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The Family Fang
Mr. and Mrs. Fang called it art.
Their children called it mischief.
Performance artists Caleb and Camille Fang dedicated themselves to making great art. But when an artist’s work lies in subverting normality, it can be difficult to raise well-adjusted children. Just ask Buster and Annie Fang. For as long as they can remember, they starred (unwillingly) in their parents’ madcap pieces. But now that they are grown up, the chaos of their childhood has made it difficult to cope with life outside the fishbowl of their parents’ strange world.
When the lives they’ve built come crashing down, brother and sister have nowhere to go but home, where they discover that Caleb and Camille are planning one last performance -– their magnum opus -– whether the kids agree to participate or not. Soon, ambition breeds conflict, bringing the Fangs to face the difficult decision about what’s ultimately more important: their family or their art.
Their children called it mischief.
Performance artists Caleb and Camille Fang dedicated themselves to making great art. But when an artist’s work lies in subverting normality, it can be difficult to raise well-adjusted children. Just ask Buster and Annie Fang. For as long as they can remember, they starred (unwillingly) in their parents’ madcap pieces. But now that they are grown up, the chaos of their childhood has made it difficult to cope with life outside the fishbowl of their parents’ strange world.
When the lives they’ve built come crashing down, brother and sister have nowhere to go but home, where they discover that Caleb and Camille are planning one last performance -– their magnum opus -– whether the kids agree to participate or not. Soon, ambition breeds conflict, bringing the Fangs to face the difficult decision about what’s ultimately more important: their family or their art.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published August 9, 2011
2993 people are currently reading
27170 people want to read
About the author
Kevin Wilson
18 books4,634 followersKevin Wilson is the author of two collections, Tunneling to the Center of the Earth (Ecco/Harper Perennial, 2009), which received an Alex Award from the American Library Association and the Shirley Jackson Award, and Baby You’re Gonna Be Mine (Ecco, 2018), and five novels, The Family Fang (Ecco, 2011), Perfect Little World (Ecco, 2017) Nothing to See Here (Ecco, 2019), a New York Times bestseller and a Read with Jenna book club selection, Now is Not the Time to Panic, (Ecco, 2022), and Run for the Hills (Ecco, 2025).
His fiction has appeared in Ploughshares, Southern Review, One Story, A Public Space, and elsewhere, and has appeared in Best American Short Stories 2020 and 2021, as well as The PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories 2012. He lives in Sewanee, Tennessee, with his wife, the poet Leigh Anne Couch, and his sons, Griff and Patch, where he is an Associate Professor in the English & Creative Writing Department at the University of the South.
His fiction has appeared in Ploughshares, Southern Review, One Story, A Public Space, and elsewhere, and has appeared in Best American Short Stories 2020 and 2021, as well as The PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories 2012. He lives in Sewanee, Tennessee, with his wife, the poet Leigh Anne Couch, and his sons, Griff and Patch, where he is an Associate Professor in the English & Creative Writing Department at the University of the South.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,201 reviews
September 21, 2013
The more time that passes, the more I dislike the book, and am flummoxed that this insensate drivel was the darling of the publishing industry when it was released. The prose was nothing more than serviceable, and the characters of Caleb and Camille were caricatures. What stands out, and kept me reading (and hoping) till the end, was the bond between Buster and Annie. I kept waiting to be moved or fastened. Instead, I experienced a penetrating boredom, and when the ludicrous, melodramatic denouement materialized, I was freed from my numbness sufficiently to say, "This silly puppy is finally going to quit barking." That's what it was--silly, juvenile.
In order to step into a book, you have to believe the premise, or the premise must have a ring of authenticity. The "performance art" of Caleb and Camille should have aroused me in some way. But it didn't. I didn't believe that the MacArthur Foundation and other Arts Councils had awarded them thousands of dollars for their stunts--that's all they were--and puerile, at that. They did not impress me as anything more than grubby teenage pranks or, at the most, fraternity hazing behaviors. Just about every single, ahem..."performance act" was shopworn. I'd either heard about it, seen it, or read about it somewhere else.
