Reuniting with characters from A Visit from the Goon Squad in The Candy House was an absolute DELIGHT for me. It is marketed as a standalone and that there are “some” familiar characters from Egan’s earlier novel in this book. But I think that is a disservice. I would argue that it’s almost essential to read one before the other. Or, I’d be curious if anyone has done the reverse - to read Goon Squad afterwards, as a kind of prequel. That could be REALLY interesting... Part of the allure of these intricately mapped character connections is that little thrill when spotting them, and every single character in this book is tied to one from the first.
My review for The Candy House exactly mirrors Goon Squad: surreal, shocking at times, uncannily prescient, thought provoking and excellent for fans of interconnected stories. I love love love a novel that feels like puzzle pieces which, once put together, gives you that ‘aha’ tingly feeling. (See also: Sea of Tranquility, Kitchens of the Great Midwest) They’re not for everyone, but for fans of this type of story, both of Egan’s works should be required reading.
Title spotting was excellent, too. The quote was in the context of how we basically don’t pay for music anymore. But, it applies to so many things that technology has wrought on our society.

“Nothing is free! Only children expect otherwise, even as myths and fairytales warn us: Rumplestiltskin, King Midas, Hansel and Gretel. Never trust a candy house! It was only a matter of time before someone made them pay for what they thought they were getting for free. Why could nobody see this?“