A VISIT FROM THE GOON SQUAD
Jennifer Egan
Final Thoughts
-
In total there are 2 users online :: 0 registered, 0 hidden and 2 guests (based on users active over the past 60 minutes)
Most users ever online was 871 on Fri Apr 19, 2024 12:00 am
Visit From Goon Squad, Final Thoughts
- oblivion
-
- Likes the book better than the movie
- Posts: 826
- Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2009 11:10 am
- 14
- Location: Germany
- Has thanked: 188 times
- Been thanked: 172 times
Re: Visit From Goon Squad, Final Thoughts
One question has been bothering me: the character--of more so, the name--of Chronos. I need to find out why Chronos (=Time) appears when and where he does. And I'm starting to have fun tracing the "time" metaphors.
Gods and spirits are parasitic--Pascal Boyer
Religion is the only force in the world that lets a person have his prejudice or hatred and feel good about it --S C Hitchcock
Believe those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who find it. --André Gide
Reading is a majority skill but a minority art. --Julian Barnes
Religion is the only force in the world that lets a person have his prejudice or hatred and feel good about it --S C Hitchcock
Believe those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who find it. --André Gide
Reading is a majority skill but a minority art. --Julian Barnes
-
-
Intelligent
- Posts: 557
- Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2010 1:13 pm
- 14
- Location: Connecticut
- Has thanked: 75 times
- Been thanked: 87 times
Re: Visit From Goon Squad, Final Thoughts
Chronos appears to be the epitome of not having enough time.oblivion wrote:One question has been bothering me: the character--of more so, the name--of Chronos. I need to find out why Chronos (=Time) appears when and where he does. And I'm starting to have fun tracing the "time" metaphors.
- Suzanne
-
- Book General
- Posts: 2513
- Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 10:51 pm
- 15
- Location: New Jersey
- Has thanked: 518 times
- Been thanked: 399 times
Re: Visit From Goon Squad, Final Thoughts
I must admit, I am having a hard time getting through this book. I am finding the comments on the novel more entertaining than the book itself. I have three more chapters to get through and if I can find the fortitude within myself I will try to read it again once I am finished. I did find the chapter on the general to be hilarious. La Doll/Dolly and Lulu have become my favorite characters. Maybe this is why I don't like this novel, the characters swich so often its hard to really care about them. So, I'm off to finish the novel, maybe within the next three chapters there will be an aha moment that will pull the whole thing together.
- heledd
-
Doctorate
- Posts: 508
- Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2011 4:47 am
- 12
- Has thanked: 45 times
- Been thanked: 117 times
Re: Visit From Goon Squad, Final Thoughts
Suzanne. Might be premature of me to comment as I haven't written about all the chapters yet. I found the book very interesting, but very dissatisfying. You know how with some books you close it and can't read anything for days because you are thinking about it?? With this one I just thought - well interesting but given the choice would not read it again.
Life's a glitch and then you die - The Simpsons
- oblivion
-
- Likes the book better than the movie
- Posts: 826
- Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2009 11:10 am
- 14
- Location: Germany
- Has thanked: 188 times
- Been thanked: 172 times
Re: Visit From Goon Squad, Final Thoughts
Actually, this book seems like a perfect book club book.....one you don't really like and probably won't ever read again, but one which can nevertheless be discussed well. I think what I enjoyed most about the book were the narrating devices she used. I almost left out the PowerPoint chapter but I'm glad I didn't. It was clever. But I can't say I liked it. Suzanne, your point about the develpment of the characters rings true. Just when you're starting to like one, identify with one, wonder what's going to happen in his or her life, the character is cut. And you find yourself thinking "so what". Do I care? But is this intentional?