A huge disappointment for me, but I know I am in the minority here. What to say? Viva la difference!
In order to step into a book, you have to believe the premise, or the premise must have a ring of authenticity. The "performance art" of Caleb and Camille should have aroused me in some way. But it didn't. I didn't believe that the MacArthur Foundation and other Arts Councils had awarded them thousands of dollars for their stunts--that's all they were--and puerile, at that. They did not impress me as anything more than grubby teenage pranks or, at the most, fraternity hazing behaviors. Just about every single, ahem..."performance act" was shopworn. I'd either heard about it, seen it, or read about it somewhere else.
A huge disappointment for me, but I know I am in the minority here. What to say? Viva la difference!
June 17, 2023
Having enjoyed Nothing to See Here, I was eager to give another of Wilson's books a go. But I didn't like this. The story was slow and tedious and, somehow, really unpleasant. I guess Wilson was aiming for a happy ending, but that final chapter, like its predecessors, left me feeling flat and, if I'm honest, a little depressed.
July 13, 2020
After reading Nothing to See Here I was anxious to get my hands on more of Wilson's work and this one sounded just strange enough to pique my interest.
Caleb, Camille, Child A (Annie) and Child B (Buster) are a family of performance artists. The Fang's brand of art is to cause as much chaos as they can to all of those that find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time also known as: the Fang's path to artistic creation.
Let's just say that when Annie and Buster become adults they aren't very well adjusted. Annie, an Oscar winning actress, finds her career is flailing due to some scandalous choices she's made and Buster, a novelist, whose last book received less than stellar reviews finds himself on the wrong end of a potato-gun. The accident sends Buster back to his family home to lick his wounds and he manages to convince Annie to do the same. Once the Fangs are reunited Caleb and Camille suddenly vanish leaving Annie and Buster to pick up the pieces. Did something terrible happen to their parents? Or is this just some big ruse their parents set up in which they find themselves unwilling participants?
“The strange, jangly music made its way out of the speakers and it wasn’t long before Buster emerged from the hallway, tapping his foot. Annie waved him over and they stood in front of the speaker, nodding their heads, singing along, “Contort yourself, contort yourself.” If Annie could not drink, if Buster could not overmedicate, then dancing to abrasive, atonal jazz-punk would have to do. The music screeched and spilled over the edges of normal rhythm, but Buster and Annie did not miss a step, dancing the only way they’d ever known, poorly, but with great enthusiasm. If there was a name for this dance, it would be The Fang.”
Simply put, Annie and Buster are my tribe. 💗
Do you like Wes Anderson movies? How about the Bluth family from Arrested Development? If you said yes to either of those questions then this is most definitely a book for you. With equal parts heart and humor I found this to be a perfect escape right now. 4 Stars!
Caleb, Camille, Child A (Annie) and Child B (Buster) are a family of performance artists. The Fang's brand of art is to cause as much chaos as they can to all of those that find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time also known as: the Fang's path to artistic creation.
Let's just say that when Annie and Buster become adults they aren't very well adjusted. Annie, an Oscar winning actress, finds her career is flailing due to some scandalous choices she's made and Buster, a novelist, whose last book received less than stellar reviews finds himself on the wrong end of a potato-gun. The accident sends Buster back to his family home to lick his wounds and he manages to convince Annie to do the same. Once the Fangs are reunited Caleb and Camille suddenly vanish leaving Annie and Buster to pick up the pieces. Did something terrible happen to their parents? Or is this just some big ruse their parents set up in which they find themselves unwilling participants?
“The strange, jangly music made its way out of the speakers and it wasn’t long before Buster emerged from the hallway, tapping his foot. Annie waved him over and they stood in front of the speaker, nodding their heads, singing along, “Contort yourself, contort yourself.” If Annie could not drink, if Buster could not overmedicate, then dancing to abrasive, atonal jazz-punk would have to do. The music screeched and spilled over the edges of normal rhythm, but Buster and Annie did not miss a step, dancing the only way they’d ever known, poorly, but with great enthusiasm. If there was a name for this dance, it would be The Fang.”
