Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley

Percy and Joe meet at university and bond over an obsessive love of music. Joe writes songs and Percy makes them better. Over the next decade Joe's band 'Caroline' becomes very successful and Percy does an MFA and becomes a writer. Their lives intertwine constantly but they promise to concentrate on songs rather than be with each other and ruin it.

Oh my, this book really gets to you... at first I was a bit worried that the music info/analysis would take me out of the story but it absolutely didn't! I raced through it and loved it. A fantastic debut and highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

I saw another reviewer said about this book: The best way to describe Deep Cuts is if Sally Rooney wrote Daisy Jones and the Six, and I honestly think it sums it up perfectly!

It's a must read for those who love books set around music, and I did enjoy the nostalgia.

This is literally ‘One Day’ for the cool kids and I ate it up. I really enjoyed this and found it such an easy read but sometimes the musical language, even though I grew up with the music mentioned, was a bit lost on me.

This was a very beautiful read, it was perfect for a music enthusiast like myself. It was a very compelling read overall.

Excellent debut novel from Holly Brickley that I read in two sittings. A strong music theme intertwined with romance making for a good combination. Sometimes we don't read or listen to lyrics but perhaps we should. this book examines some of the greatest lyricists and makes an interesting observation that people like Bob Dylan don't have the greatest voices but do write some amazing lyrics that we perhaps need to listen to more closely. Perhaps I should also thank Holly for reminding me there are a lot of good songs with deep meanings to listen to and enjoy as I did her book. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

I was really interested in reading this book after reading a few varying reviews. However, after reading through 32% of the book during which I found myself alternatively googling names of musical heroes or names and sounds of unfamiliar sound tracks for 'deep cuts'. There is no doubt that anyone interested in music and its development would love this book, but as I neither play the piano or any other instrument I found myself getting progressively more bored and wanting to skip to the end to see what actually happened to the characters. The comparison between this debut novel and Daisy Jones and the Six cannot be used here, but I was disappointed.

The best way to describe Deep Cuts is if Sally Rooney wrote Daisy Jones and the Six.

Percy and Joe meet at university and instantly connect over a shared love of music - Percy adores music and everything about it and love to talk about how songs make her feel, Joe loves to write songs and sing them.

What follows is a decade spanning will-they-won’t they story of two people who are absolutely meant to be together but never quite get the right timing.

Percy and Joe’s relationship reminded me of One Day’s Dex and Emma, the way they’re clearly soulmates but their ‘friendship’ is laced with toxicity and co-dependency.

This is a book for the music lovers, the only thing stopping it from being a 5 star for me was the constant stopping and looking up references and songs which kind of stifled the experience for me, but I wanted to know what songs they were talking about - the book would benefit from a playlist at the front I think, so you could listen along.

If you like the two people who are actually in love but it never quite works out genre (my absolute favourite) - think Normal People, Love Rosie, One Day, Talking At Night, then this is a worthy addition to the roster.

I’ve heard this is going to be adapted into a film and I cannot wait - I think it’s perfect material for a gut punching love story i’ll make my entire personality for a year.

This Is an incredible debut. Holly Brickley can definitely write and I enjoyed this. However...

Deep Cuts won't be for everyone. These characters aren't just unlikeable, which I don't mind at all, they are downright insufferable, Percy in particular. She's self important and pretentious and I know I would despise her if I knew her in real life. Her relationship with Joey is frustratingly toxic and codependent I wanted to shake them both at times.

The nostalgia was on point. I'm the same age as Percy and Joey and, although I didn't grow up in the US, everyone in my generation would appreciate a lot of the references here. We all remember what we were doing and what it felt like when the WTC came down.

I liked the musical analysis to a point - and that's what a lot of this book was. A few of the tracks seemed pretty obscure to the average person/casual music listener and I could've done with a lot less pontification and more character development. It's clear HB knows about music but trying to show off just how much got in the way of the story a bit in my opinion.

I would definitely read other books by her though. She nailed the angst and toxicity of this relationship so well.

I received Deep Cuts as an eARC from NETGALLEY and was immediately drawn in by its intriguing premise and nostalgic narrative voice. The exploration of memory and the integration of music discussions provided interesting angles, even though many of the quoted tracks weren’t particularly relevant to my personal taste.

While I appreciated the social commentary woven throughout the book, I was somewhat disappointed by the character development. The characters felt rather mediocre and static, lacking the depth and growth I was expecting—especially given that I resonated with the narrative voice on a similar wavelength. I was hoping for more reflective evolution that matched the intensity of the narrative.