Gods and spirits are parasitic--Pascal Boyer
Religion is the only force in the world that lets a person have his prejudice or hatred and feel good about it --S C Hitchcock
Believe those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who find it. --André Gide
Reading is a majority skill but a minority art. --Julian Barnes
Religion is the only force in the world that lets a person have his prejudice or hatred and feel good about it --S C Hitchcock
Believe those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who find it. --André Gide
Reading is a majority skill but a minority art. --Julian Barnes
-
-
Intelligent
- Posts: 557
- Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2010 1:13 pm
- 14
- Location: Connecticut
- Has thanked: 75 times
- Been thanked: 87 times
Re: Visit From Goon Squad, Final Thoughts
I think Egan may have been trying to make a point about the lack of a real connection between people due to technology. Her narrative showed how people can come and go without really leaving anything worthwhile in a relationship. I hope that she is wrong and that people will communicate more with each other instead of less. Techies have a saying "garbage in, garbage out"; if we all input value then we will get value back out of technology.oblivion wrote:Actually, this book seems like a perfect book club book.....one you don't really like and probably won't ever read again, but one which can nevertheless be discussed well. I think what I enjoyed most about the book were the narrating devices she used. I almost left out the PowerPoint chapter but I'm glad I didn't. It was clever. But I can't say I liked it. Suzanne, your point about the develpment of the characters rings true. Just when you're starting to like one, identify with one, wonder what's going to happen in his or her life, the character is cut. And you find yourself thinking "so what". Do I care? But is this intentional?
- geo
-
- pets endangered by possible book avalanche
- Posts: 4780
- Joined: Sun Aug 03, 2008 4:24 am
- 15
- Location: NC
- Has thanked: 2198 times
- Been thanked: 2201 times
Re: Visit From Goon Squad, Final Thoughts
I also feel disconnected from a novel that has no main character, but if you read Goon Squad as a series of interconnected short stories, I think it works better. Her novel, The Keep is a better novel, although still a bit fragmented towards the end. Egan is the consummate short story writer and perhaps that's where she really shines. Her writing is quite amazing, very concise and accessible. She's a thoroughly modern kind of writer. Still, I was surprised that this novel was awarded the Pulitzer for fiction. I don't think she's really found her niche yet.
-Geo
Question everything
Question everything
- oblivion
-
- Likes the book better than the movie
- Posts: 826
- Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2009 11:10 am
- 14
- Location: Germany
- Has thanked: 188 times
- Been thanked: 172 times
Re: Visit From Goon Squad, Final Thoughts
Geo, I agree that "The Keep" is a better book. I think this may be part of the problem: I had read and enjoyed that book a long time ago.
Lindad: That is exactly what I meant by the word intentional--I think it is a device she is using. The stories are fragments of lives and just barely have something to do with each other. And I think this is the message she is trying to get across.Our lives touch but we are not really able to have deep, meaningful relationships. Rather dystopian, isn't it? Time or the Good Squad seems to be the only thing we have in common that affects us all. But in the end, does time really even matter? I find myself chewing on this book a lot. I am very happy I read it. But I can't say I'll reread it or even save it.
Lindad: That is exactly what I meant by the word intentional--I think it is a device she is using. The stories are fragments of lives and just barely have something to do with each other. And I think this is the message she is trying to get across.Our lives touch but we are not really able to have deep, meaningful relationships. Rather dystopian, isn't it? Time or the Good Squad seems to be the only thing we have in common that affects us all. But in the end, does time really even matter? I find myself chewing on this book a lot. I am very happy I read it. But I can't say I'll reread it or even save it.
Gods and spirits are parasitic--Pascal Boyer
Religion is the only force in the world that lets a person have his prejudice or hatred and feel good about it --S C Hitchcock
Believe those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who find it. --André Gide
Reading is a majority skill but a minority art. --Julian Barnes
Religion is the only force in the world that lets a person have his prejudice or hatred and feel good about it --S C Hitchcock
Believe those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who find it. --André Gide
Reading is a majority skill but a minority art. --Julian Barnes
-
-
- Official Newbie!
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2012 4:30 pm
- 12
Re: Visit From Goon Squad, Final Thoughts
I have to agree with Suzanne; I'm having a hard time finishing this book as well.