Reviews

The Candy House by Jennifer Egan

ebraam's review against another edition

5.0

This book was so great and so weird.
It's speculative fiction that focuses around the concept that your consciousness can be externalized and (if you choose) shared, creating a collective consciousness that everyone contributes to. It was really fascinating - I loved the internal/ moral questions that this book asks of the reader to weigh in on.
The book reads like short stories; every chapter is a dive into a new character... however they're all kind of connected - but not instantly. Egan slowly gives you the pieces. I listened to this but borrowed the physical book at the same time so I could flip back and forth to remember the details.

I'm looking forward to reading the Goon Squad, and more of her work. I didn't get the chance to read Manhattan Beach when it was on all the lists! 5 stars!

shelbybrewer27's review against another edition

Hard to listen as an audio book. I would like to read the actual book though because the story was intriguing!

maltesemamareads's review

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

queenkristabee's review

Not interesting 

brianklaas's review

challenging dark reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

I wanted to like this more. It’s simply too disjointed, too “literary,” for it’s own good.

one4ale's review against another edition

5.0

Incredibly fun as just as good as the first. Every chapter had a unique writing style and keeping track of every character was actually fun.

allisob's review

3.0

Promising a thought-provoking and certainly relevant premise, I had really high hopes for this book. That said, I was only especially interested in a few of the characters (namely Lincoln and Miles) and kept anticipating a more rewarding intersection of every story-line. The pay-off for investing in the details of these character’s lives felt.. minimal and anticlimactic. Perhaps if I had anticipated short stories with a through-line rather than a traditional story arc, I’d feel that Egan’s execution was stronger.

All of that said, rating this book a 3 feels a bit harsh- the writing is beautiful. Egan has a knack for capturing intimate moments of the human psyche and world-building a fascinating and all-too-familiar future.

ludicwren's review

challenging dark funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

vivo_morior's review against another edition

mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

loserofbookmarks's review

challenging emotional inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25