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growing_zoe 's review for:
A Visit from the Goon Squad
by Jennifer Egan
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“Like all failed experiments, that one taught me something I didn’t expect: one key ingredient of so-called experience is the delusional faith that it is unique and special, that those included in it are privileged and those excluded from it are missing out.”
Really kind of just a drag of a book for me. What, am I supposed to be astounded by the fact that everything is connected? The lack of character indicators at the beginning of chapters plus the sheer time it took me to finish this left me despondent since everything served to make this a hazy, unsatisfying read. I’m not really sure what the point was — that we all get old and die? Sure, I guess. This just feels like the most odd, roundabout way of saying so. Many other novels achieve this message without being as annoying or convoluted.
I don’t know, maybe I would have enjoyed this if I found any of the characters likable whatsoever, which I didn’t. A surprisingly small amount of character variation given the large cast in this novel; Egan just can’t seem to imagine more than three archetypes max. And wow, the whole “handset” and “T” thing at the end was incredibly cringe and so clearly an older person’s attempt at ridiculing a younger audience which they don’t understand or care to even try to understand. Why do so when the metaphor works better for your work anyway? At least I thrifted this book and didn’t pay full price.
Really kind of just a drag of a book for me. What, am I supposed to be astounded by the fact that everything is connected? The lack of character indicators at the beginning of chapters plus the sheer time it took me to finish this left me despondent since everything served to make this a hazy, unsatisfying read. I’m not really sure what the point was — that we all get old and die? Sure, I guess. This just feels like the most odd, roundabout way of saying so. Many other novels achieve this message without being as annoying or convoluted.
I don’t know, maybe I would have enjoyed this if I found any of the characters likable whatsoever, which I didn’t. A surprisingly small amount of character variation given the large cast in this novel; Egan just can’t seem to imagine more than three archetypes max. And wow, the whole “handset” and “T” thing at the end was incredibly cringe and so clearly an older person’s attempt at ridiculing a younger audience which they don’t understand or care to even try to understand. Why do so when the metaphor works better for your work anyway? At least I thrifted this book and didn’t pay full price.