jenesaisquoi's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, and Domestic abuse
creativelifeofliz's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
In many ways, I'm not sure why I like this book so much. It was so intensely readable (I listened to it, which might be part of it) and I think I'll look back on the story in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Sexual content, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Addiction
Moderate: Grief, Pregnancy, Abortion, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Death of parent, Mental illness, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, and Rape
fiercereadsfiction's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Abortion
ptoridactyl30's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug use, Infidelity, Alcoholism, and Drug abuse
Minor: Sexism, Body shaming, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Emotional abuse, Injury/injury detail, Vomit, Abortion, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, and Eating disorder
cheyneflynn's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
For the record, this was SO much better than The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. I feel like the concept held strong throughout the book and I actually like the first hand accounts of the story. It wasn’t just massive slabs of: then I felt like, then I said, and I did this.
However I still don’t get the point of
Like what is the obsession, it really displaces my focus from the book. It added nothing emotional for me personally.
I also think some of the other band members could’ve been described more. Or even focused on their own things more throughout the story, but that’s me. Overall it was good and I enjoyed it
However I still don’t get the point of
Spoiler
doing a surprise like, “oh and the author of this book is Billy’s daughter OMG”Like what is the obsession, it really displaces my focus from the book. It added nothing emotional for me personally.
I also think some of the other band members could’ve been described more. Or even focused on their own things more throughout the story, but that’s me. Overall it was good and I enjoyed it
Content Warnings
Moderate: Eating disorder, Addiction, Drug use, Alcohol, Drug abuse, and Alcoholism
Minor: Death, Grief, Abortion, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Sexism, and Terminal illness
arshiya_amreen90786's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Eating disorder, Abortion, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Pregnancy, Forced institutionalization, Adult/minor relationship, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Sexual harassment
storieswithbee's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Genre: Adult Contemporary Fiction
Age range: 15+
Trope: Celebrity
Overall: 4/5
Content warning: *Abortion, Depictions of Mental Illness (Addiction, Anxiety, Depression), Cheating, Substance Abuse (Alcohol/Drugs), Eating Disorder, Unplanned Pregnancy, Pregnancy, Profanity, Sexual Themes, Self-harm, Parental Neglect*
I listened to this book in an audio format, and I highly recommend that everyone does this.
Taylor Jenkins Reid's 'Daisy Jones & The Six' and 'The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo' are extremely reminiscent of one another. If you liked one, then I can almost guarantee you'll like the other.
Reading this book for the first time - not having read the blurb - and heading into this story blind, I was thrown off guard that we were delving into the life and the backstory of a singer and a rock and roll band from the seventies. We were introduced to so many characters very early on that played so many integral parts. And that came across as a little confronting, but that evoked confusion is deliberate.
This book is written in a documentary-style format that takes you across the span of years with Daisy Jones and the band known as The Six. It features their rise to fame, their challenges across that time, and their eventual split.
The characters were so well fleshed out already, and that was all the more satisfying with how well this book was narrated. Listening to how each character talked, the emotions in their voices, the pauses, the breathiness, and the laughter, gave the reader/listener this whole new depth in how they could submerge themselves into the story. I genuinely felt as if I was watching a proper interview with the characters, just without viewing it in front of me. I found it so incredibly fascinating.
The main themes behind the book were thought-provoking, but also really genuine in their mundaneness. All the characters' struggles were real-life struggles. All the conflicts were valid to the main storyline, but they were also complimentary to the time, and to the characters themselves. Nothing felt out of place or too extreme, or too far-fetched.
All in all, I think this book was a phenomenal read. However, for me, I found that I was comparing this book back to Evelyn Hugo a lot more than I wanted to. I loved that damn book, and because I loved that book, this one paled slightly in comparison. I think it will depend on what you read first. Should that turn you off this book? Absolutely not. Daisy Jones and The Six will be characters that I never let go of.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cursing, Misogyny, Addiction, Drug use, and Infidelity
Moderate: Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Vomit, Injury/injury detail, Grief, Abandonment, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, and Death of parent
epen's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I really wanted to love this book, and by all measures, I should have; I love music, I’ve enjoyed reading oral histories, I loved 7 Husbands. But I couldn’t bring myself to care about this story or these characters. The narrative format didn’t do enough to make me feel like I knew the characters behind a single dimension. At some points I found myself thinking, I’d love this if it were about a band I actually knew. I read this quickly to finish it and move on.
