtle. I have a feeling that many people will say if you loved Almost Famous that you'll love this book and while that is true, this book holds it's own without any comparison or if you like this you'll love that kind of thought.

Just read this book. Please.

(also, how cool is it that Reese Witherspoon will be producing the adaptation?!)

★★★★★

Jessica's Review:


I know I'm not the only one that gets nervous starting a book that has had nothing but stellar reviews. This one was making the rounds on book blogs and Bookstagram and I had only seen a handful of middle-ground reviews. DAISY JONES AND THE SIX was my second book by Taylor Jenkins Reid and she did not disappoint!

This book is done in an interview/documentary style narrative and I loved it. This gave the story an authenticity to it, and I know I'm not the only one that had the thought go through their mind wondering if this band was actually real. That's a skilled writer to make us believe that a work of fiction might actually be nonfiction.

Every character was given their own unique voice and I was shocked that I connected with every single one of them. Typically when there's a larger cast of characters there are a couple that fall to the wayside, but not here! I thought the reveal at the end was done so well and subtly without losing it's impact.

Overall, if you're a fan of this kind of narrative then you will love this book. If the era of rock n' roll interests you, then you'll want to pick this one up! If you're a fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid, then this is a no-brainer. Basically, you need to read this one.

5/5 stars

1 comment:

  1. "I'm flabbergasted and completely impressed" THIS^^ makes me definitely put her books higher up on my priority list! I've heard great great great things and I, too, want to be flabbergasted and impressed. Great reviews!

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