Daisy Jones and The Six
I read Daisy Jones and The Six last year and it was a favourite of mine from the year. I loved the interview style of the book, it immersed me in the world of 1970s folk rock band tour and heightened the drama to cliff hanging proportions so that I found it hard to put down. I recommended it to a friend however, and she couldn’t bare the style of it.
Tara Jenkins Reid based the story on the wouldn’t believe it if you heard it goings on of Fleetwood Mac’s band member love affairs, drug use and fall outs. This dysfunctional family that created one of the greatest albums of all time out of the pain and hurt of betrayal, ended up having to sing the songs from it forever more.
Daisy Jones and the Six - Tara Jenkins Reid
The two main characters in the book, Billy Dunne and Daisy Jones are both creative geniuses who struggle with drug and alcohol addictions brought about by abusive relationships in their childhoods. They cannot provide what the other needs in order to heal and stay in the light. There is so much fire in them both, so much passion but it’s unsustainable.
The female characters were so strong, so sure of themselves, so confident. Reading it, I couldn’t help thinking, if that’s what women were like in the 70s, what happened? When did they start taking a back seat?
I finally watched the TV series last week, I holding off as I really didn’t want to watch anyone do the book an injustice. I enjoyed it immediately and understood why most of the changes were made. I cannot forgive that they changed the character Niccolo to an Irish Nicky who supposedly came from Irish nobility - what???? However, it didn’t ruin it for me. The costumes alone were enough to keep me interested but the casting was great, they really were a band and the music, is that on Spotify? I will be listening to that again. I also loved how Simone’s character was fleshed out and we followed her, a black queer woman, to New York to be a part of the disco era.
If you haven’t already, read the book first or my goodness, listen to the audio, what an experience that would be, then watch the show and get ready to fall in love with all things 70s. Reminder to myself to keep an eye out for a sheer sparkle pleated cape with angel wings to be worn with hot pants and halter neck top with fringing and knee high boots.