Daisy Jones & The Six is a love story involving the lead musicians of a fictional 1970s American rock band, but it’s far from a typical love story. Author Taylor Jenkins Reid has innovated the heck out of it.
I’m really tempted to tell you all the amazing things that are happening with this novel, but I don’t want to ruin the story for you. So, without giving too much away, let me just say that Reid’s use of point of view is nothing short of stellar, her ability to create a fictional world is off the charts and her narrative style is a daring gamble that pays off in spades.
Point of view essentially refers to who is telling the story and why.
There’s so much more to it than first person or third person, but most modern authors don’t realize just how powerful this storytelling tool is. Writers who take the time to study and understand it, create classics; The Great Gatsby, The Princess Bride and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd to name a few.
Novels with this level of craftsmanship simply stand out.
Reid has created a world that is so vivid, so real, that you’ll have to keep reminding yourself that the band doesn’t exist. I even had to google it. Pretty amazing, right?
Then there’s the narrative style. This is no ordinary prose. Taylor Jenkins Reid presents her story as a series of interviews with (at last count) 19 different characters. It’s a rockumentary. It’s cinematic and gutsy for a novel, but boy, she pulls it off.
The effect of all this storytelling skill is that you’ll desperately wish you could listen to Daisy Jones & The Six’s hit album, Aurora. Thanks to Reece Witherspoon (who has snapped up the rights), you soon will be. The album, and the film, are in the works.
Available in print, digital and audio versions. Visit your local library or click here to buy the ebook. If your library doesn’t carry this book, ask them to order it.
Audiobook Review
The audiobook is performed by a cast of professional actors. It’s like listening to a radio drama. What can I say except, it’s fantastic!
