'Goon Squad" is a great novel - and stretches traditional storytelling techniques

I read mostly non-fiction but try to get through at least one novel per quarter. My most recent conquest is  "A Visit from the Goon Squad" by Jennifer Egan, a book that succeeds on many levels in stretching storytelling in new directions.

"Goon Squad" popped up on many "best of 2010" lists, and deservedly so. It's a book full of richly developed characters and oddly disparate but interwoven chapters presented in a variety of tenses and story forms (including PowerPoint and clipped speech, ala SMS shortcuts).

The “powerpoint” chapter is especially riveting. It’s hard work to wade through each slide and the presentation style gives the reader many different paths for interpretating four troubled lives, one of whom is a child fixated on pauses in rock songs. But like most of "Goon Squad," the extra effort makes for an  exhilirating ride. A chapter presented in Powerpoint style is the perfect way to capture the murkiness surrounding a family of four who are each dealing with their own demons(Click on the image above to watch the chapter in true Powerpoint fashion, complete with audio snippets of some of the famous pauses in question).

The last chapter includes many passages writtein in text-message shorthand, making for tough but rewarding reading as the characters share their issues in modern-day language.

The "goon squad" reference is what first attracted me, reminding me of a 1979 Elvis Costello song. There's a loose musical theme throughout the book and music buffs will enjoy rock-geeklike references here and there.

But the stars of the book are a diverse mix of quirky characters, some of whom appear once, others who reappear decades later in the storyline. This is an incredibly depressing book -- I can't recall another I've read coming close -- but don't let that deter you. "Goon Squad" is a story so invigorating and challenging that you’ll never felt like tossing it aside.