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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
What a remarkable read. The author does an amazing job of making each consciousness unique, to capture the thoughts and voice of each character. This was a mindfuck and required a lot of backtracking to fully suss out the interwoven nature of the characters. I would highly recommend you jump right into book two after reading A Visit from the Goon Squad, as they really read like one book with an intermission. Wonderful work - would very much recommend.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.*
Somehow I haven't read anything by Jennifer Egan despite having 3 of her titles on my TBR for ages.
When NetGalley offered the chance to preview this ARC I lept at the opportunity.
Not knowing if this is typical for the author or unique to this story, I struggled a bit to follow the storyline and definitely found myself wondering how each chapter had anything to do with the last.
The Candy House is apparently a sequel to A Visit from the Goon Squad...however you know I didn't read that so I can't really speak to how it follows. My understanding is that the characters reappear. That is how I would describe this book. The storyline isn't thorough, and there isn't a specific plotline. Rather there is a common thread that carries across each character's narrative.
Loosely, the story ties together the brainchild of Bix Bouton, a tech genius who monetizes the ideas of cultural anthropologist Miranda Kline into a dystopian social media project called Own Your Unconscious. The narratives follow Bix, his children, his collaborators, friends, and foes.
It is weird, and weirdly magnetic. I find myself thinking about the possibility that something like this is in the works. And I shudder.
*with thanks to NetGalley for the Digital ARC in exchange for this honest review.
Somehow I haven't read anything by Jennifer Egan despite having 3 of her titles on my TBR for ages.
When NetGalley offered the chance to preview this ARC I lept at the opportunity.
Not knowing if this is typical for the author or unique to this story, I struggled a bit to follow the storyline and definitely found myself wondering how each chapter had anything to do with the last.
The Candy House is apparently a sequel to A Visit from the Goon Squad...however you know I didn't read that so I can't really speak to how it follows. My understanding is that the characters reappear. That is how I would describe this book. The storyline isn't thorough, and there isn't a specific plotline. Rather there is a common thread that carries across each character's narrative.
Loosely, the story ties together the brainchild of Bix Bouton, a tech genius who monetizes the ideas of cultural anthropologist Miranda Kline into a dystopian social media project called Own Your Unconscious. The narratives follow Bix, his children, his collaborators, friends, and foes.
It is weird, and weirdly magnetic. I find myself thinking about the possibility that something like this is in the works. And I shudder.
*with thanks to NetGalley for the Digital ARC in exchange for this honest review.
Loved this even though I can't remember a thing about Good Squad (except that I loved it, too!). Egan is a master of linking stories.
Really enjoyed this sequel to A Visit from the Goon Squad. I liked how it was tech cynical but also raised questions about the ways that tech is a (natural?) extension of human behavior; the whole book was an interwoven network of loose ties that determined the characters' fates in a way not unlike social media.
The overall topic of how advanced memory technology may affect our lives in different ways is definitely interesting, but premise of this book was stronger than the execution. Some of the stories are very engaging while others are not at all, so it was uneven for me.
Audiobook
Honestly this is a five star book as an audiobook, so well acted, but maybe a four star book in print? I may never know.
I didn’t remember the characters from Goon Squad but I didn’t need to. It was enthralling anyway, and all the different voices and styles worked so well together.
I would happily reread this in a few years and probably like it just as much.
Honestly this is a five star book as an audiobook, so well acted, but maybe a four star book in print? I may never know.
I didn’t remember the characters from Goon Squad but I didn’t need to. It was enthralling anyway, and all the different voices and styles worked so well together.
I would happily reread this in a few years and probably like it just as much.
I don’t understand all the hype about this book. Some of the stories were better than others and I had read Goon Squad so I got the references. But overall, it was ok and I feel like I’ve read about the mind download concept before.
Very interesting and gave us lots of different points to discuss for bookclub. I really enjoyed the many writing styles that reflected the varying points of view. It would have been handy for me to have a chart of the characters. Very intriguing premise - does this count as speculative fiction or contemporary fiction??
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
A mind bending tapestry of characters cleverly woven together. I was constantly trying to pick the threads and see who they connected to.
The book almost feels like a collection of short stories. Each chapter totally different from the previous, though I feel they are quite connected if you can join the threads.
It was a fascinating read of the potential very near future.
The book almost feels like a collection of short stories. Each chapter totally different from the previous, though I feel they are quite connected if you can join the threads.
It was a fascinating read of the potential very near future.