Simply put, Annie and Buster are my tribe. 💗
Do you like Wes Anderson movies? How about the Bluth family from Arrested Development? If you said yes to either of those questions then this is most definitely a book for you. With equal parts heart and humor I found this to be a perfect escape right now. 4 Stars!
November 16, 2018
"The act is not the art. The reaction is the art"
Caleb Fang
Caleb and Camille Fang are performance artists. Their work consists of basically "pranking" the public, causing disturbances and recording the reactions. For years and years, they've had their children, Annie and Buster (Child A and Child B), to assist in their "creations." But now, the two older Fangs are empty-nesters. Something is off in the creative process, and they are adrift. Their children are also sort of drifting through life, and when circumstances force the kids to return home, their parents hope to reclaim a bit of their former glory . . . with the help of their offspring, of course.
I found this inventive novel to be mostly delightful. It is offbeat, comic to the point of being absurdist, and definitely not everyone's cup of tea. The ending seemed somewhat rushed after a huge build-up, but was ultimately satisfying - meaning - it was exactly how I wanted it to end.
And, as a former art student, I also enjoyed seeing the art world parodied.
Caleb Fang
Caleb and Camille Fang are performance artists. Their work consists of basically "pranking" the public, causing disturbances and recording the reactions. For years and years, they've had their children, Annie and Buster (Child A and Child B), to assist in their "creations." But now, the two older Fangs are empty-nesters. Something is off in the creative process, and they are adrift. Their children are also sort of drifting through life, and when circumstances force the kids to return home, their parents hope to reclaim a bit of their former glory . . . with the help of their offspring, of course.
I found this inventive novel to be mostly delightful. It is offbeat, comic to the point of being absurdist, and definitely not everyone's cup of tea. The ending seemed somewhat rushed after a huge build-up, but was ultimately satisfying - meaning - it was exactly how I wanted it to end.
And, as a former art student, I also enjoyed seeing the art world parodied.
November 4, 2011
This was a hard review to write. I'm not sure what to think of this book. It was laugh-out-loud, read-parts-to-my-husband funny and kept me up late, so I gave it four stars. It is, as other reviewers have noted, exactly like watching a Wes Anderson movie. It has the same feeling of colorful, bemused detachment.
In fact, I would say that the book is like the Fangs' art - it's creative and interesting, but it's too sly, self-absorbed, and intellectualized to be genuinely moving. It isn't shallow, and it's skillfully done, but Wilson seems careful not to engage his readers emotionally. I'm convinced that he could if he wanted to.
Several times in the book, Wilson describes how the Fang children got ready for "a piece" by pretending to die; i.e. going numb. The emotional tone of the book feels numb too. Which might be the point. Annie gets drunk whenever she starts feeling anything intensely; Buster just detatches. Maybe Wilson is writing about the detatchment felt by people from dysfunctional families by evoking it in the reader. If so, it worked.
But I wanted to feel empathy for the characters. So the fact that I couldn't left me vaguely unsatisfied. Was that Wilson's intent? I don't know. I'd have to read more of his books to figure it out. Fortunately, The Family Fang was funny enough that I'm looking forward to whatever Wilson writes next.
In fact, I would say that the book is like the Fangs' art - it's creative and interesting, but it's too sly, self-absorbed, and intellectualized to be genuinely moving. It isn't shallow, and it's skillfully done, but Wilson seems careful not to engage his readers emotionally. I'm convinced that he could if he wanted to.
Several times in the book, Wilson describes how the Fang children got ready for "a piece" by pretending to die; i.e. going numb. The emotional tone of the book feels numb too. Which might be the point. Annie gets drunk whenever she starts feeling anything intensely; Buster just detatches. Maybe Wilson is writing about the detatchment felt by people from dysfunctional families by evoking it in the reader. If so, it worked.
But I wanted to feel empathy for the characters. So the fact that I couldn't left me vaguely unsatisfied. Was that Wilson's intent? I don't know. I'd have to read more of his books to figure it out. Fortunately, The Family Fang was funny enough that I'm looking forward to whatever Wilson writes next.
