Review by Amia D., photo courtesy of Lacey Terrell/Prime Video

To say I am obsessed with Daisy Jones & The Six is an understatement. I own 2 copies of the book, my phone wallpaper is Daisy Jones & The Six themed, I downloaded the album the minute it came out and I bought the vinyl. I was ecstatic when the episodes started dropping on Amazon Prime and I am so glad that the show did not disappoint. The first 3 episodes were released on March 3, 2023 and new episodes were released every Friday with the final 2 episodes premiering Friday, March 24th. 

I’m not the muse. I’m the somebody.

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Because Daisy Jones & The Six is based on a rock band in the 70s, the actors had the obstacle of becoming that band. Many of the actors including the leads Sam Claflin and Riley Keough had no previous music experience. In fact Keough mentioned in an interview that when asked if she could sing she lied and said she could. Keough and Claflin did not disappoint. They became the living and breathing Daisy Jones and Billy Dunne. From the red hair, to the denim on denim, both actors embodied their characters to the T. When they sing together it is impossible to not feel the palpable and rippling chemistry. The other band members played by Suki Waterhouse, Josh Whitehouse, Will Harrison, and Sebastian Chacon create the full feel of a messy and wild rock band. Book fans (me included) will notice that while the band is called “The Six” there are only 5 band members and Pete from the books is not included nor mentioned. While this made me nervous when I first heard about the change because I have never appreciated when adaptations exclude characters, removing Pete did not cause any of the lack of foundation that I believed it would. Instead the band feels complete with the stunning Camilla played by actress Camilia Morrone being the honorary “6th” band member. 

“You are all sorts of things you don’t even know.”

Taylor Jenkins Reid has often said that the main powerhouses of the book are the women in it and Camilla Dunne definitely takes the cake. Camilla, Daisy and Karen (Suki Waterhouse) form a trinity of strength, tragedy and female empowerment. Throughout the show there are glimpses of the effect each of these very different women plays in each other’s lives. Monroe’s character Camilla is the strong and determined wife of lead singer of The Six Billy Dunne. Monroe was the perfect Camilla and executed her role in a sophisticated and lively fashion. 

“I’m not the muse. I’m the somebody.”

The dynamics mentioned in the book carry on into the show and are strengthened through the building of the world as we see the band rise to fame. The show also grants readers plenty of our favorite scenes from the book and even some that were surprising but made the plot more interesting.The actors and actresses dominated their musical roles in the show and had the perfect layer of drama needed to make you feel for the characters even if you didn’t agree with them. Daisy and Billy both struggle with addiction and drinking at different times throughout the series and the scenes in which this affects them the most are intense and potent (especially a particular shower scene). 

The added details from the book such as Daisy’s hoop earrings and direct quotes from the novel will cause book fans to be more than pleased with the on screen adaptation. While there are definitely a few changes, these changes make the show seem realistic and the show does not shy away from the ugly parts of addiction and fame that are mentioned in the book. The makeup, costumes and set locations transport you to the 70’s and while I’ve never been a fan of 70’s attire, I bought a denim jumpsuit just so I could feel like Daisy. 

“You regret me and I’ll regret you.”

I will be honest and say that while I adored the Aurora album especially the songs I didn’t know I needed (*ahem, cue More Fun to Miss and Two Against Three*), I was a little sad that they did not include “This Could Get Ugly” or keep some of the original parts of the lyrics in “Regret Me”. Ultimately, I understand that while book fans may have loved the author’s inclusion of the lyrics in the book, Reid mentioned that changes needed to be made as she is not a songwriter. Still, while there are edits to the songs they are very well written and are put into context throughout the series, especially when it comes to *deep breath* the last episode. 

It goes without saying that the last episode made the series what it is. The last and 10th episode of Daisy Jones & The Six titled “Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide” was amazing. This episode was everything book fans have been waiting for. Viewers will get an indepth look at what each of the characters goes through leading up to their big performance at Chicago Stadium and how it results in their breakup. With added confrontations, the episode is filled with fire and passion. As someone who loved the book, I was blown away by how exquisitely the episode ended the series. I cried the entire last 30 minutes of the episode and bawled the last 10. The ending was everything I could have hoped for. The episode was charged with beautiful and raw emotions and scenes I could have never imagined. 

Suffice it to say, Amazon Prime and Hello Sunshine did a stellar job with the show. From episodes that made me sing along, to the ones where I gasped and the ones that made me cry (episodes 8 and 10), I have gained a great respect for the show and its creators and contributors. You need to watch Daisy Jones & The Six NOW.

“Everything that made Daisy burn made me burn.”

Order your copy of Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid at BookPeople!