I might not be a musician, but my dad was the drummer of an ’80s band during his 20s, so I grew up listening to the classics. Think: The Cure, U2, The Smiths…
And as a writer, I’ve always resonated with the creative lifestyle of musicians. While I might lean toward a life of introversion and stability (though I’m learning that’s a bit of a myth), I enjoy reading about the cut-throat careers of dedicated musicians who would sacrifice anything for their craft.
Funnily enough, I’ve also recently found myself diving headfirst into this very life, now dating a touring musician and (indirectly) enduring the ups and downs of months on the road. Being the bookworm I am, I tend to seek understanding through fiction, so I’ve been on a bit of a reading kick, devouring books that explore the complex lifestyles of musicians.
Seeking your next music-related read? Here are three of the best novels for music-lovers.
1. Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid instantly became one of my all-time favorite novels, and I feel its TV series did it justice—which is rare for me. However, if you’re going to watch the show, read the book first.
As a music-lover, I found myself fully immersed in the band’s world. Each character was unique and endearingly flawed. You can’t help but fall in love with the eclectic group, to empathize with their stories, and to root for their success.
Of course, as any novel about rock ‘n roll in the 70s, it deals with some heavy topics, like addiction, infidelity, mental health, and trauma. However, Reid explores the human experience with vulnerability, grace, and brutal honesty.
As its synopsis reads, “The making of that legend is chronicled in this riveting and unforgettable novel, written as an oral history of one of the biggest bands of the seventies. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a talented writer who takes her work to a new level with Daisy Jones & The Six, brilliantly capturing a place and time in an utterly distinctive voice.”
2. The Ensemble: A Novel by Aja Gabel
If you’re a classical music lover and want a raw look at the entangled lives of musicians, The Ensemble by Aja Gabel is for you. This story follows four unlikely friends tied together by their love for music: Brit, a beautiful, quiet orphan and second violinist; Henry, a privileged prodigy and violist; Daniel, an angry cellist who sleeps around; and Jana, a resilient leader and first violinist.
As a Quartet, the four musicians must navigate complex relationships and devastating betrayals, career failures and successes, and—above all—an unwavering commitment to one another.
According to its synopsis, “Aja Gabel’s debut novel gives a riveting look into the high-stakes, cutthroat world of musicians, and of lives made in concert. The story of Brit and Henry and Daniel and Jana, The Ensemble is a heart-skipping portrait of ambition, friendship, and the tenderness of youth.”
3. If I Stay by Gayle Forman
If I Stay by Gayle Forman is a devastating young adult novel about family, love, musical passion, loss, and a life-altering decision. Since reading it years ago, this book has haunted me as a gut-wrenching love song stuck in your head.
Seventeen-year-old Mia had it all: a fun-loving family, a rockstar boyfriend, and a bright future as a passionate cellist. But in just one split second, she loses almost everything to a tragic car accident.
Now, Mia must make an impossible choice: to stay and face insurmountable grief, or peacefully let go of the dream she’s worked her entire life for.
According to its synopsis, “Caught between life and death, between a happy past and an unknowable future, Mia spends one critical day contemplating the one decision she has left—the most important decision she’ll ever make … Simultaneously tragic and hopeful, this is a romantic, riveting and ultimately uplifting story about memory, music, living, and dying.”
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