June 13, 2012
Annie and Buster Fang, like so many twenty-somethings, blame their parents for the lack of fulfillment and success they find in their careers and in their personal lives. However, unlike many twenty-somethings, Annie and Buster may have a valid claim for blaming their parents for their seeming lack of autonomy and self-actualization. That's because the Fang children's parents were artists--as in Artists (that's right with a capital A and italics). And not just any kind of artists, but performance artists hell bent on causing chaos in established patterns and the unexpected in the routines of daily life.
Their parents, Caleb and Camille Fang, are nothing if not utterly dedicated to their art, which involves creating elaborate "happenings" in the most predictable of American venues: the mega-mall. People lulled into hypnotic trances by muzak, colorful window displays, and giant pretzels are prime targets for the art favored by the Fangs. Always admonished by their mentor that "children kill art," the Fangs create an unconventional solution to preserve their art and raise their family: Annie and Buster become Child A and Child B, props used by their parents to pull off the increasingly elaborate happenings.
Flash forward to Annie and Buster as adults. Both have managed to completely FUBAR their adult lives and return to the Fang family nest for a real world time-out. Immediately drawn back into the weirdness created by their parents, Annie and Buster revert to their childhood roles. Buster becomes the sensitive younger child, always anxious to please his parents, while Annie becomes the protective older sister, encouraging Buster to challenge their parents' authority. Shortly after their return, the Fangs disappear and foul play is suspected by the authorities. Annie and Buster, however, believe this is another elaborate art piece created by their parents and must examine their seriously dysfunctional relationship with them as they search for the truth.
The Family Fang explores a dilemma faced by every family. Most parents consciously or unconsciously push their children toward their own personal passions and expect this shared love (whether it be art, football, reading, politics, etc.) to create a bond that no one can break. Problems inevitably ensue when the child begins exploring the world on his own terms and begins to assert himself as his own being. In the case of the Fangs, Annie and Buster try to create their own brand of art (in her case, acting, and, in his case, writing), but find that, after years of their parents controlling and shaping the events around them, they are ill-equipped to just let life happen.
If all of this sounds weird, it is. But it's also very entertaining and not nearly as dark as one might expect. Populated with quirky characters and clever dialogue, Wilson's narrative avoids taking itself too seriously by inserting absurdity and humor in all the right places (especially in the scenes where Annie and Buster bicker and banter like close siblings do). This is a solid 3 1/2 stars and the only reason I didn't give it a 4 is because I enjoyed the first half immensely; however, after the Fangs disappear, I felt as though the shift to the mystery plot was too abrupt and unexpected (granted, that was probably the point, but it just didn't work for me).
Cross posted at This Insignificant Cinder and at Shelf Inflicted
Their parents, Caleb and Camille Fang, are nothing if not utterly dedicated to their art, which involves creating elaborate "happenings" in the most predictable of American venues: the mega-mall. People lulled into hypnotic trances by muzak, colorful window displays, and giant pretzels are prime targets for the art favored by the Fangs. Always admonished by their mentor that "children kill art," the Fangs create an unconventional solution to preserve their art and raise their family: Annie and Buster become Child A and Child B, props used by their parents to pull off the increasingly elaborate happenings.
Flash forward to Annie and Buster as adults. Both have managed to completely FUBAR their adult lives and return to the Fang family nest for a real world time-out. Immediately drawn back into the weirdness created by their parents, Annie and Buster revert to their childhood roles. Buster becomes the sensitive younger child, always anxious to please his parents, while Annie becomes the protective older sister, encouraging Buster to challenge their parents' authority. Shortly after their return, the Fangs disappear and foul play is suspected by the authorities. Annie and Buster, however, believe this is another elaborate art piece created by their parents and must examine their seriously dysfunctional relationship with them as they search for the truth.
