A Visit From the Goon Squad

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Loved it, loved it, loved it. Each chapter stands alone, like a book of short stories, but the same characters pop up throughout, so it ends up feeling like a novel. I actually read 2 of the chapters in the New Yorker, not knowing they were part of a larger book, and loved them even more once I had the backstory.

One of the main characters is Bennie, a punk bassist turned indie music producer who sells out and later finds redemption through one of his oldest friends. But really, I think the story is Sasha's -- Bennie's assistant who we meet in the first chapter and then see again through the eyes of her best friend (Rob), her boss (Bennie), and then finally, her daughter (Ally -- a fantastic chapter all in PowerPoint).

Love, loss, friendship, music, the things we go through in life and have to overcome, even the impact of technology on our lives, this book explores so many themes, through many different pairs of eyes. A wonderful read!





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