I had the intention of finishing this book on a plane to Manila a year ago, but ended up falling asleep after only reading the first two chapters. Since then, I’ve somehow forgotten it ever existed. This month however, I finally got my hands on it–and it just miraculously became a favorite overnight.
This is honestly the only book that I’ve read (so far) that I genuinely wish I’d written. Her style of writing is just incredible. Every chapter in this novel could stand on its own, and still be as engaging as the book in its entirety. Jennifer Egan’s non-conventional style of storytelling–non-chronological, with each chapter told through a different character–feels like such a luxurious read. The chapters transported me into different worlds and time periods, where I met plenty of imperfect, but likable characters.
The worlds I got transported into were interesting times: there was the ‘80s punk scene; the behind-the-scenes of record producing; the music industry in the digital era; writing songs out of misery; identifying pauses in songs; the beauty of going to shows; the beach; somewhere in Africa; and a lot more. Maybe my love for this book is a bit skewed because of my natural bias to music, but I guarantee you, Egan offers so much more.
Especially in life and human relationships.
The book holds many interpretations of what it’s like being human, including our natural tendency to commit mistakes, different personalities that ‘click’, the future of human interaction, the race through time, and more. This book could also be one of the best growing up stories I’ve ever read. It brought me back to every life stage I’ve gone through so far, and possibly scared me too, of what’s to come in the future.
Some of my favorite lines I wish I wrote:
“You’ve entered a state of tingling, stomachy happiness that feels the way you hoped adulthood would be as a kid: a blur of lost bearings, release from the drone of meals and homework..”
“It’s turning out to be a bad day, a day when the sun feels like teeth.”
“He sensed between them an understanding too deep to articulate: the unspeakable knowledge that everything is lost.”
“The pause makes you think the song will end. And then the song isn’t really over, so you’re relieved. But then the song does end, because every song ends, obviously, and THAT. TIME. THE. END. IS. FOR. REAL.”
“Time’s a goon, right?”
A Visit from the Goon Squad
Published: 2010 Author: Jennifer Egan
between love & hate 