The Family Fang explores a dilemma faced by every family. Most parents consciously or unconsciously push their children toward their own personal passions and expect this shared love (whether it be art, football, reading, politics, etc.) to create a bond that no one can break. Problems inevitably ensue when the child begins exploring the world on his own terms and begins to assert himself as his own being. In the case of the Fangs, Annie and Buster try to create their own brand of art (in her case, acting, and, in his case, writing), but find that, after years of their parents controlling and shaping the events around them, they are ill-equipped to just let life happen.
If all of this sounds weird, it is. But it's also very entertaining and not nearly as dark as one might expect. Populated with quirky characters and clever dialogue, Wilson's narrative avoids taking itself too seriously by inserting absurdity and humor in all the right places (especially in the scenes where Annie and Buster bicker and banter like close siblings do). This is a solid 3 1/2 stars and the only reason I didn't give it a 4 is because I enjoyed the first half immensely; however, after the Fangs disappear, I felt as though the shift to the mystery plot was too abrupt and unexpected (granted, that was probably the point, but it just didn't work for me).
Cross posted at This Insignificant Cinder and at Shelf Inflicted
January 24, 2012
I heard a review about this book - it was a comedy, a fascinating look at family dynamics, a riotous romp about crazy parents and the impact they have on children. Honestly, I just found it really depressing. Two narcissistic adults who care for no one but each other, including their own kids who are just pawns and characters in their "art" pieces. I pushed through to the end because I kept hoping for some type of redemption. I guess I got it in that the siblings pull together and form their own supportive relationship. But, it didn't make up for the betrayal of their parents.
Read
January 21, 2014I honestly don't know how a book that's so deeply sad can also be so hysterically funny. Not a lot of books make me laugh out loud, but this one did--I couldn't stop reading bits of it to my husband. The Fangs are both absurd and completely believable, which is why this tragicomic novel works: despite all the humor there are also real people here, wrestling with universal issues--what it means to be part of a family, what makes art, and how (and how much) you love others.
August 1, 2019
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
“They fucked us up, Buster.” “They didn’t mean to,” he replied. “But they did,” she said.
Annie and Buster – SIDENOTE (I know, I know, you’re probably like dammmmmn bitch - ALREADY?!?!?!?!) because BUSTER . . . .
I’m surprised more than anyone that I’m not giving this 5 Stars automatically.
Anywho , Annie and Buster were raised by performance artists. Back before anyone could be famous via the interwebs, Caleb and Camille Fang made an art form out of creating public spectacles starring their family. Now siblings A&B are (not-so-well-adjusted) adults with a bit of a crisis on their hands . . . .
“This morning, we found your parents’ van parked at the Jefferson Rest Stop on I-40 East, just before you head into North Carolina. Near as we can tell, the van has been there since the previous evening. We are . . . concerned about their whereabouts.”
Is it real? Or is it an attempt to get the whole gang back together again?
This is the second book I’ve read this year which can only be compared to one particular person . . . .
Or, more specifically . . . .
If you like your dysfunction in the form of weirdos, The Family Fang is sure to be a winner. And if you don’t want to read it? Well,go fuck yourself - Ha! Just kidding (but why would you be on Goodreads if you’re not a reader???). There’s apparently a film version you can check out.
“They fucked us up, Buster.” “They didn’t mean to,” he replied. “But they did,” she said.
Annie and Buster – SIDENOTE (I know, I know, you’re probably like dammmmmn bitch - ALREADY?!?!?!?!) because BUSTER . . . .
I’m surprised more than anyone that I’m not giving this 5 Stars automatically.
Anywho , Annie and Buster were raised by performance artists. Back before anyone could be famous via the interwebs, Caleb and Camille Fang made an art form out of creating public spectacles starring their family. Now siblings A&B are (not-so-well-adjusted) adults with a bit of a crisis on their hands . . . .
“This morning, we found your parents’ van parked at the Jefferson Rest Stop on I-40 East, just before you head into North Carolina. Near as we can tell, the van has been there since the previous evening. We are . . . concerned about their whereabouts.”
Is it real? Or is it an attempt to get the whole gang back together again?
This is the second book I’ve read this year which can only be compared to one particular person . . . .
