By Virginia Angle

Daisy Jones and The Six, written by Taylor Jenkins Reid, is an electric, exhilarating story of a band and their journey of fame and fortune, along with their many struggles. Set in the 1970s, the story follows the merger between crazy, life-of-the-party singer/songwriter Daisy Jones and Billy Dunne and his band The Six. The band and the whole story, although seemingly very real, is completely made up by Reid. Even so, the attachment that I felt towards the band by the end of the book was wholehearted and genuine. 

The story is told as an oral history of interviews with band members, friends, and music industry professionals. It begins with the childhood of Daisy Jones, a youthful, beautiful teenager with neglectful parents. Daisy grew up on the Sunset Strip in L.A. in the 1970s, going to bars and immersing herself into the world of rock ‘n’ roll. Daisy is captivating. Everywhere she goes, people are taken aback by her carefree, lackadaisical attitude and gorgeous face—whether it’s strangers on the streets, men who are mesmerized by her looks, or fans in the audience. Along with her luscious garnet-colored hair and charming personality, Daisy’s incredible singing and songwriting abilities start to shine, and she is discovered by Hank Allen, who becomes her manager. Daisy signs a record deal at Runner Records, yet she struggles to be happy with all of the rules and stipulations involved. 

At the same time, up-and-coming Billy Dunne and his band “The Six” are making a name for themselves in L.A. They are the quintessential rock band, comprised of a combination of music talent and partying. The members of The Six all have their separate narratives, yet when they come together as a band, they have an incredible amount of talent. The Six are also signed with Runner Records, but the band feels like something is missing from their performances. Daisy is brought in to spice up the band’s vibe. Daisy’s introduction into the band creates tension and drama due to her conflicted morals and musical approach, especially because she wants everything to be done her way.

Reid’s completely fictional characters capture your heart, mind, and soul in a mere 384 pages. Tara Wilson Redd of The Washington Times describes this feeling, saying “by the end of the book, readers’ investment in a band whose music they’ve never heard on the radio, never danced to, never cried to, never seen themselves in is astonishing.” Reid’s descriptions of each of the characters are so in-depth that I feel like I could write an autobiography of each of the band members. Although the lyrics to all of the mentioned songs are written in the back of the book, the songs do not actually exist. Many people theorize that the concept of band was strongly influenced by Fleetwood Mac, and that Daisy’s character is based on Stevie Nicks. 

The novel has an incredible sense of power centered on the female characters. Reid carefully builds up each woman’s personality and intricately develops their drive and determination to be equal to the men in the story, especially in a time period where women were often seen as inferior to men. “Reid has focused her story on a talented woman, a free-spirited singer-songwriter who refuses to be secondary to a man’s story,” says Jerry Portwood in Rolling Stone. Reid strongly opposes the standard image of women being complacent, and Redd writes that “It would be easy to rely on the tired stereotype of catty women to add drama to this story, but Ms. Reid reliably shows women lifting each other up, even when they are in conflict.”

Daisy Jones and The Six is a riveting and engrossing novel that explores both the joys and the struggles of fame. Reid beautifully exhibits the toxic way that life can become mixed with music and work through her perfectly fabricated characters. The fictional story grabs onto the reader, creating a heartwarming bond between the characters and the reader.