A Visit From The Goon Squad
A work of fiction that could easily be adapted into a movie is A Visit from the Goon Squad. The characters make for some interesting analysis and the story itself has been done in an unorthodox chronology. We get a glimpse into the music industry and all its madness. We also grow attached to two characters that we think should end up together due to their similar misfit lives.
The modern day music industry
The book depicts much of the craziness that exists in the music industry in our day. The so-called high life of society in the form of parties, drug abuse, and orgies is a common theme that is hinted towards in certain parts, and clearly depicted in others. The setting provides the reader with lots of fascinating detail about a world most of us are never exposed to. The characters often find themselves caught between the trappings of this lifestyle, and the dreams they have to become stars.
A lose chronology
The book does not follow a set chronology. Lose scenes from both Bennie’s and Sasha’s lives are depicted in a seemingly random pattern. Despite this, the story can be followed if the reader can maintains a fair amount of concentration. Certain parts of their lives are mentioned out of sequence so as to make sense of something that has already happened—or something that is about to happen.
Do Bennie and Sasha end up together?
Bennie is clearly in love with his assistant, Sasha. But whether the two end up together in the end will have to remain a secret. It is probable that this mystery is what keeps the reader interested in the characters—the hope that these two misfits will find compatibility and rest from their weary lives. The reader will soon get a sense that Bennie and Sasha are emotionally needy individuals, and the attachment we develop for them both makes us feel that they are perfect for each other.
Although the book may seem bit haphazard at first, the characters are sure to keep the reader interested in the story. The writer, Jennifer Egan, has depicted a brilliant setting that combines a bit of sleaze, with a touch of glamour. The reader is sure to grow at least mildly attached to the characters who represent the victim in all of us. A must read for commercial music lovers.
