In this column Books You Should Know About, I will guide you through unmissable best sellers and hidden gems.
Please note: this is not a book review column. I cannot, and frankly will never dream of negatively critiquing any novelist, (at least not in a public platform, but let me tell you my social events are a hoot!) and therefore I shan’t. So instead, you will find rather desperate pleadings from yours truly, to pick up said book and devour accordingly.
The What
Question: So which of my (up until now) private library shall act as this column’s exordium previously referred to as part one?
Answer: Daisy Jones & The Six.
If you have been living under a rock and are guilty of exhibiting unintentional ignorance—oblivious to bestseller lists, social media, bookstore displays—you may not be aware of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s depiction of an iconic 70s band. I, however, am aware of the world around me—in the context of books, that is—and therefore consider this an unmissable best seller.
The book epitomises the saying ‘sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll’, as it details the whirlwind rise and mysterious fall of the beloved band.
The salacious tale, paired with the novel’s interview format, lends itself generously to gripping character development.
For many, this format makes the read easy, simple, digestible. Yet hidden between this textual band documentary lies nuance and discomfort worthy of attention and intense analysis.
So why do Daisy Jones & The Six split up out of nowhere? Sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll? Possibly. Love, addiction, and creative agony? Far more likely.
The intimacy between Daisy Jones and Billy Dunne is inspired by Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac. This pull to reality makes this read all the more enticing and I found myself upon first, second, and third read foraging for Easter eggs between the two characters to naturally draw connections to figures I recognise.
For me, this novel acted as my olive branch back to the bookstore after an unsolicited reading hiatus was thrust upon me thanks to personal laziness and a struggle to connect with texts of the moment.
Perhaps it could do the same for you.
The Next
Taylor Jenkins Reid is a force in the commercial fiction landscape with bestsellers like Malibu Rising and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo to sink your teeth into, should you feel so inclined.
But what I consider to be the most anticipatory feature of ‘the next’, the horizon of more to come, is the upcoming miniseries set to consist of ten episodes.
Riley Keough as Daisy Jones and Sam Claflin as Billy Dunne … say no more.