Hoping the show will be more fun, as we’ll be able to at least hear the songs from the book.
Hoping the show will be more fun, as we’ll be able to at least hear the songs from the book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Abortion, and Drug abuse
Minor: Sexism
oliviaburley's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I think the book will benefit from the show adaptation songs because it got very boring very quickly for characters to keep saying “the song was slow and on piano and that’s all the description you get because obviously everyone’s heard this famous song before!” A huge section of the book is about the songwriting process and although we are given the lyrics, having the actual songs would enrich the book tenfold.
All the male characters were so aggravating. Warren and Eddie were annoying and underdeveloped, Pete was mentioned so infrequently I kept forgetting who he was. Billy was a complete prick start to finish, the narrative tried to provide a sympathetic angle for him but I hated him the entire book. Graham was tolerable until the last third of the book, but by the end I hated him as well. All of the record label/producer people were hard to keep straight.
Daisy was interesting but grating at times, and I wanted to hear more about her life: early childhood, what she’s up to now, etc. Simone was the most interesting character in the whole book and she was severely underutilized. Karen was a badass, I wish there were more Daisy/Karen moments throughout the book, it was weird how disjointed the women were from each other. I felt bad Camila put all her eggs in the Billy basket, I was waiting the whole book for her to divorce his sorry ass. The “Julia is the author” reveal did nothing for me except make it super weird her dad is going into detail with his daughter about cheating on her mom.
The interview structure worked well enough for me, and it was a quick read. This is my first TJR, will definitely be reading more in the future. I have high hopes for the TV show, as I think this story is probably better suited on screen with a soundtrack.
All the male characters were so aggravating. Warren and Eddie were annoying and underdeveloped, Pete was mentioned so infrequently I kept forgetting who he was. Billy was a complete prick start to finish, the narrative tried to provide a sympathetic angle for him but I hated him the entire book. Graham was tolerable until the last third of the book, but by the end I hated him as well. All of the record label/producer people were hard to keep straight.
Daisy was interesting but grating at times, and I wanted to hear more about her life: early childhood, what she’s up to now, etc. Simone was the most interesting character in the whole book and she was severely underutilized. Karen was a badass, I wish there were more Daisy/Karen moments throughout the book, it was weird how disjointed the women were from each other. I felt bad Camila put all her eggs in the Billy basket, I was waiting the whole book for her to divorce his sorry ass. The “Julia is the author” reveal did nothing for me except make it super weird her dad is going into detail with his daughter about cheating on her mom.
The interview structure worked well enough for me, and it was a quick read. This is my first TJR, will definitely be reading more in the future. I have high hopes for the TV show, as I think this story is probably better suited on screen with a soundtrack.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Drug use, Alcoholism, Sexism, Addiction, Drug abuse, Alcohol, and Sexual content
Minor: Abortion
apalershadeofwhite's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This story is so beautifully melancholic. It's dealing with all these issues - personal, public, controversial, common - and it's done in such a way that you feel every ounce of it. You feel for these characters as if they were actual people you were having a conversation with, and it breaks your heart that someone could be going through things like these all the while dealing with them alone.
This book had had such an freaking amazing start. Phenomenal, really! I really liked the documentary-style writing because it was super experimentative for me, but it also played into my sporadic habit of jumping down pages to read the dialogue lol. I think, on the surface at least, it's written in a really accessible way; I think even non-readers would enjoy this! I mean, you can't read the word "I'd've" and expect a formal piece of work lol. I think there's an initial worry with this kind of niche writing style, but TJR is a writer like no other and somehow manages it. What talent.
