A Visit from the Goon Squad

A Visit from the Goon Squad - A review

In this book, Jennifer Egan presents a fresh and engaging literary context, pushing the boundaries of some of our greatest fears. (While in a totally different approach, you can also see some of our most visceral fears explored in My Heart Hemmed In by Marie NDiaye):

Story or stories?

In A Visit From the Goon Squad (winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2011), each chapter tells a unique story with its own protagonist and dilemmas. However, as you continue reading, these seemingly random narratives gradually intertwine, culminating in a surprising, nearly overwhelming unity.

Excruciatingly Surprising

It's like traveling through time, observing various small moments with varying importance and significance, which helps us understand the characters. The story is filled with unexpected, almost absurd situations that create an engaging pace.

The surprises go way beyond the story itself, though. From interesting PowerPoint slides to text messages with many abbreviations that make them almost incomprehensible, Egan does everything to make the reader feel the characters' world.

Protagonist?

A Visit from the Goon Squad doesn't feature a traditional protagonist. The originality of this narrative is reflected in how each character takes the spotlight at a particular moment and place. Time continually shifts as that merciless squad passes through, obliterating our perceptions of ourselves.

In this book, time serves as the true protagonist.

A good story with many layers

Touching, shocking, hilarious. Many argue whether A Visit from the Goon Squad is a novel or a collection of short stories. I don't think it matters, really.

This is the perfect story (or stories) for those who like a good, unexpected story. A Visit from the Goon Squad already has a sequel, The Candy House, which was released in 2022. Here's the review.

Comments

Zero Day (Netflix): When Power, Fear, and Truth Collide

What happens when society’s most terrifying vulnerability—our digital infrastructure—suddenly collapses? Netflix ’s political thriller Zero Day dares to explore exactly that. Starring Robert De Niro as former U.S. President George Mullen, alongside Angela Bassett , Lizzy Caplan , Jesse Plemons , and Dan Stevens , this six-part miniseries blends conspiracy, paranoia, and deeply human drama into a story that feels both timely and unsettling. A Premise That Feels Too Possible The series kicks off with a catastrophic cyberattack that leaves the nation in chaos. It’s not just thrilling entertainment—it’s frighteningly plausible. Watching events spiral out of control, you can’t help but ask yourself: could this actually happen? Twists That Keep You Guessing From backroom deals to sudden betrayals, Zero Day is packed with sharp turns. You might think you know where it’s going, but the finale delivers a conclusion that’s both surprising and thought-provoking. Jesse Plemo...

Wednesday 2 (Part 1) – A Gorgeously Dark Return to Nevermore

Wednesday Season 2 lands with all the gothic flair that made the original binge-worthy —this time spotlighting even richer family dynamics and chilling new mysteries at Nevermore Academy. The first four episodes dropped on Netflix August 6, 2025 , with fans grudgingly waiting until September 3 for Part 2 . Why It’s Still a Blast Jenna Ortega continues to shine as a morose sleuth grappling with her supernatural talents and unwanted hero status. Her sharp delivery and deadpan wit are as compelling as ever. Family ties get deeper attention —Pugsley’s arrival at school, Morticia’s campus involvement (with Catherine Zeta-Jones in flamboyant form), and intriguing new faces like Steve Buscemi as the oddball new principal elevate the ensemble. Atmosphere and aesthetic remain rich and inventive. Tim Burton’s return as director (including a delightfully eerie animated sequence) and the inclusion of ominous crows and haunting visuals continue to delight. Mystery hooks abound...

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story - review

While I found the pacing of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story slow and, at times, even boring, the show shines in one particular area: its psychological depth. What kept me engaged wasn’t the storytelling rhythm, but the way it explored two very distinct and haunting personalities under the same roof. Two Sides of the Same Violence The series captures the sharp contrast between Lyle and Erik brilliantly. On one side, we see the volatile, angry, and violent brother—unpredictable but outwardly dominant, always ready to explode. On the other side, there is the insecure, fragile “mouse” of the family—timid, hesitant, almost paralyzed by fear. Yet, what makes Erik compelling is that under the right conditions, even he can lash out violently, especially when pulled into the orbit of his more aggressive brother. The dynamic between them feels like a nightmare recipe: one commanding, the other submissive, but both carrying destructive potential. The Many Shape...

All Forms of Art

Search This Blog