Or, more specifically . . . .
If you like your dysfunction in the form of weirdos, The Family Fang is sure to be a winner. And if you don’t want to read it? Well,
November 10, 2019
The Family Fang is a page turner about a complicated family of artists. Buster and Annie are quirky, creative siblings struggling to come to grips with the legacy of parents who overshadowed them their entire lives, always putting art first. Although dark and sad at times, the novel is written with hope and heart. (It was also cool to see the seeds of Nothing to See Here in Annie's film.)
August 20, 2012
'The Family Fang', by Kevin Wilson, was a troubling read for me. It is the story of the Fang Family, two parents and two children. Mr and Mrs Fang are performance artists, staging 'shocking' spectacles in public places in the name of 'art'. Their children are both pawns of their art and sometimes willing, often unwilling, participants. The book shifts perspective between the 'growing up' years of Annie and Buster (the kids), and the present of their adulthood. This book seems to be asking the question, "Will the kids be all right, no matter what, as long as they're not abused in a traditional sense?" The answer is a resounding, "No."
Buster and Annie are profoundly not okay. Not at all. Both are addicts, both sabotage their careers, both undervalue themselves except in so far as how they are viewed by others, neither has a stable relationship. After each having their individual lifequake, they find themselves in the last place either ever wanted to be again: home.
I wanted to like this book, and there were definitely shining moments of comedy and pathos that kept me from closing the cover, never to return. It was close, though. The problem is not so much Wilson's writing as the fact that it was so difficult to find a genuine moment in the book, something that caught my attention and especially emotion, making it possible for me to give a damn what happened to these characters. Look, I'll be honest: this book is derivative as hell, of both John Irving (master of the dysfunctional family-remember 'The Hotel New Hampshire'?) and of Wes Anderson (remember 'The Royal Tenenbaums'?). Many of the events seemed to have been pulled out of the 'I gotta do something WACKY now' hat, and in a way that was not at all believable. Irving can do these things, because he has the ability to make all the insane events that occur in his novels BELIEVABLE. He ties them into the narrative in such a way that they seem inevitable, rather than random. Anderson has this same ability. Wilson, unfortunately, does not, at least not yet. He does seem to have a genuine talent hiding under his borrowed plumage, and I'd love to read something by him when he finds his OWN voice.
Buster and Annie are profoundly not okay. Not at all. Both are addicts, both sabotage their careers, both undervalue themselves except in so far as how they are viewed by others, neither has a stable relationship. After each having their individual lifequake, they find themselves in the last place either ever wanted to be again: home.
I wanted to like this book, and there were definitely shining moments of comedy and pathos that kept me from closing the cover, never to return. It was close, though. The problem is not so much Wilson's writing as the fact that it was so difficult to find a genuine moment in the book, something that caught my attention and especially emotion, making it possible for me to give a damn what happened to these characters. Look, I'll be honest: this book is derivative as hell, of both John Irving (master of the dysfunctional family-remember 'The Hotel New Hampshire'?) and of Wes Anderson (remember 'The Royal Tenenbaums'?). Many of the events seemed to have been pulled out of the 'I gotta do something WACKY now' hat, and in a way that was not at all believable. Irving can do these things, because he has the ability to make all the insane events that occur in his novels BELIEVABLE. He ties them into the narrative in such a way that they seem inevitable, rather than random. Anderson has this same ability. Wilson, unfortunately, does not, at least not yet. He does seem to have a genuine talent hiding under his borrowed plumage, and I'd love to read something by him when he finds his OWN voice.
August 28, 2021
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Having recently read and loved Nothing to See Here I wanted to check out Kevin Wilson’s earlier work. While The Family Fang has the same whimsical tone as his latest novel, its story has a broader scope and feels slightly more impersonal (perhaps this is due to the third person point of view).
