CBR11Bingo – Pajiba
The genius of this novel lies in the presentation. We’ve all become familiar with the oral history as a narrative form in recent years, whether in magazine pieces or in longer forms like the SNL history “Live From New York.” To a fiction writer it offers a comparatively easy way to utilize multiple narrators, unreliable narrators, differing perspectives and faulty memories. It also allows Reid to quickly characterize each of the seven members of the titular band and the other major characters.
The Six feature two sets of brothers: talented singer-songwriter and leader Billy Dunne and his more passive brother Graham, guitarist Pete Loving and bassist Eddie Loving, each of whom has his foot halfway out the door for wildly different reasons, drummer Warren Rhodes who’s too busy partying to have any real idea what’s going on with his bandmates, and keyboardist Karen Karen, a feminist struggling to make her way in a male-dominated music scene.
Into this volatile mix steps Daisy Jones, an untrained mega-talent party girl whose been a fascination among the rock stars of Los Angeles since she started hitting the bars and nightclubs at age 14. With her otherwordly beauty and her wild wardrobe Daisy is in many ways the prototypical 70s rock goddess, right down to her debilitating addictions to booze and pills.
Reid’s novel centers on the creative tension and chemistry between Daisy and Billy. Though they clash over creative control of the band’s output, when they put aside their personal clashes they make great music. And the band’s management cannily uses the rumors that they can’t stand each other to sell records.
Your enjoyment of Daisy Jones and the Six will likely depend on how you feel about Daisy Jones herself. I confess that I found her rather irritating. She often comes off as a spoiled child of privilege who acts without considering the impact of her behavior on others, certainly not on her bandmates. Though Reid clearly means to balance out her transgressions with those of other members of the band, especially Billy, in my mind the scales don’t even out and Daisy’s worst acts remain unforgivable and make her a difficult character to invest in.
Outside the conceit of the oral history format, there isn’t much to recommend Daisy Jones and The Six. Taken linearly, the story doesn’t rise above the level of a VH1 special you’ve seen 100 times before.