A Visit from the Goon Squad
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Chapter 1: "Found Objects"
The shifts between Coz's office and the date were very cool. It's like a whole new method of writing flashbacks. It also presented this idea of being present in all times; nothing is the past, nothing is the future, it's all happening right now. And having read a bit beyond chapter one, I'm pleased she continues playing with time. I'm enjoying it immensely. What a great intro to the novel.
I liked the technique, having just read Still Missing and Never Knowing I was really loving seeing this used again. I love how you find out bits and pieces about the character as she talks to Coz in her session.
I really enjoyed the shifts between Coz's office and Sasha and Alex's date. It was like being able to be in 2 places and once.
I'm finding it interesting. It's like being inside someone's head, and how they can be truly in the moment when recalling past events.
Very nice usage of shifts and different layers going on here. I had no trouble keeping the scenes apart - it really was, as Mary said, a good new methods of writing flashbacks. I also like that one of the scenes - Sasha and Alex - is divided even further: We begin in the bathroom but but also go back to "prewallet".I've only read chapter 1 so far, so I haven no idea where we're headed - but as of now, the first chapter would indeed work on its own. I'd love to see more of Sasha, though, with or without Alex, so I'll read on :)
I have just finished Chapter 1 and find that the shifts make the story more interesting. Like was said previously, you are in the persons head as Sasha re- lives the events of the date for Cos. I think it could stand alone as a short story but would like to see if Sasha ever reaches her goals, on the list.
So smoothly done. And she builds compassion for Sasha so that I kind of wanted her to take the wallet!
I thought that the shifts were handled very nicely and that Egan did a very good job of making me feel compassion for Sasha. Not only did I want her to take the wallet, but I also knew why she wanted to take it- more than just because she could. I also thought the bath salt scene was a more significant for Sasha as a character than the wallet. The wallet helped the reader understand her "condition" but I thought it was Alex asking to use the bath salts that really made Sasha more human, and more vulnerable.
Yes, I loved the transitions between scenes in this chapter, so well written. Everything flowed and the pacing was also amazing. Off to a good start!
Great first chapter! The shifts must have been very seamless because I didn't even notice them when I was reading it...! I agree with Shannon - I immediately liked Sasha and felt that I was 'on her side', to the point of wanting her to take the wallet and not get caught. I wouldn't have found this that unusual if I was already involved in Sasha's story, but for the author to provoke these feelings about a character the reader has just met, and steering the reader away from the obvious instinct of sympathy for the wallet's owner, is pretty impressive.All in all, a very promising opening which has made me feel sure I'll like the rest of the book.
I agree, great 1st chapter. The transitions between the current conversation and past events made the story more interesting. There is such a pull to instantly like Sasha. She evokes a connection with the reader. We all have habits we would likes to change, but sometimes can't despite trying. She steals for comfort like someone might bite their nails or a child might suck their thumb. She knows what she does is wrong, she's sought help, she's just not quite to the point of change yet. I was instantly rooting for her.
Loved it. Great new experience for me.
Abby wrote: "I also agree with Wendy that there is a pull to like Sasha, despite all of her thoughts. Really this chapter just gave me a great curiosity to find out her history. Nothing seems to be going quite the way she wants it to in her life, and I feel like that maybe in her past there was some great incident that sparked this change. I want to find out what it was! "Yes! I think this is really the key to the book being successful. I'll be very curious to hear what you think as her story progresses.
I loved reading about Sasha's kleptomania. Very interesting.
This first chapter actually was published in the New Yorker as a short story ("Found Objects"). I recommend it to my students as a great example of how to make a flashback part of the forward motion of the story. Also love love love how at the end of this chapter it's minutes she's stealing from Coz. Great set up, too, for finding out what tragedy with her father there is in her past.What I love most of all about this first chapter is that it's clear we are in the hands of a master here. On our way to reading a great book.
So far so good, but I have some reservations that I hope do not pan out. Sasha and I are alike, although I am no kleptomaniac. I agree with @Shannon that the bath salt scene was significant.
I have never read from this author before but the first chapter captivated me because I could really feel the intensity of Sasha's need to steal and her working frantically not to get caught. I believe I will like the book as I find it interesting to learn about the paths that people take as they learn what drives their behavior.
I enjoyed the transitions and was able to follow along just fine.
On to the second chapter tonight!
Do you think this book would be just as easy to follow if listening to an audio version? Or would these shifts be too confusing on audio?
I enjoyed the transitions and didn't find it hard to follow. I think in an audio format, it could get confusing. Sometimes the spatial delimiters on a page are hard to translate in spoken form.
I wasn't confused, but I did find it slightly annoying!
I finished the first chapter yesterday. I, like many others who responded in the thread, was pulled in by Sasha immediately. I wasn't expecting to feel this interested in the book so quickly - especially since I bought it based on this book club and had no prior knowledge of the book, the author, etc.
