Daisy Jones & The Six

Re-read March 2023: OMG THE BOOK IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE HORRIBLE AMAZON PRIME SERIES. The book actually cares about how music is made and isn't just a melodramatic love triangle with poorly developed characters. Except for Simone, who definitely deserves the increased attention.
*****
It's been a while since a book made me literally say “Wow!” out loud as I finished it. Major props to Taylor Jenkins Reid for creating a perfectly believable 1970s rock group and crafting a “Behind the Music” plot that, despite its predictable arc, never feels cliched.

I was a little skeptical at first, especially given the massive amount of hype around the book. I thought it was going to be another godawful love triangle. And it was, but it also wasn't. It was never as simple as two women fighting over one man; there were nuances and layers to the relationships and actions that each of the three characters took (or didn't take). And it's all wrapped up in the fascinating story of a fictional band that had one brief shining moment of ascendancy before it fell apart. You can tell that Reid loves and understands music and the creative process; some of the best parts of the novel are when Daisy and Billy are writing songs together and when the band is cooking onstage.

Billy and Daisy are unforgettable but the secondary characters are strong too. All of the band members have their own distinct personalities that create harmony and cause dissent within the group. My favorite has to be Warren the drummer, who is just completely chill about everything. He just wants to bang on the drums all day, as the song goes.

Best of all is that the 1970s setting feels authentic but never forced. Reid doesn't try to shoe-horn in every famous person who ever lived or every silly 70s fad (nobody has a pet rock, thank goodness). For those of us who lived through it, it's impressive that a Millennial like Reid got so much right.

Daisy Jones and the Six was a quick, memorable read. Now I want to hear the soundtrack. Considering Reece Witherspoon already bought the movie rights, I probably don't have long to wait.