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Deep Cuts

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Deep Cuts

By: Holly Brickley
Narrated by: Jayme Mattler
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About this listen

 It was the love story of the decade… Or it should have been ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE FROM A24, FILMING IN SPRING 2026

'Tender as a ballad and pleasurable as a pop song' COCO MELLORS

'Clever and heart-wrenching and addictive' MIRANDA COWLEY HELLER

'An incredibly special book' BETH O'LEARY

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

The first time Joe plays Percy one of his songs in his college room in 2000, she instantly realises three things:

One, she is watching a star in the making.

Two, she can shape his music into something extraordinary.

Three, she will always be on the sidelines.

She swallows her jealousy and throws herself into collaboration, transforming Joe’s songs into indie hits with her blistering critiques.

But there’s an undercurrent to the music they’re making – something undeniably electric, hurtling towards love. And then, almost inevitably, towards heartbreak.

As Joe steps into the spotlight, can Percy bear to watch on in silence?

And can he exist there without her?

Deep Cuts is an irresistible novel about passion and obsession, love and longing and, above all, our need to be heard.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– WHAT READERS ARE SAYING…

'The best debut novel I've ever read' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I need this book to come out so I can talk to at least one person about it!! Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow meets Normal People, with all the nostalgia of Almost Famous and High Fidelity' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'You need to add this to your TBR. Just trust me on this, ok?' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I can’t believe this book is a debut novel because of how good it is. I felt a mixture of Sally Rooney with Gabrielle Zevin and it was delicious' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I love it with all my heart, I'm super sad it's over and I will be insufferable when it's out' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I wish I could have written this book. I’m jealous of people who haven’t yet read this book' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'This is an absolutely breathtaking debut. I cannot hammer that home enough' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I can’t believe this is a debut! It’s perfect for fans of One Day and Daisy Jones & The Six … This one hit me hard'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––©2025 Holly Brickley (P)2025 Penguin Random House LLC Coming of Age Contemporary Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Heartfelt
All stars
Most relevant
Very much enjoyed this world, and that music and friendship were more central than the romance. There a Spotify playlist that I’m listening to now, the narration was really well done.

Normal People meets Daisy and the Six

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I loved the premise of Deep Cuts and I was sucked in by the comparison of Daisy Jones and the Six. If you are expecting something like that as I was, I am warning you this book is only like Daisy Jones in that it is about music and tortured love but that was told in a much more digestible way. Deep Cuts isn’t a bad novel, it is clever and Percy and Joe are both flawed but likeable. The problem is that Percy is a really difficult character to spend the entire book with. I don’t think I am giving anything away by saying that the entire book is told in her POV, I really struggled with that. Percy is a really well developed character but very difficult at times to like and I think it would be a more enjoyable read if her voice was broken up. Also, to get through this book, you need to like and understand music and be prepared for large sections of what you read to be either meditations on music and that music is virtually just as important a character almost as Joe. I think Percy’s obsessiveness and likeable yet obnoxious manner but this is heading more in High Fidelity territory than Daisy Jones maybe not as funny as High Fidelity.

It is a good book but flawed. However, I think the film adaptation will be great because a lot of Percy’s inner dialogue I imagine will be cut to focus on her relationship with Joe. Saiorse Ronan and Austin Butler seem like excellent casting choices. Is this one of those occasions where the film will be better and more accessible than the book? I have a feeling….

One clever thing that helped redeem it for me is that the author nails the era between 2000 and the end of the decade where how we consume music changes. As well as technology, her commentary on social, political and economic changes was done very well. The sense of time of time and place is a great saving grace from some of Percy’s self-indulgence.

I think I would have struggled reading this book traditionally, the narrator was another aspect that helped redeem some of Percy’s more irritating moments.

I don’t mean to come across as harsh as the author created something I clearly got very invested in, I would just say be prepared to very much take this as a coming of age story (we see how much Percy matures) tied together with music rather than a great sweeping love story.

Know what you are getting yourself in for… A good plot but a very irritating protagonist/narrator

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like Don Henley said, "I've been trying to get to the heart of the matter, but my will gets weak, and my thoughts seem to scatter..." this is Percy, through and through. She's weak, she's a bit petty and emotionally stunted. I'm amazed Joe's put up with her for so long.
I love the deep dive into the deep cuts on the album, and often wanted to go listen to that song, while it was being discussed. And aren't all of us who love music, lyrics and Deep Cuts just a little jealous of those; who can write that catchy, hook, tune or lyric. I know I am.
The story only got 4/5 because I felt that Percy should have pulled up her big girl pants and figured her feelings out a lot sooner.

The Heart of the Matter

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I liked the references to song lyrics and the look back through recent history. I was annoyed with the main character Percy a lot of the time, but I guess she just needed to grow up! A different spin on relationships via music.

Interesting book for music lovers

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