A Review of the book and TV series Daisy Jones and the Six

With countless brightly covered Taylor Jenkins Reid books to be found in most shops currently, it cannot be denied that the author has entered a realm of success that ought to be acknowledged. The LA based author has highlighted a societal desire for the high life, for reading about the world of celebrity that the City of Angels represents. Daisy Jones and the Six is not the latest in Reid’s novels; however, it is undoubtedly the most famous. This interview style story is the same old tale tired tale of rock and roll and the trials and tribulations that come with the ethos of that world. It is an addictive story that pulls you in, as though you are reading the account of a genuine band – a feeling that is exacerbated through the recent Prime adaptation. It is a very rare occasion that you come across a book that is adapted into a visual medium that somehow adds nuance and depth to what was there, yet in this situation that is certainly the case.

For those unfamiliar with the book and Prime series, it tells the story of a band, from the youth of the key players to their parting of ways. The whole premise is that of a series of interviews with most of the members and some family and friends which helps to paint the picture of a famous band’s rise to fame and all of the challenges that came with this. ‘Drugs, sex and rock and roll’ has long been a catchphrase for the Sixties and it is along this vein that Daisy Jones and Billy Dunne’s arcs unfold. I will not spoil the plot beyond this, as it is the structure of the novel and its adaptation that primarily interest me. The structure in question takes some getting used to, as the interviews are more of a conversation than lengthy exposition pieces. This snappy dialogue can be frustrating to begin with, being neither akin to a script or a magazine interview but somewhere between the two. There is almost the sense that Reid could see the story playing out like a television documentary, which, while enabling it to be easily adapted, did not make for an easy reading. The novel would have benefited from a a restructuring so as to make it closer to the author’s later book The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Moreover, some structural alterations would certainly have improved the slight twist that took place at the end, for the identity of the interviewer felt irrelevant within the context of the story, as did the ‘One Last Thing Before I Go’ section.

As can clearly be understood from this brief assessment, the novel was certainly not one of my favourites. However, I am not here to discourage you from reading a highly addictive, if slightly surface level, story. I felt that the book didn’t quite hit the mark, as its exploration of drug abuse and fame was one that could have been profound and yet left me thinking that under other circumstances it could have been so much deeper. I believe that I even frustratedly said at one point that it was good but that I could have written it better. It is a possibility that I was not the only one to think this, as the series certainly did hit that deeper level. The adaptors took a shallow novel of the dirty reality of fame and the music industry and turned it into something where the characters’ testimonies were no longer tinged with petulance and the struggles with addiction were made real. On this rare occasion the screen writers were able to achieve what an author could not and the added performances of the talented actors brought the story to life. The fleshing out of every character, even those who were not as prevalent as Daisy and Billy, was very successful, creating believable figures whose motives no longer appeared catty or unrealistic. Plus, we got to see and hear the songs being performed!

Of course, the process of adaptation is one of give and take, with the development of a new art piece stripping some details and plot points to enable a more succinct conveyance. In this case the most notable change is undoubtedly that of the writing out of one of the band members. One has to question why a band called ‘The Six’ only has five members. The removal of Pete Loving from the character list was an odd decision to make, leading us to wonder what the motivation behind it was. Admittedly the character was not fully drawn and did not speak throughout the book, but he did have a story and a role to play. As always, there were also some plot changes, which perhaps left the screenwriters feeling that the character’s small role could be swallowed up by the other band members. Certainly there were developments which in places were logical and in others left me baffled as to why they were necessary. Another noteworthy character change would be that of the origins of Daisy’s short term husband, Nicky. Once again this shift was both inexplicable and unnecessary. The book Nicky was, in my eyes, a more realistic character for the protagonist to fall in with given her mental state at this point in the story and the subtler character of the series is somewhat underwhelming. Oh, and the lyrics of the songs were changed…

Stepping back for a moment to assess the story itself rather than merely focussing upon the shifting between the mediums, this is a novel and series about the talented Daisy Jones and her explosion into the world of the band. The character is quite the wildcard, with her extensive consumption of drugs and alcohol and her slightly unhinged personality. A central element to the character is the idea that she is the ‘somebody’ rather than the ‘muse’ and she certainly gives off major main character vibes. The film and book versions of the character are not all that different and achieve a pitch perfect depiction of the Daisy Jones that my imagination had drawn. By contrast, Sam Claflin’s portrayal of Billy Dunne was certainly a shift from the book character. Reid’s Billy comes across as stand offish in a way that is almost petulant and the series alters this to enable the character to appear more mature. Billy sees himself as the one in charge of the band, ready to bulldoze anyone who stands in the way of his great vision. While the series does not sufficiently depict the extent of his wild behaviour during the band’s first tour, it certainly perfectly captures the ongoing struggles of a sober addict and the obsessiveness of such a nature. There is a rawness to Claflin’s performance that draws watchers to the character far more than when reading him. Likewise, the character of Camilla, Billy’s wife, was more compelling in her cinematic state, as in the book she gives the impression that she will stay Billy through thick and thin even if that means losing him to Daisy. She is adapted into a character who is less inclined to take things lying down, thus appearing far more realistic.

The other members of the band are also more fleshed out in the adaptation, with Graham and Karen’s emotional arc being certainly more developed. Audiences are given the opportunity to connect with the characters and become invested in their experiences and ultimately the end of their relationship. The series version of Karen is far less sociopathic than her literary counterpart. Likewise, Eddie is more than his wining book version, being provided with a depth of character which was lacking and becoming instead somewhat tortured. Perhaps the most interesting part of the character development that has taken place is the taking of a passing comment made by Billy about a one night stand of Camilla’s which the screenwriters have decided to integrate into Eddie’s story line. This simple act of creating an emotional bond between the guitarist and his bandmate’s wife instantly gave his character so much more scope. Perhaps the character whose personality changes least between book and series is that of Warren, who is still very much a background character throughout, being merely the drummer who married the film actress. While there are far more characters who could be discussed (including, of course, the lovable Teddy), I am only going to mention one more. The twist to come at the end of the story is that Billy’s daughter is the interviewer, compiling the ‘true’ story for an unspecified reason. This plot point comes somewhat out of nowhere and in the book is reflected merely in a page or so of dialogue where she cuts in to tell Daisy that she remembers the events that she is recalling. And that is it. There is no closing statement, no explanation, nothing. We are left a little baffled as to why this was a relevant piece of the story and why Reid decided to include it. In contrast the series gives her a voice and a face and even if it does not explain why she is completing the project she is given agency and a purpose in the narrative. All in all she is far less passive.

Therefore, while the story of Daisy Jones and the Six is an addictive and immersive one, the book is somewhat lacking in depth. If you are looking for a light read similar to that of a gossip column, this is the book for you. However, if it is more depth that you are looking for, I wholeheartedly recommend the series. This is the story of addiction and celebrity, love and rock and roll and, while the ending is not quite what you would expect, it is arguably a happy one. This is a world that you can get lost in, especially given the presence of the ‘Aurora’ album on Spotify. If you are a traditionalist who likes to both read the book and watch the series, then take the advice of my local bookseller and read it first.