A Visit From the Goon Squad
Chances are, you’ve heard some of the buzz about Jennifer Egan’s latest book, A Visit From the Goon Squad. Since its release in early June, the book–part novel, part linked stories, totally unique–has collected glowing reviews from one publication after the next. Egan is known for her vivid insight and postmodern experimentation, and in Goon Squad she plays with point of view and traditional story arc, jumping from one character to another, back and forth over 40 years and various cities. And yet somehow, the story holds together. As Will Blythe wrote in his New York Times book review, Egan seems to be responding to the following challenge: “How loosely can she braid the skein of connections and still have something that hangs together?” See what other critics are saying below.
“Although shredded with loss, ‘A Visit From the Goon Squad’ is often darkly, rippingly funny. Egan possesses a satirist’s eye and a romance novelist’s heart.” – Will Blythe, New York Times
“Goon Squad delivers on all the pleasures of Egan’s gifts as we’ve seen them displayed in the past – crisp and pulsing prose, extraordinary psychological insight, finely-specified characters seen from various points of view, a dark and yet vibrant wit, and off-the-charts observational intelligence.” – Sonya Chung, The Millions
“Egan uses all these stylistic and formal shenanigans to produce a deeply humane story about growing up and growing old in a culture corroded by technology and marketing” – Ron Charles, Washington Post
“It may be the smartest book you can get your hands on this summer.” – Carolyn Kellogg, Los Angeles Times
“Egan, a writer of uncanny perceptions and exceptional artistry, handles time as though it were a record album, playing tracks in a sequence determined by emotion and subterranean connections.” – Donna Seaman, Kansas City Star
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