However, although I think this novel is written in a really accessible way for readers and non-readers alike, I don't think it is very universal. I am definitely someone who thrives while reading more traditional writing styles and I think there's something so powerful in a good description; whether it be tension or the linguistic side of writing or even just being written in a beautiful way. It's definitely fun to experience with writing styles, as both a writer and a reader, but I think the power that description can have is personally an integral part of my reading experience.
With this writing style, as well, I think it draws special attention to the little things. Every single thing someone could say is important. You have to really look at what they're saying and see if it could possibly foreshadow or symbolise something else. For example, some things would seem like an insignificant detail to read in a book but is actually a significant narrative point or turning point in a documentary.
I really like the grittiness of this book though, which was enhanced by the setting and plot as well as the writing style. We got to see what love is like on tour, what relationships and friendships are like, with an insane amount of candour. It made for some shocking things, but also some really funny moments as well. (Side note: I'm sorry but the name Karen Karen had me howling.) An example I like is when Karen is asked to wear mini skirts and low-cut tops and she says "an ugly face isn't, you know, the end of a man". I love that we got deeper things than just the sex and drugs that come with rock and roll and touring; we're getting other things like social commentary, which is really well broached. (Side note #2: Warren is a pig.) For instance, Billy expected to be in complete control and when finally letting someone else have a say in the creative process, even though he 'didn't think he should have', he expected to be praised and rewarded for making people feel included.
The author's note actually took me so off guard! I was not expecting that. I think I forgot that despite this being a book, it is still a documentary-style writing piece on this band, so of course there's going to be a character who is writing it! And that plot twist was one I didn't suspect at all, which just shows that TJR is crazy talented and can even shock you in experimentative writing styles like this!
This book had had such an freaking amazing start. Phenomenal, really! I really liked the documentary-style writing because it was super experimentative for me, but it also played into my sporadic habit of jumping down pages to read the dialogue lol. I think, on the surface at least, it's written in a really accessible way; I think even non-readers would enjoy this! I mean, you can't read the word "I'd've" and expect a formal piece of work lol. I think there's an initial worry with this kind of niche writing style, but TJR is a writer like no other and somehow manages it. What talent.
However, although I think this novel is written in a really accessible way for readers and non-readers alike, I don't think it is very universal. I am definitely someone who thrives while reading more traditional writing styles and I think there's something so powerful in a good description; whether it be tension or the linguistic side of writing or even just being written in a beautiful way. It's definitely fun to experience with writing styles, as both a writer and a reader, but I think the power that description can have is personally an integral part of my reading experience.
With this writing style, as well, I think it draws special attention to the little things. Every single thing someone could say is important. You have to really look at what they're saying and see if it could possibly foreshadow or symbolise something else. For example, some things would seem like an insignificant detail to read in a book but is actually a significant narrative point or turning point in a documentary.
I really like the grittiness of this book though, which was enhanced by the setting and plot as well as the writing style. We got to see what love is like on tour, what relationships and friendships are like, with an insane amount of candour. It made for some shocking things, but also some really funny moments as well. (Side note: I'm sorry but the name Karen Karen had me howling.) An example I like is when Karen is asked to wear mini skirts and low-cut tops and she says "an ugly face isn't, you know, the end of a man". I love that we got deeper things than just the sex and drugs that come with rock and roll and touring; we're getting other things like social commentary, which is really well broached. (Side note #2: Warren is a pig.) For instance, Billy expected to be in complete control and when finally letting someone else have a say in the creative process, even though he 'didn't think he should have', he expected to be praised and rewarded for making people feel included.
The author's note actually took me so off guard! I was not expecting that. I think I forgot that despite this being a book, it is still a documentary-style writing piece on this band, so of course there's going to be a character who is writing it! And that plot twist was one I didn't suspect at all, which just shows that TJR is crazy talented and can even shock you in experimentative writing styles like this!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction
Moderate: Misogyny, Pregnancy, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, and Sexism