A review by angelkisses
The Candy House by Jennifer Egan

emotional funny reflective tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

While each story in the collection has its unique characteristics (such as the robotic tone of "Lulu The Spy, 2032" or the epistolary structure of "See Below" -- two of my favourites) the underlying concept is woven throughout. What does it mean to be human? The classic question arising from the canon of science fiction. In this way, characters are faced with dilemmas -- usually ethical or philosophical in nature -- and we, the readers observe their resulting transformations. The voice actors added so much to this collection through their performances, I would absolutely recommend it. My personal favourite is "A Journey: A Stranger Comes To Town" featuring themes of redemption and reincarnation, following the lives of two acquaintances as their lives converge together -- and a relationship full of distrust, anger, sadness, joy and fierce loyalty comes about. Listening to this story, the words rang so true that I felt as if an old friend was recounting to me a memory of theirs. Honourable mention to "The Mystery Of Our Mother."
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