Book Review: “Daisy Jones & the Six” by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Jul 29

Håfa adai! Welcome to my review of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Daisy Jones and the Six; a story about chasing acceptance and learning to be open to the right kind of influence.

This book review consists of two parts: a spoiler-free plot summary and my thoughts on the story. In the second part, I give my personal rating and break down the setting and worldbuilding, storytelling, cast of characters, and themes. There may be some lightweight spoilers—such as how characters interact with each other and the world around them—but I will not give away any major plot twists or endings. I want to share my opinions of the book and maybe encourage you to purchase a copy of your own.

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Spoiler-Free Plot Summary

American music went through incredible transformation throughout the 1960s and 1970s. The era of classic rock took the world by storm, seemingly creating legends overnight. Daisy Jones is a talented beauty born with a silver spoon in her mouth. Her innate skill and potential is obvious, but she has handed opportunity far more times than she has earned it. Billy Dunne is a hardworking musician from humble beginnings preparing for his band, The Six, to go on their debut tour. Daisy and Billy’s lives become intertwined when she is selected as a featured artist on one of The Six’s first hit songs and is invited to join their tour. Personally, Daisy and Billy cannot stand each other. Professionally, there are few whose writing and voices blend as beautifully as theirs.

Important Trigger Warning for Daisy Jones & the Six

Daisy Jones & the Six heavily depicts substance abuse as well as the use of illegal substances as a tool of coercive control. These themes are essential to the plot. If these are themes that cause you distress or discomfort in any way, then please make sure to take necessary steps to prepare and protect yourself before and after reading this book.

My Thoughts on Daisy Jones and the Six: 4.5 stars

Spanning from the 1960s to 2012 and beyond, Daisy Jones & the Six follows how multiple fictional musicians rose, crossed paths, and parted ways in the pursuit of making classic rock ‘n’ roll. For those unfamiliar with this era of music, a few classic rock artists include (in alphabetical order) The Allman Brothers Band, The Beatles, David Bowie, The Doobie Brothers, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac (the inspiration for this story), Heart, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, and Queen. I have not seen the miniseries based on this book, so I will not make any comparisons to the show. But I will say that there is a soundtrack from the show that is supposed to be this fictional band’s album called Aurora. And it’s great!

Daisy Jones & the Six is presented like a documentary where still-living members of a band that was active decades ago share an oral history of their rise, ride, and fall from the limelight. The first-person perspectives of every member of the band plus one of the lead character’s wife, the talent and band managers, music producers, and a few others are used to give a chronological retelling of events from different angles. The story is thoroughly grounded in real-world history, demonstrating the amount of research and care that Taylor Jenkins Reid put into the composition of this work. This includes an experience where some of the band members and their friends names’ were selected for the draft lottery during the time of the United States’ involvement with the war in Vietnam, one of their friends was selected for the draft, and was soon killed in action in Vietnam.

The number of first-person perspectives featured throughout Daisy Jones & the Six makes for a large cast of characters! Every character is complex, unique, and flawed, adding to the textured dynamic you would observe in real life when there are multiple people with different personalities working towards a similar goal. I will not go into detail about every character. Instead, I will focus on Billy Dunne (the original lead vocalist of The Six), Camila Dunne (Billy’s wife), and Daisy Jones.

Billy Dunne is the eldest of the Dunne brothers and a founding member of The Six. He is talented and tormented, wanting to pursue his dreams and have a family without repeating the cycle of his father’s actions. He is assertive (or bossy and controlling, depending on which band member is speaking) while also lacking the confidence that he can make great music on his own. What I appreciate about Billy is the he grows throughout the story while still remaining the same at his core. Taylor Jenkins Reid’s writing astonished me in the way she composed subtle yet powerful character growth in Billy Dunne.

Camila Dunne is what I would call a “girl’s girl.” She is strong, empathetic, and supportive. There is a chapter where she holds the hand of a character as that character makes a choice Camila would not make if she were in that position. She advocates for others pursuing their happiness, even if that is not what would be her happiness. Most of all, she is a fierce protector of her family unit without being petty, nasty, or mean. And her character arc concludes in a way that is consistent with who she is while also bittersweet.

Daisy Jones was born with it all: intense beauty, immense talent, and immeasurable wealth. By the late 1960s, she becomes an adult amidst the endless parties, drugs, alcohol, and sex of the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles, California. She could have road the coattails of her successful parents if it were not for her dream to write and sing rock ‘n’ roll. Daisy’s journey from being handed things to having to earn them sets her to experience the highest of highs and lowest of rock bottoms. When it comes to the other members of the band, she presents a side of her self that is equal parts admired, tolerated, and misunderstood. When it comes to her talent as a vocalist, she possesses a presence that is truly unforgettable.

Amidst the complexity of the characters were several major themes I took away from the story. I cannot go into detail about each theme without giving away spoilers, so I will be intentionally vague. First, it can be dangerous to confuse attention with love. Daisy’s parents gave their attention primarily to their careers and only rarely to Daisy when she could be used as an accessory. This causes Daisy to deeply crave attention and support, including from individuals who are only interested in taking advantage of her. Second, chasing acceptance and approval from others can be a never-ending race. By constantly seeking acceptance and approval from others over themselves, both Daisy and Billy spend years of their respective lives not fully understanding or appreciating their own talents and abilities. Third, the fear of repeating the past can lead to self-sabotage. For Billy Dunne in particular, his valid anxieties of the past cause him to almost become worse than what was done in the past. And fourth, only you can decide when to be open to positive influence. For much of Daisy’s youth, the type of influence she accepts causes her more harm than good. But it is when she makes the terrifying decision to accept positive influence that her life really changes.

The overall rating I give to Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Daisy Jones & the Six is 4.5 out of 5 stars. I wanted to read this book as soon I finished The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. And Taylor Jenkin Reid’s writing amazed me again! Multiple storylines weave together, there is a plot twist I was absolutely not expecting, and there was immense character growth. The songwriting featured throughout the book is phenomenal and at times heart wrenching. And the themes I picked up on deeply resonated with me. I can see myself revisiting this story again and again in the future.

Dångkulo' na' saina ma'åse'! Thank you so much for reading my review of Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

Rating Cheat Sheet

4.75 - 5.00 stars: Everyone should read this book! (If you’re into that sort of thing.)
4.00 - 4.50 stars: I appreciated many aspects of this book. I recommend it!
3.00 - 3.75 stars: I liked some aspects of this book. I won’t revisit it, but someone else might really like it.
2.00 - 2.75 stars: There were some things I appreciated about this book, but I do not recommend it.
0.25 - 1.75 stars: I do not recommend this book. I did not enjoy or appreciate the experience of it.

Post Date: 31 March 2025