Daisy Jones & The Six

Reid is talented at playing with form, and this book is no exception. Written in interview style throughout; this book (loosely based on the whirlwind journey of Fleetwood Mac) follows the epic rise to fame of a major seventies band; it’s all things sex, drugs and rock and roll. It’s a quick, easy read - she throws a lot into building up each of the main characters just enough that you care about what happens to them, even if you don’t like them all that much. The story is gripping, though perhaps not quite as heartfelt as Malibu Rising.

Some standout moments are the representation and exploration of addiction as a central theme across the book - it wasn’t overdone, callous or cautious - it felt fairly raw and honest. I was most impressed though, with the dedication to creating ‘The Six’ as a band so realistic that she includes an entire album of song lyrics - it feels so real that one of the top google searches on the book is whether the band is real (and touring?). This is testament to both the writing, and the choice of format.

Passion is…it’s fire. And fire is great, man. But we’re made of water. Water is how we keep living. Water is what we need to survive.

The main plot twist was interesting - I was really surprised, but also a little flat; it could have had a bit more bang for it’s buck. Overall, it’s a fun read - but not my favourite by Reid.

CW: Death, drug-use, explicit scenes.