By: Ashly Hospodka
Recently, I finished reading another book by Taylor Jenkins Reid called Malibu Rising. Ironically, I found her books through watching the limited series TV show, Daisy Jones & The Six. I love everything rock n’ roll and seventies aesthetic so of course I couldn’t get enough. I had to relive the series through Reid’s book of the same name. Overall, I like her writing style which bridges time-jumps with multiple character perspectives. It makes for an interesting read, if done well. Today I will be reviewing three of Reid’s most popular books: Daisy Jones & The Six, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and Malibu Rising.
Daisy Jones & The Six: 4 stars
Daisy Jones & The Six is a story about the legendary rock n’ roll band. Taking place during the seventies, this story revolves around their struggles, with addiction, relationships, bandmates, music, and their rise to the top. This book puts the reader in the place of a fan watching a documentary about their favorite band from the seventies. What stood out to me the most about this book is the format in which it was written. The story is told in an interview format which allows each band member to give their perspective, as well as perspectives from individuals involved with the band. Reid’s choice to write this way is perfect for a story with so many characters. This style adds a layer of intrigue because we see characters remember the same events differently, showing that these people are unreliable narrators. I found this fascinating because we get so many perspectives that you would think you have the whole story, but at the end you still don’t know for sure. The characters were well-written so you really get a sense of their personalities, that they are complicated people, and can understand their relationships to the other characters. The messiness of these people and their human relationships are so relatable, even though these characters are rock stars. Overall, I really enjoyed this book.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo: 5 stars
I read this book in three days. THREE DAYS. I could not put it down. Evelyn’s character is so multi-faceted, mysterious, and cool. Evelyn Hugo is one of the biggest movies stars of all time and the most beautiful, but no one knows almost anything about her. When Evelyn requests one of the more inexperienced writers at a publication to write her memoir, no one can understand why, further cementing her mysterious persona. The only thing people are questioning more than her choice of author is who was the love of her life? The unfolding of Evelyn’s life story reveals details about her personal life, plot twists that you never saw coming, and so many secrets that were hidden from the public throughout her career. An absolutely captivating novel that I would recommend over and over again.
Malibu Rising: 2 Stars
I was sadly disappointed by Malibu Rising compared to Reid’s other novels. In my opinion, there were too many time-jumps and flashbacks, and the book description was not an accurate depiction of the plot. The characters of the four siblings were just okay and I wish we got to see more of them as adults interacting with the world and each other. This was disappointing because in Daisy Jones the characters were great, even if they weren’t likeable. The concept was interesting, and I liked how this book mentioned characters from the other books, aka the Reidverse, but where the ending should’ve tied everything together, it kind of fell flat. The point in the book that was supposed to be the height of the conflict didn’t really feel like it paid off. Reid is a great author who knows how to develop a setting and character, but I don’t think this book is her best example of these skills. Reid is very good at seamlessly transitioning between time periods and setting up the world in different eras, but if not careful, it can be overdone. I highly recommend reading Daisy Jones and Seven Husbands, and if you want to see more of my recommendations or ratings check out my Goodreads account!