“We love broken, beautiful people. And it doesn’t get much more obviously broken and more classically beautiful than Daisy Jones.” This quote is from “Daisy Jones & the Six” by Taylor Jenkins Reid, which tells the fictional story of the struggles and success of the biggest rock band of the seventies. 

Written as an interview with the group about the rise and fall of their careers, the narrative centers around Daisy Jones, a tall young girl with striking looks and gorgeous red hair. The storyline follows Daisy as she grows up in the world of rock and roll in Los Angeles, trying to fulfill her dreams of writing and performing music. 

However, before the band became “Daisy Jones & The Six,” it was simply “The Six.” This band of six members was composed of five instrumentalists and Billy Dunne, the lead singer. Billy, much like Daisy, is known for his incredible looks and an energy about him that people are drawn to. He is an example of the classic brooding and sought-after lead singer of an underground band. But the band was not unheard of for long; after the release of their debut album, their careers began to truly start. 

At this point in the book, Billy has become quite serious with his girlfriend Camila, and the night before their big debut tour starts, he receives big, life-altering news. Billy struggles with this news, and things go haywire in his life while he is on tour. As he fights to pull his life together, one producer makes an interesting discovery.

While “The Six” are on tour, Daisy is still working hard to kick off her career as a singer. She eventually manages to create her very first album. While her music isn’t quite there yet, Daisy is headed for bigger things. 

One of the producers for “The Six” suggests bringing in a female lead for the next album. When Daisy rehearses with “The Six” for the first time, it’s clear not everyone is going to get along. While everyone is mesmerized by her and her looks, Billy is wary of her joining the band, and they fight often. However, the chemistry their voices have together is undeniable. The way they sing as a duo could make anyone drop what they were doing to listen. Thus, “Daisy Jones & The Six” was born.

Their road to success was not easy, with struggles with substance abuse, the torment of forbidden love, rejection, betrayal, loads of arguments and drama, and most importantly: heartbreak. The confusing and changing relationship between Billy and Daisy keeps readers eager to know what happens next. The story behind the idealized rockstar life of the biggest fictional band of the ‘70s is revealed in this book, and it is one that will keep you reading for hours on end.

Taylor Jenkins Reid has written this masterpiece of a story, with beautiful quotes about love, pain and life. One of the most notable lines from the book happens while Billy is reflecting on his mistakes and experiences near the end of the book. Billy expresses that “when you really love someone, sometimes the things they need may hurt you, and some people are worth hurting for.” With storytelling as well-written as this, “Daisy Jones & The Six” will have you crying one minute and laughing the next. This book is raw in its demonstration of many real life themes, and this book should be read by anyone who loves the aesthetic of the unfiltered, unhinged, ’70s rock and roll lifestyle. 

Although reading books in unusual formats can be challenging at first, the descriptive storytelling of each character and the transitions between their accounts of what happened clearly paints the picture of their story in an unique and enjoyable way. 

The only downside of this story is that not all the characters get their perfect happy ending, and while it can be upsetting to read, it is reflective of real life and it keeps the story realistic and emotional. 

To leave you with one last quote from the book that sums up the story perfectly, “You heard the album and you read about Billy and Daisy in Rolling Stone and you wanted to see it for yourself. You had to see it for yourself.”