AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Published March 5th, 2019 by Penguin UK
Historical Fiction, Music Biographies, Biographical Fiction, Sagas

********

SYNOPSIS:
From the author of CARRIE SOTO IS BACK, THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO and the bestselling MALIBU RISING

‘I LOVE it . . . I can’t remember the last time I read a book that was so fun’ DOLLY ALDERTON

Everybody knows Daisy Jones and the Six.

Their sound defined an era. Their albums were on every turntable. They sold out arenas from coast to coast.

Then, on 12 July 1979, Daisy Jones walked barefoot onto the stage at Chicago Stadium. And it all came crashing down.

Everyone was there.

Everyone remembers it differently.

Nobody knew why they split. Until now . . .

‘The verdict: Daisy Jones steals the limelight‘ STYLIST

********

MY REVIEW:

“I had absolutely no interest in being somebody else’s muse. I am not a muse. I am the somebody.” 

Daisy Jones and the Six has been on my TBR ever since it was released in March 2019. I have delayed reading it because I was worried it won’t live up to the massive hype surrounding it. But when the series was released in March, I knew it was time to finally bite the bullet and decided to listen to the audiobook after reading many reviews recommending it.

I was already a fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s writing after reading the fantastic ‘The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’, and this book cemented my love of her work. I’ll admit, this was my second time trying to listen to this audiobook. I couldn’t get into it the first time, but I was still determined to discover what it was about this book that has garnered so many fans and so much praise. This time around, I was hooked from the start. Jenkins Reid’s masterful storytelling combined with the superb perfomances of the narrators to bring to life Daisy and her world. I was transported back to the seventies  and the heady world of this infamous band, following their journey from conception to realising their dream and then finally having it all fall apart. I lived these moments with the characters, feeling their joy, pain, heartache and triumph as they chased their dreams. It was all so well written and performed that I could almost feel the California sun beating down on me, smell the cigarette and taste the whiskey. I had to keep reminding myself that this was not a podcast about a real band, but a fictional story from the pen of a very talented author. 

“Some people, you bathe them in those lights and they disappear. But, some people, they glow.”

A story about the ugly celebrity, fame, wealth and success, Daisy Jones and the Six is narrated by an eclectic cast of characters. It is told in a series of interviews with the band and those closest to them, giving the whole thing a very authentic documentary feel. Once again Jenkins Reid showcases her talent for writing  glamorous, alluring and compelling characters who are also complex, flawed and real. She knows how to make you care about, root for them, and feel invested in every facet of their lives. Each of them are brought to life so vividly that you feel like you’re sitting in the room with them. I was completely sucked into their hedonistic world and couldn’t get enough. 
But while every character in this story has a charisma that draws you to them, it is undoubtedly Daisy Jones who shines brightest amongst this group of stars. She lights up the stage, and every room she is in. But this beautiful woman is also broken. She is damaged by indifferent parents, falls in love with the wrong men and relies upon descending into a haze of drink and drugs to get through her day. It’s a familiar but tragic story that makes Daisy feel heart-wrenchingly real. 

Glamorous, magnetic and totally riveting, I loved every moment of this wild and crazy ride. So much so that I binged the TV series straight after listening as I was not ready to say goodbye to these characters just yet. 

This is a book that lives up to the hype. If you haven’t read it then what on earth are you waiting for?! 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

********

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Taylor Jenkins Reid is the New York Times bestselling author of eight novels, including Malibu Rising, Daisy Jones & The Six, and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their daughter.

• Instagram
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Link

********

BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones*| Amazon* | Bookshop.org*

********

Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxx

*These purchase links are affiliate links