The Candy House

By Jennifer Egan

Readers of Jennifer Egan will recognize some characters and names in this latest from the Pulitzer Prize winner in the “sibling novel” to her 2011 book A Visit from the Goon Squad—but don’t think that means you’re in for a homely read. In a notso-distant future, society is seduced by the instant gratification of Own Your Unconscious, a platform that makes thoughts and memories accessible to all users. Egan holds a mirror to our reckoning with social media and public personas, and is best when examining the “eluders” who refuse to relinquish their private thoughts.