Nevertheless the opening chapters of this novel are highly entertaining. Throughout the narrative there are sections from Annie and Buster’s childhood recounting the way in which their parents would rope them into being part of their ‘performances’ (which usually aimed to cause as much havoc as possible). Unsurprisingly, as adults Annie and Buster have little to do with their parents. Annie is an actress whose career is about to hit a rough spot, while Buster is a writer whose last novel wasn’t very well received. After a series of unfortunate yet oddly funny, events the two Fang siblings find themselves back into their parents’ home.
Although I liked the satire on contemporary art, as well as art criticism, I didn’t find Caleb and Camille to be all that interesting. They remain rather one-sided and did not strike me as being as compelling as they were made to be. Their over-the-top self-belief and art talk could be amusing but it didn’t render their personalities. Even when the narrative was focused on them, their motivations and behaviour remained off page. Although Annie and Buster were far more engaging, I still found their character arcs to be rather erratic.
Although for the most part he eccentric cast of characters did keep me interested in the story, I would have preferred a more focused and less meandering storyline. The pacing too seemed to be slightly off kilter.
Funnily enough some of my favourite scenes in this novel were the ones revolved around a film Annie's working on (a film in which a woman looks after children who catch fire? Sounds familiar...).
While I appreciated Wilson's motifs, imagery, and themes (once again we have questionable parents who do a questionable job raising their children), and I enjoyed the overall humour and eccentricity of his narrative, I did not feel particularly involved by his story nor his characters.
“I understand that art is a necessary component of a civilized society, but you cannot just go around shooting people. That's going to be a problem.”
Having recently read and loved Nothing to See Here I wanted to check out Kevin Wilson’s earlier work. While The Family Fang has the same whimsical tone as his latest novel, its story has a broader scope and feels slightly more impersonal (perhaps this is due to the third person point of view).
Nevertheless the opening chapters of this novel are highly entertaining. Throughout the narrative there are sections from Annie and Buster’s childhood recounting the way in which their parents would rope them into being part of their ‘performances’ (which usually aimed to cause as much havoc as possible). Unsurprisingly, as adults Annie and Buster have little to do with their parents. Annie is an actress whose career is about to hit a rough spot, while Buster is a writer whose last novel wasn’t very well received. After a series of unfortunate yet oddly funny, events the two Fang siblings find themselves back into their parents’ home.
Although I liked the satire on contemporary art, as well as art criticism, I didn’t find Caleb and Camille to be all that interesting. They remain rather one-sided and did not strike me as being as compelling as they were made to be. Their over-the-top self-belief and art talk could be amusing but it didn’t render their personalities. Even when the narrative was focused on them, their motivations and behaviour remained off page. Although Annie and Buster were far more engaging, I still found their character arcs to be rather erratic.
Although for the most part he eccentric cast of characters did keep me interested in the story, I would have preferred a more focused and less meandering storyline. The pacing too seemed to be slightly off kilter.
Funnily enough some of my favourite scenes in this novel were the ones revolved around a film Annie's working on (a film in which a woman looks after children who catch fire? Sounds familiar...).
While I appreciated Wilson's motifs, imagery, and themes (once again we have questionable parents who do a questionable job raising their children), and I enjoyed the overall humour and eccentricity of his narrative, I did not feel particularly involved by his story nor his characters.
March 1, 2012
Aside from the fact this book reads like a Wes Anderson movie (Royal Tennenbaums, Rushmore), you would be wrong to dismiss it as just a living diarama of a dysfunctional and dramatic family. The writing is personal and bald, embarassing and heartening as any honest family history can be. But the Family Fang isn't an ordinary family. Caleb and Camille stage experiemental art from the uncomfortable chaos they impose on unsuspecting audiences. Their children, Child A and Child B, are raised and trained to participate and endure this "art" despite their own terrors. They are both incapable of experiencing any ordinary form of living or relationships without the same level of fear and terror as when performing their family's damaging art. These two children must decide what is more important, belonging to a family whose art is selfish and destructive or living a healthy life without the anchoring self-identifier as "real artists". But really, the story is so much more fun than I can express. Take a look and see if you can resist "The Family Fang".
February 29, 2020
I almost did not finish this book. There is not much I like about it. I can’t believe the author stretched this book out to over 300 pages.
