Book Review: Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Have you heard all the hype about Daisy Jones and the Six and come to find out if it’s actually worth reading? This Daisy Jones and the Six book review shares my honest thoughts on the novel, including who it’s best for, who might struggle with it, and why it became one of the most talked-about books of recent years.
Daisy Jones & The Six: Quick Review
Daisy Jones & The Six is a fictional oral history of a 1970s rock band inspired by Fleetwood Mac and is immersive, stylistically unique, and deeply character-driven.
While the plot slows slightly in the middle, its emotional payoff and clever use of unreliable narrators make it a memorable read, particularly in audiobook form.
TL;DR:
- Best for: readers who love music history, celebrity culture, and character-led fiction
- Writing style: interview-based / oral history
- Not ideal if: you need fast-paced plots or instantly likeable characters
What is Daisy Jones and the Six About?
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 chasing one thing above all else: music.
By her early twenties, her voice and presence are impossible to ignore.
Running parallel to Daisy’s story is The Six, a band led by Billy Dunne.
On the brink of their first major tour, Billy’s life is upended when his girlfriend Camila becomes pregnant, forcing him to juggle impending fatherhood with fame, temptation, and addiction.
When a producer realises that pairing Daisy with The Six could turn success into superstardom, their paths collide – with consequences that eventually lead to the band’s mysterious breakup.
The novel is told entirely through interview snippets with band members and those close to them, slowly revealing the truth behind the legend.
Daisy Jones and the Six Book Review
Daisy Jones & The Six was one of the most hyped contemporary books of 2019 and continues to be one of the most talked-about books on bookstagram.
It tells the story of a fictional rock and roll band through interview snippets with members of the band and people close to it.
However, if you didn’t know it was fiction, you would almost certainly think this was based on true events.
In fact, I ended up looking up “Daisy Jones and the Six” on YouTube, hoping to find their songs, only to realise the band and its songs never actually existed.
That said, this fictional band is based on the real-life band Fleetwood Mac, so fans of that band are going to love this.
I was taken in by the unique style of storytelling from the very beginning. I didn’t like the characters much, but I just couldn’t believe that Taylor Jenkins Reid had managed to make fiction seem like non-fiction and also make this form of writing so readable.
Most of the characters are quite self-absorbed, trying to tell the story in a way that paints them in a good light, which is what makes this all the more fascinating.
Each interview snippet is given by an unreliable narrator, and you, as the reader, are left to piece the story together from the in-between pieces that are left unsaid.
It allows the reader to construct the story they want in their head based on the facts given by each character. This is a brilliant example that every coin has two sides, and every story has multiple perspectives.
To be honest, my interest waned a little in the middle when the story got comfortable, and nothing much happened. But I kept reading and am glad I did because it went from strength to strength in the ending passages.
Whilst at first I simply appreciated the book for its unique style, I ended up loving it for its story, its characters and storytelling.
That’s not to say I came around to *liking* the characters, but I did feel I had got to know them all very well by the end, and I found each of them pretty compelling.
Although Daisy and Billy are the key characters, or at least they were to the outside world in this fictional universe, the subplots and inner workings of the band as a whole were some of the most interesting parts to read.
All in all, I’d highly recommend Daisy Jones and the Six to anyone looking for a refreshing read that’s unlike anything they’ve read before. And I don’t say that lightly.
It’s certainly not for everyone as the style and story appear to be like marmite amongst reviewers, but I sit firmly in the camp of those who have given this book high praise.
I can’t wait to dive into more of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s novels to see what else she can do!
Is Daisy Jones and the Six Worth Reading?
Daisy Jones & The Six is worth reading if you enjoy character-driven novels, stories about the music industry, and books that experiment with form.
Its oral-history style makes it feel immersive and authentic, even though the story is fictional.
That said, readers who prefer fast-paced plots or need characters they actively like and root for may find parts of the novel slow or frustrating.
The emotional payoff, however, is strong, particularly in the final chapters, and the audiobook elevates the experience even further.
Overall, it’s a memorable (if polarising) novel that is perfect for readers willing to lean into its style rather than its plot.
It’s a firm yes from me.
FAQs
Want to read Daisy Jones and the Six now? Listen for free with an Audible free trial or grab a copy here from Amazon or Bookshop.org
About Taylor Jenkins Reid
Taylor Jenkins Reid is the New York Times bestselling author of seven novels, including Daisy Jones & The Six, Malibu Rising and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their daughter.
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