Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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GENRE: Historical fiction

FIRST PUBLISHED: 2019, Penguin Books

THEMES: 1970's, rock and roll, rock stars, music, song writing, drugs, alcoholism, friendship, family, love, creativity, creative relationships, abortion, attraction, sex, choices, life direction.

READING TIME: Approximately 7 hours

PURCHASED FROM: Waterstones

PLOT: The setting is the American 1970's rock and roll scene, and through an interview transcript style, follows the rising and coming together of singer and song writer, Daisy Jones, and the band, The Six. The story focuses on the personal lives of each band member and their individual accounts of what happened during their time working together, with particular focus on Daisy and Billy and the difficulties and demons they face that impacts on their working relationship and the rest of the characters. 

MY REFLECTIONS: It's a good book, well written, and entertaining. It made me think of the interviews you see on TV - ageing band members reflecting on their heyday - it's no surprise it's been turned into a TV series - I will watch it. I'm interested in listening to an audio version - I imagine that works well. Perhaps part of the attraction of this book is that it is so adaptable, so easy to 'listen to', because of the innovative flair of the writing. 

For me, and I'm sure for many others, the sparks that fly between Daisy and Billy are the main attraction - the push and pull, the creative and sexual tension. I also appreciated the whole creative force that embodies this book and drives the characters. I enjoyed the story of how an art form can bring people together and push them apart, how emotions dominate lives and have the ability to destroy people when they spiral out of control. 

I was pleased by the poetry of the songs and inclusion of the song lyrics - if they hadn't been there at the end I would have been disappointed, and the writer gets my respect for not copping out, but showing real talent and creative investment. 


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