Thanks Ryan. That is what I was worried about. I had a similar problem with The Children's Book by A. S. Byatt. It jumped all around in time, with events involving different persons in the book. Not in the form of flashbacks, those are easier to pick up on. To make it worse for audio listening, it jumped from real persons stories to excerpts from the children's book being written by one of the main characters. It was quite disconcerting. Reminding me of times when I am watching something on television, get up to get a drink of water, come back and have no idea for a minute what is going on. Only because my husband switched the channel. It doesn't take long to catch on, but non-the-less!!!
Dissenting voice here. I've only read the first chapter and I'm pretty disgusted with Sasha. Yet another self-absorbed single woman in NYC. Ho hum.I agree with Laurie; I get a strong sense of what Sasha feels like when she "needs" to steal and the rationalizations she uses to ignore the victims of her theft. When she actually does get confronted, her response is "pity me!" - as if she's the one who has been hurt.
The only person I see Sasha giving a crap about is Coz. Why is she acting as if it is HIS feelings she should spare? Therapy is the one place in this world where you actually pay a fee to be totally self-absorbed. :)
Favorite line "She could tell that he was in excellent shape, not from going to the gym but from being young enough that his body was still imprinted with whatever sports he'd played in high school and college."
Favorite thing about this chapter: I've learned an enormous amount of information about Sasha without any of it seeming forced on me in an "information dump". That's not easy to do in fiction.
I agree that the transitions were smoothly done and that the chapter had great pacing. Great start! It's like being in multiple presents and it's a fascinating way to understand what was going on with Sasha without having to listen to cumbersome inner dialogues all the time. I was pulled in immediately by Sasha, although I can't really decide at this point if I like her but she's interesting enough to keep me going.
I agree that there's something more between her and Coz, her therapist. She kept referring to their relationship as "writing a book" and she also tries to spare his feelings for some reason.
On to the next chapter!
I am already hooked. Sasha has become a multidimensional character for me. There is the psychological piece, the reality and the Sasha other's see. I want to know what she tell's her therapist and what she doesn't. I feel as if I am in the story because it evokes emotions that each individual would feel and how it all relates to Sasha. I can't wait for the next chapter.
I loved the way this book opened. I just wish that as I read more I could be back to Sasha and her troubles, her personhood. Maybe it is to come. I'll stay tuned!
I love this book so far! I think Egan handles transitions well, and she gives you just enough character detail to leave you wanting a little bit more.
I really feel that this chapter is constructed very well. I am extremely impressed with Egan's ability to seamlessly connect the past and the present. As for Sasha, I don't like her at all. I don't care about why she is the way she is. There is a legitimate reason she is alone with no one but a therapist, who she pays, to listen to her rants. I won't continue reading for more about Sasha. The reason I want to keep reading is because of the fantastic writing.
Chapter 1 did for me what I think a first chapter is supposed to do. It captured my attention and made me want to read more. I like the introduction of Sasha as a bad/flawed girl that wants to get better. Will she find her way?
Is anyone else shocked that this is by Jennifer Egan? The vibe, voice and style are so much different than The Keep. (Thankfully!) I loved this first chapter. Can't wait to read more. I thought the entire sequence with Coz was brilliant.
I don't know anything about this book (I never read the back or any spoilers...funny, I know) but I'm wondering if we're in for a book similar to One Day.
I share Emma's opinion. The writing is brilliant and it's the main reason that I'll keep going. Sasha is incredibly self-absorbed, to the point of being annoying. I did like Alex, though, and I was hoping that he'd notice that his wallet was missing, put two and two together and then come back to confront her about it. Oh, well...On to the next chapter!
I thought the shifting was cool....The first time it happened I got confused, but then I liked it. I could picture it in my head as a movie, where the theft/date scene is playing on the screen at the same time that Sasha is talking about it to Coz. The first chapter has left me wanting to read further. But at this point, I haven't decided if I like Sasha b/c she is quirky or if I just freakin' hate her for making excuses for her bad behavior. We shall see.
Loruby wrote: "I have never read from this author before but the first chapter captivated me because I could really feel the intensity of Sasha's need to steal and her working frantically not to get caught. I b..."
Well said! As unlikeable as Sasha seems to me right now (making excuses for bad doings) I also feel like, "Don't we all have at least one hang up!??" I mean, most of us don't do something that hurts others, we only have a vice that hurts ourselves, but I want to see how this story pans out.
Seems to me like maybe Sasha steals for a reason we do not know about yet. Did like the back and forth between all the scenes, I think without it we would not care about Sasaha at all, just think she is selfish and self absorbed. Knowing she realizes she has a problem and is doing something about it makes or more likeable and makes me want to know more about how she got that way.
I liked the shifting. It was a little confusing at first, but as I continued to read the chapter I started to like it. It was interesting to have her discussion with Coz relate to her date with Alex.
Stunningly good book. Some of the best writing I've seen in literature.
I started out with some respect for Sasha at the beginning of this chapter: at least she was trying to fix herself. I forgave her for stealing the woman's wallet, because she gave it back. That's good. I forgave her when she talked about stealing the plumber's screwdriver because, seriously, who cares? A screwdriver is replaceable.
