read for OWLs Magical Readathon 2019: Charms, an adult book

I think story-wise I'm sitting around a 4/4.5, but this audiobook performance is so incredible that I have to boost this to 5 stars. I truly don't think I'd have the same intense reaction to this story had I been reading the physical copy because these narrators added so much depth to the work. Bouncing back and forth between the voices was definitely confusing at first, but the audiobook is paced so well that just when you know you're forgetting who's who, the actors restate the characters name before they resume their story.

Daisy Jones & the Six is a tale of success, love, family, loss, failure, and the intensity of passion around music. We get to hear from the members of the band and the people around them recall the history of how the band came together, found incredible success, and fell apart. It's told only in dialogue with every sharing how they remember an experience, which of course leads to many sides to the same story that are never quite the same as each other. Each time I felt myself siding with someone, a new perspective would make me rethink that choice. It's just a messy and complicated story with no good guys or bad guys, just a lot of in between.

I'm a huge Fleetwood Mac fan, which Jenkins Reid cited as a big inspiration, so I was so completely hooked on this story. People falling in love, falling out of love, writing songs about each other? Yeah I'm sold. Just like [b:The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo|32620332|The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo|Taylor Jenkins Reid|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1498169036s/32620332.jpg|46885151], this story is stacked with incredible, dynamic characters. Seriously, the plot is really basic; this book is really about the strength of the characters and how they react to one another. Billy and Daisy, who are the real stars of the book, are incredibly frustrating in a lot of their actions, but there was so much heart behind it all. The rest of the members were each unique, and although there were so many male voices that I'd mix up (I mean yeah I get it, men were and are dominate in this industry, but it didn't make it easier when I forgot who was who), the characters all had their own footing. I love the variety in the characters, especially the various amount of personality in the band. I just have to say, god bless Warren. What a constant lovely voice of reason and comedy.

I love that Pete gets a voice right at the very end. It so checked out with him just bopping along amidst the drama

Everyone goes through their own personal journey and the endings are pretty satisfying. Not that everyone got exactly what they wanted, but they get what they need. (.......... yes I referenced the Stones. I'm just going to fall into a classic rock hole for a few weeks okay?)

I honestly kept forgetting this was a fictional band, and not just some podcast telling an oral history. Even though we don't actually get any of the music (I think one of the songs was recorded? But I haven't listened to it), you can feel it pouring out of this book. You understand why these characters all remain tied together for so long - they were all just that damn good at making music. My heart soared and my heart broke, but I ended this book not hating anyone. Just understanding that life doesn't always go how you want it to.

The ending... well Jenkins Reid is proving to me that she likes to throw in a few things you won't predict are coming. It made me audibly gasp "whoa" and gave the book a really loving and hopeful ending, despite all the pain we'd just experienced reading through the band's break up.

All this to say that Taylor Jenkins Reid's historical fiction is really excellent. Can't wait to see whatever fictional celebrities I'm going to fall in love with.