A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan REVIEW
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- Опубліковано 10 вер 2024
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I just finished the Candy House and it was just as, if not more incredible than the first!
I read A Visit from the Goon Squad when I first heard you talk about it. But I think I read it at the wrong time because I don't remember much about it. This new review has made me want to re-read it more closely. Thanks!
In all honesty, I didn't remember much about it either before re-reading it - perhaps because of its structure (with each chapter varying a lot in characters and settings) it's somewhat difficult for its plot to "stick"!
I discovered Jennifer Egan through your first Goon Squad review some years ago. Now Goon Squad and The Keep are both among my favorite novels. Off the top of my head I can't even really explain what's so good about them. Among other things it's something about the characters, social commentary and the experimental nature of the novels is why I love reading her work and why they stick with me afterwards.
Thanks for mentioning Look At Me. I haven't read that one yet.
I hope you'll love Look At Me - and yes there's definitely something intangible and difficult to articulate in Egan's genius!
I read this years ago and have yet to pick up another book by her. That's just how this always goes, I guess. Thanks for the reminder.
Loved this one. Great to hear your thoughts on it.
I just finished it after listening to your review. I also read, and loved, The Keep at your recommendation. Reading The Goon Squad was like stepping into a whirlwind. I just finished listening again to your review. With your podcasts I usually listen to just enough to decide if I might like the book. Then I go back to your review after I’ve read it. Congrats on a really well done review. You drew out and illuminated so many important aspects of the book but still give readers space to find their own way into it. I enjoyed seeing the principal characters through the eyes of others. We’re all so many different people. It would be amazing to have the opportunity to see how everyone around me has seen me at different times of my life. So different from how I might look back and tell my story.
SPOILER. DON’T READ BEYOND THIS IF YOU ARE INTENDING TO READ THE BOOK: The scene where Rob drowns was a shock. Not only because of the drowning itself but my horrified recognition a few minutes after I read it that Drew deliberately enticed Rob into the water. I live in Manhattan and know exactly the spot Egan describes. It has treacherous currents and not only would no one ever swim there but there are no kayaks or pleasure boats ever in that area. But Egan was so deft at establishing that Drew was a life-long avid swimmer. He may have well been able to handle the currents, but he knew that Rob, a drunk, drugged non-swimmer would not. But the horror of Drew’s act was only intensified to find out that he went on to become a doctor, marry and have a perfectly conventional life.
Between this and The Keep, I think I preferred the latter. Goon Squad is a deeply thought-provoking and worthwhile book but I liked the humanity and compassion of The Keep. I like your point that one of Egan’s themes seems to be how easily some at the peak of a successful career can be brought down.
Thank you for sharing your experience of the novels Sherry - I'm glad you had such a stimulating experience!
Everything aside, the chapter which was a David Foster Wallace parody and the stand-in character who wrote it in the novel were pretty funny. It was also a commentary about the sexual assault allegations against him.
On another note, I loved the river/water and fish symbolism in the book, which I think was about the passage of time as well.
Thanks for this. I truly enjoyed this book!
Weird I just read this! I agree, she's one of my new favorites.
Best of 2021 list?
My eyes keep drifting to your Penguin clothbound classics shelf, will you be doing another review of one of those...?
I recently read Count of Monte Cristo in the clothbound classics edition, but I don't think I will film a full review (I will mention it, though, in my next review)! I think the next book from that shelf I'll read might be Jane Austen's Persuasion :)
Would you consider posting a short video of your bookshelf. I want to read your entire collection.
Maybe one day :)
Mattia! The sequel will be released on the 5th of April 2022 its titled "THE CANDY HOUSE"
I know!! I'm trying my darndest to get my hands on a review copy :@
Didn't you have a video on Jennifer Egan's top 5 books? I remember seeing the thumbnail but mayibe I was tripping for some reason?
I honestly can't remember (but it sounds like something I might do after Candy House comes out!!)
@@TheBookchemist Looking forward to it, I just got into her oeuvre.
(tra l'altro anch'io mi chiamo Mattia e sono del 91, sono pure un chimico quindi l'iscrizione era nelle stelle! Canale stupendo, ti ho rubato molti consigli!)
You need to read Lonesome Dove .
In case you don't know this yet: Jennifer Eagan will be a guest of next Salone del Libro di Torino, in May, where she will present her new book. If you go there, I'll invite you for a coffee!
Ciao vins! Non lo sapevo - purtroppo al salone non ci sarò, ma grazie dell'invito :) non vedo l'ora di legger Candy House!
Great video as usual. Have you played Red Dead Redemption 2 by any chance?
No, but I hope I will one day - I really loved the first one when it came out!
I had to read the first chapter of this novel five times before I decided it was worth continuing on. I realized that these are messed up people, but it kind of bothered me that in Chapter 1 Alex had already decided he didn’t like Sasha, and was paying the restaurant bill while she was in the lady’s room so he could make a quick get-a-way from what I’m assuming was their first date, but then the two of them ended up in bed together before the chapter ends. This inspired me to write a novel about people who don’t have sex-even with people they like. As Hal Hartley said, “Unconsummated relationships are always more interesting.” You’ll be reviewing this novel in 2024. Also, Jennifer Egan lost me when I listened to an interview where she started answering the first question with, “Well, I was reading a lot of Proust…” I never want to hang out with anyone who would start a conversation with “Well, I was reading a lot of Proust…” Also, did you ever hear her reading her own material aloud? Gee wiz…