She lost me when she took that slip of paper from Alex's wallet, though. I don't care how old it was, or about what excuses she made for taking it. She could have stolen his gym card or the work ID, but she chose to steal something meaningful, significant and irreplaceable. Her conscience should have won out there, and it didn't. Not cool.
I started out with some respect for Sasha at the beginning of this chapter: at least she was trying to fix herself. I forgave her for stealing the woman's wallet, because she gave it back. That's good. I forgave her when she talked about stealing the plumber's screwdriver because, seriously, who cares? A screwdriver is replaceable.
She lost me when she took that slip of paper from Alex's wallet, though. I don't care how old it was, or about what excuses she made for taking it. She could have stolen his gym card or the work ID, but she chose to steal something meaningful, significant and irreplaceable. Her conscience should have won out there, and it didn't. Not cool.
This first chapter has definitely caught my attention. When I started to read it and realized how the chapter was going my first thought was "Huh?" and then catching on about a second later I thought it was a really neat idea that was very easy to follow. It almost made me feel like Coz in a way except more like a friend thinking or asking, "and then what happened?" I can't wait to read what comes next.
What I wonder about Sasha's kleptomania was what happened to her to cause it.
I really enjoyed the first chapter. The switches between Coz's office and Sasha and Alex's date were seamless, and it was really engrossing. I don't think that this chapter provided any need to know more about the characters - it was very self-contained, and if the rest of the book's like that,i think it will be great!
I thought the first chapter was great, really drew me in. However, I almost stopped reading after the first page - I was put off by the idea that someone (even an out-of-towner) would leave her pocketbook outside the stall when she went in to pee. Ridiculous, and there are so many other ways Sasha could have been set up for the same thing to happen. I struggled to suspend my disbelief; once I did I was able to appreciate the rest of the chapter. As I have continued reading the book I have found that an occasional minor detail like this doesn't ring true, but I'm trying to ignore them because the book is otherwise so good.
I'm in chapter 7 now and, while I enjoyed the first chapter as a story, I don't get why it came first. Perhaps as I read more I'll understand, but Sasha doesn't seem like the right person to start this book out. She's so peripheral and knows few of the other characters so far - just Bennie.
I love the writing style so far. And I am glad to understand ahead of time the whole idea of each chapter being it's own short story. Looking forward to how their lives all meet up.I'm thinking that because Sasha is telling her story from Coz's office, there is something more to what is happening than the simple act of petty theft. There is such a strong intrinsic value going on with Sasha. There is no monetary value in any of the objects she takes. I'm thinking about the object itself and what it means to Sasha as a representation of the lives she is stealing from. Seems to me, she is searching for something missing from her own life , even if that means she must steal a piece of someone else's identity.
The writing style was something to adjust to right away, but once your used to it your appreciation grows for it. To allow us a peak into there thoughts and how quickly they jump one time to another really allow you to put yourself in their shoes thoughts and all.So far I am looking forward to how this story develops.
I did like the author's play with time here. I didn't realize this while reading, but the transition between the present and the past was pretty seamless, almost like they do in movies, where the character blinks her eye to shake off her memories.But.... the writing's not engaging me. It's almost disappointing after all the hype not to feel pulled in. I'm hoping that changes soon.
Kate St. Vincent wrote: "This first chapter actually was published in the New Yorker as a short story ("Found Objects"). I recommend it to my students as a great example of how to make a flashback part of the forward motio..."I can definitely see how this could stand alone as a short story in a magazine like the New Yorker. Like Kate, I also loved the way Sasha's kleptomania is given deeper meaning at the end of the chapter as she "steals" minutes from Coz.
Like others have stated, I really though these transitions were an important part of the story because they allowed me to really get into Sasha's mind. Coz told Sasha that he liked the couch during therapy sessions so you didn't have to make eye contact. He was uncomfortable with eye contact and felt that the couch allowed both the patient and the therapist to look wherever they wanted to look. I kind of felt that way about these transitions...they allowed me to glimpse pieces of Sasha's psyche and life as a whole without making direct "eye contact" with her, symbolically speaking. Very interesting so far and I am looking forward to keep reading...
I was fascinated by the portrayal of kleptomania from a psychological view, getting I side the head of the "perpetrator". Sasha is as much a victim as the robbed woman. Yes, we think of therapy as a story in progress, but one that will have a happy ending. Knockout writing.
I liked the shifting. It also helped with understanding Sasha's need to steal. I found it interesting that she knows that it's wrong to steal, yet she feels compelled to do so. I also found it interesting that she took personal items and not those from a store.
Things that get a lot of hype usually scare me. Why is it that so much really popular stuff is crap? Anyway, I just finished the first chapter and I was really pleasantly surprised. I love the flashback aspect, too. I'm going to just keep reading now
Funny, I'm learning here that the book is a set of short stories. I'm glad; sasha's neuroses fatigued me!! I really like the shifting from scene-to-scene. Gives more insight.
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And considering the way the rest of the book will be put together, did you think this story could stand alone on its own or did you want to know more about Sasha and Alex?