sydsqu 's review for:

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

4.0

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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This book is like a kaleidoscope; it starts with very fragmented perspectives, then slowly pulls together into a fully image (I am aware this isn’t how kaleidoscopes work). The book is extremely unchronological and is basically two character studies to examine why two dysfunctional people are dysfunctional in the first place. If you understand why they’re dysfunctional, do they deserve redemption? What does it look like?

I’ll warn that a part of the dysfunction is multiple sleazebag characters. I nearly gave up on the book but figured the author was doing it on purpose and kept going a few more chapters. Glad I stuck with it.