Author Tom Bryant has been given unparalleled access to the band over the years, and now he draws on interviews with Gerard Way, his brother Mikey, Ray Toro, and Frank Iero, as well as friends and associates, to bring their stories to life. In this unauthorized biography, he takes us behind the scenes from their very first show in front of thirty kids in New Jersey-the Ways downing beer to calm their nerves-to international arena-storming superstardom. He sheds light on the personal demons the bandmates battled and the haunted recording sessions that resulted in the brilliance of The Black Parade. He also explores the genesis of their music, the constant reinvention that culminated in the visual splendor of Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys, and the strains that led to their split in 2013.

Insightful and revealing, Not the Life It Seems presents one of the most adored rock bands of this century, their story an epic saga of self-belief and the pursuit of dreams.