Have you noticed the upswing in movies about musicians over the last few years? The fourth remake of A Star is Born, a fictional story, was released in 2018. Two movies based on real lives, Bohemian Rhapsody (Freddie Mercury and Queen) in 2018 and Rocketman (Elton John) in 2019, also come to mind. Perhaps the market is there because we’re curious about what a rock star life is like. Perhaps we’re amazed at their talent so much that we want to see that they are real people with real struggles, too. Perhaps it’s the nostalgic part that brings us back to our lives in our teens and twenties. Yes, I saw all three movies. So when I heard there was a book out inspired by Fleetwood Mac, I have to admit I was interested.

Although Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Reid Jenkins is fiction, the book is loosely based on the experiences of the band members of Fleetwood Mac and other 70s bands. I have always enjoyed the music of Fleetwood Mac and there’s just something mesmerizing about Stevie Nicks. Her delicious, sultry voice, the carefree gypsy vibe like a breeze that can’t be caught or tied down, and the rebellious girl rock ‘n’ roller fascinate audiences. Yes, we want to know more about the band! But, remember, Daisy Jones and the Six is a fictional story of living in the 70s rock world loosely based on Fleetwood Mac. Be forewarned: you know the saying “sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll.” That is this book. If reading about that world isn’t your thing, that’s fine. This book isn’t for you. If you want a closer look into that world – the ups and downs, the struggles and the big breaks, the insecurities and egos, the choices both good and bad, the friendships and the rivalries – then try it.

Even though I knew the book was fictional, the Fleetwood Mac members came alive to me as I read.  At times I believed I could pinpoint that this character or that event was about Stevie Nicks or Lindsey Buckingham, Christine McVie or Mick Fleetwood, as well as John McVie, Neil Finn or Mike Campbell coming through in the story. Other times I wondered if a detail was based on a real event or totally fictional. Reid has a way of making these people and this band seem totally real. You will catch yourself believing it all and then reminding yourself it is a fictional story and band.

Written in a unique style, the book is told through responses to an unseen interviewer, like a rock documentary. I wasn’t sure I would like this technique going in, but rarely did it throw me. As a matter of fact, I enjoyed hearing what one band member said and then hearing another band member with a different perspective or different memory of the same event. It added realism. Although this technique doesn’t allow for inner-dialogue, I found myself sometimes questioning what the person really thought, what they couldn’t or didn’t want to say to an interviewer. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing. After all, that’s how relationships are in real life. It makes us question but perhaps also not be so judgmental since we don’t really know the whole story that makes up a person’s heart. Be prepared to keep an open mind at trying this unique technique in storytelling. It might work for you. It might not.

If you grew up with bands like Fleetwood Mac, you will relate to this story. It’s not necessarily a feel good story, but it is realistic look into the 70s rock world. It doesn’t apologize for the 70s rock experience. It simply lets us peek into the inner circle.  Daisy Jones and the Six is a New York Times Bestseller and a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick. Amazon is currently working on a series based on the book.