Overall, Deep Cuts offers a compelling narrative framework and thought-provoking insights, but it falls short in delivering fully realized characters. It’s a solid read for those who enjoy exploring themes of nostalgia and social commentary, even if it doesn’t completely satisfy in terms of character development.

What a book! I am in love! The cover is excellent and the writing style very readable.
I absolutely adore a protagonist that is obsessed with a topic, and I as the reader can learn something new by being in their head. Heading immediatly to spotify to listen to al the songs mentioned in the book!

This was such a great lit fic book with so much love between every line and the music undertones was just a1! I can’t wait to see what this author has in store next.

I was intrigued to read this book having seen it compared to Daisy Jones and the Six, which I loved. I'm sad to say, I found it to be absolutely nothing like it.

The book is based around Joe, a songwriter, and Percy, a girl who wants to be his muse, but is really just his critic and sounding board. I found both of the main characters to be one dimensional and unlikeable. Joe was arrogant and conceited, but Percy, I just felt like I didn't know at all, aside from her critiques and suggestions to Joe. The pace was slow and there was so much filler, I was just bored. I kept going and really tried to connect to the characters and their story, but with so little character development, it was hard going. I wanted to plough through to the end in case something amazing happened, but around 80% through, I realised that I didn't care.

I must mention though that there were some brilliant music references, which I enjoyed.

I am absolutely an outlier on this book as it has so many amazing reviews, so don't just take my word for it, check out some other reviews and then decide if it's for you.

2 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Holly Brickley and Harper Collins for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I thought this sounded brilliant but sadly just couldn’t get into it. It didn’t help that I wasn’t familiar with a lot of the music referenced, so perhaps other readers will take more from it. Not a terrible read - just not one for me.

Percy is at college in the year 2000. Whilst at college she meets Joe, and when he sees her love for music he plays her one of his songs. She realizes three things: he is a star in the making, she can help shape his music into something incredible, but she will always be on the sidelines. She swallows her jealousy and transforms Joe's songs into hits. However, all of their songs are hurtling towards love, as is there relationship. As Joe steps into the spotlight, Percy has to watch on in silence. But can she manage just being a bystander.

This book intertwines music throughout its pages. Each chapter is a song and I was so intrigued how that song linked to what what happening in each chapter. It was such an interesting premise and I cannot wait to see what Brickley comes out with next.

It has also just been announced that the book is being developed into a movie with a fantastic cast. I cannot wait to watch it.

After reading the blurb, I was really looking forward to this. Sadly the read did not quite live up to my expectations and despite being very well-written, I was so disappointed to not be able to connect with the characters.

A novel with a strong music theme to accompany its background love story. This takes you on a surprising journey of its era

Deep Cuts is such a vibrant read which was an immersive read covering music, mixed media, and the beautifully messy soul of the early 2000s. Joe and Percy’s growth, their obsession, and the way creativity simultaneously fuels and fractures their connection resonated with me as a creative person. I’d recommend this to anyone who loves music and has ever shared passions with friends, sometimes to their own detriment.

I was drawn to Deep Cuts by its glowing reviews and its early-2000s setting, a nostalgic backdrop for a turbulent relationship that shifts between friendship and romance, full of the push-and-pull dynamic, heartbreak, longing, and conflict reminiscent of Normal People. Unfortunately, the novel did not meet these expectations.

In a word, it was boring. The prose is absolutely saturated with musical references, which, rather than immersing the reader in a specific time or emotional landscape, instead obscure the author’s point and create distance from the story. At times, it reads like an intellectual exercise in musicology - one that requires a degree to fully enjoy.

Then there’s Percy. I hated her. The central relationship between her and Joe, rather than feeling passionate, devastating, or intoxicatingly frustrating, comes across as immature and borderline toxic. If ever two people should have left each other well alone and moved on, it’s these two. Percy is also deeply unlikeable - narcissistic and selfish but not in the deliciously awful way that makes for compelling reading (shoutout to Eliza Clark and Ottessa Moshfegh’s female characters). Instead, I felt trapped inside her head, and found it difficult to care about her fate at all.

That said, this is undoubtedly a well-written debut, and its niche style will resonate with the right readers. The novel offers a realistic portrayal of the complexities of relationships - both with others and oneself - and how they evolve over time. While it wasn’t for me, I have no doubt this book will find its audience. I remain curious to see what this author writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

A love song, ballad all wrapped up in a book. Amazing novel and such a great love story. Definitely a must read in 2025 if you’re a fan of romance

These people are terrible and deserve each other. Despite this, this is a great book and I would recommend it to fans of Daisy Jones