Kind of a highbred between a novel and a collection of short stories. If you like rock and roll and innovative narrative structure, check it out.

A novel of short chapters written from the perspective of interconnected characters, all connected in some way to music. The first two chapters almost put me off but the momentum of the work builds as you go and in the end I was surprised by how quickly I finished.

A couple of other people have mentioned 'Cloud Atlas', which I was also reminded of. I almost quite reading after the first few chapters, and am really, really glad that I finished - the power of the book is cumulative, as all the stories start to tie together. Funny and moving, about the power of music, and of unexpected redemption.

The cover of "A Visit From The Goon Squad" labels the book "a novel" and most critics have referred to it as such. However, if you wish to read a novel, look elsewhere because Egan has actually written a collection of linked stories. But forget categorization; Egan's work displays brash beauty as she delves into the power of shame, an emotion which makes one present in the moment as effectively as does fear or desire. The protagonist, Bennie, a famous music producer, catalogues his shame on the back of a parking ticket. His assistant, Sasha, deals with hers by compulsively shoplifting. The stories also follow the interlocking fates of compelling, tender and humourous characters: Bennie's high school crowd, Sasha's parents, her uncle and her suicidal friend. As well as shame, Egan's themes include immortality, redemption and a longing to master time. She proves a fearless writer and takes risks by employing different points of view and unconventional styles including a 75-page interlude in power point. These edgy techniques range from jarring to brilliant but, overall, they unite to form a well-crafted collection that ventures vitally into new territory.

Although the time jumps can be disconcerting, I wasn't overly bothered by them, as long as I didn't try to remember the history of every single character. I agree with "readingandlovingit" that "Cloud Atlas" is superior in its global sweep, but this worked for me as a smaller-scale tale: it reminded me of "Super Sad True Love Story" with its future-NYC setting. Some of the book's best chapters work as independent short stories; my favorite was the one about Dolly and the dictator. The PowerPoint chapter was fun too: I'll never think about song pauses in the same way again!

A very slow story that ends up going nowhere. Done in flashback/flashforward, you need a scorecard to keep track of the characters and most disappear without any explanation. Written from multiple points of view, but of different events and time periods, many not linking to each other and definitely not carrying the storyline to any conclusion. Even the title doesn't fit the collection of tales. I recommend you avoid wasting your time and skip this book.

This book clearly did not have the same impact on me as it did for some reviewers here. I liked it ok. I didn't find the shifting time-frames disconcerting but I did have some trouble remembering all the characters and their histories. I didn't really relate to any of the characters and I did not find it moving. I'm not in the music industry so maybe I'm naive but I found some of the characters to be a little sterotypical and one dimensional. All that said, I have no trouble recommending it as a good read but don't want to over-sell and disappoint you.

At first I found the time-shifting story lines a challenge, but once I understood the patterns of the characters and how they fit together, I found a flow. An excellent book whose future-looking final chapter is chilling and incredibly insightful based on how we use and are culturally tied to technology today. The book is definitely deserving of the awards and critical praise it has received.

This book moved me in so many ways. I connected with the characters totally and began rooting for them. It is about love, loss, continuity, and renewal. We are all on a journey and hopefully, we connect with others in meaningful ways as we spend our alloted time on this planet.

Profound and beautifully written. It is "Olive Kitteridge" for the hipper, rock and roll crowd.