A Visit from the Goon Squad: Pulitzer Prize Winner

“We know the outcome, but we don't know when, or where, or who will be there when it finally happens. It's a Suicide Tour.” This was a series of disjointed-but-connected vignettes; snapshots of various parts of the lives of a group of people connected to a 70s punk band. Each chapter reveals failure, sorrow, depression, fear, and desperation. The stories culminate in an epic concert in the park in New York City. I don't think I'm smart enough to appreciate this kind of book; it was quite a difficult read for me. It felt haphazard and chaotic. The powerpoint chapter totally lost me. The sadness and yearning for lost youth was not fun and made me feel, quite frankly, a lot of pity for the characters. The good news is that the end left room for hope.

"A Visit from the Goon Squad" by Jennifer Egan is a novel that takes on the challenging task of weaving together the lives of various characters connected through the music industry, spanning several decades. She covers the themes of aging, loss, and the passage of time ("the goon squad") through the ages. At some points the she delivers poignant commentary on the ways individuals and their connections evolve over time. The novel overall did offer a refreshingly different take on motivations and connections between main characters; though often using destructive behaviors as that glue. There were many moments where I was reminded of Sally Rooney’s novels and characters. Though this one contained too much dry exposition before it gets to the real meaty parts. Despite that protracted buildup, Egan’s use of an inventive though sometimes challenging combination of time and perspective shifts, helps paint a broad picture of the lives of our cast of characters. That same style also resulted in a rambling exploration into various psychological neurosis. Central figures include Bennie Salazar, a music producer, and his assistant, Sasha, whose lives and relationships are explored in depth. I found it personally hard to care at all for any of the characters and furthermore a deeper connection with the material. It was also hard to pair such deeply talented writing with the cacophony of events that make a mess of a plot. While I personally did not enjoy it because I have an aversion to desperately messy people; the novel's innovative structure and richly drawn characters may make it compelling for others. She has a creative use of various voice styles, narrative styles, pace, and tone throughout the book. The non-linear narrative is the star of the book. Shifting between different times, perspectives, and styles, including a PowerPoint presentation.