Biggest problem: Although this was a work of fiction Mr. and Mrs. Fang were nothing short of child abusers: forcing their kids from an early age to be part of their so-called “art.” And look how the kids turned out: for the most of the book they were dysfunctional. I have read reviews and the reviewers say that Kevin Wilson is making a point…that there is a dark side of this novel….that he is saying the parents did take advantage of their children. Well, he didn’t get to that part until the reader had to read 298 pages of the 308 page book – it came too late for this reader. There were too many yuk-yuks prior to that which indicated it was perfectly OK what the parents did. There was no lead-in from the author for this aspect of the book, and at this point I was beyond caring what happened to anybody in the book.
The book segued back and forth between what was currently going on in the lives of the Fangs (mainly the son and daughter, Buster and Annie) and prior works of live art the Fang Family had done. After the first two acts I was dreading each time another act was presented as a chapter because they all were pretty much asinine.
And somewhere around the middle of the book the parents disappeared and police thought they were murdered. And then the rest of the book was about their kids trying to find them. No spoilers from me but the denouement was nothing short of perplexing.
This is just a comment, not a critique: It appears the author must have already been thinking in 2010/2011 about a book he was going to write in the future about children who spontaneously combusted (Nothing to See Here, 2019). There are a number of places in the book in which references are made regarding children whose limbs are on fire.
Reviews: https://www.npr.org/2011/08/08/138898...
https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-en...
https://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/04/bo...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/entert...
Biggest problem: Although this was a work of fiction Mr. and Mrs. Fang were nothing short of child abusers: forcing their kids from an early age to be part of their so-called “art.” And look how the kids turned out: for the most of the book they were dysfunctional. I have read reviews and the reviewers say that Kevin Wilson is making a point…that there is a dark side of this novel….that he is saying the parents did take advantage of their children. Well, he didn’t get to that part until the reader had to read 298 pages of the 308 page book – it came too late for this reader. There were too many yuk-yuks prior to that which indicated it was perfectly OK what the parents did. There was no lead-in from the author for this aspect of the book, and at this point I was beyond caring what happened to anybody in the book.
The book segued back and forth between what was currently going on in the lives of the Fangs (mainly the son and daughter, Buster and Annie) and prior works of live art the Fang Family had done. After the first two acts I was dreading each time another act was presented as a chapter because they all were pretty much asinine.
And somewhere around the middle of the book the parents disappeared and police thought they were murdered. And then the rest of the book was about their kids trying to find them. No spoilers from me but the denouement was nothing short of perplexing.
This is just a comment, not a critique: It appears the author must have already been thinking in 2010/2011 about a book he was going to write in the future about children who spontaneously combusted (Nothing to See Here, 2019). There are a number of places in the book in which references are made regarding children whose limbs are on fire.
Reviews: https://www.npr.org/2011/08/08/138898...
https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-en...
https://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/04/bo...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/entert...
July 1, 2017
I don't really know quite what I was expecting when I picked this up, but I definitely wasn't expecting this book to be so weirdly cool! At first I was even taken aback by how strange it was but once I got used to it, I grew to love it!
The story had such a unique premise, I can honestly say that I've never read anything like it! The Fangs are so incredibly weird and quirky, you can't help but be drawn into the story and wonder what kind of incredible chaos that they're going to cause next!
Child A and Child B were definitely my favourite characters, to see how their parents art affected them so long after they were no longer part of it was kind of fascinating. But at the same time, it made me realize how selfish their parents were and my dislike for Mr and Mrs Fang started to grow.
And that brings me to why I gave this book four stars instead of five. I thought that Mr as Mrs Fangs' final art piece was TRULY despicable and so far out of line that I had I heard time believing what I was reading. I understand that they're artists but how on Earth could they do something like that to their children and think it's okay, all in the name of art?! I'm still shaking my head in disbelief at that ending and then at them asking their children not to ruin their final piece... Like what in the actual fuck?!
The story had such a unique premise, I can honestly say that I've never read anything like it! The Fangs are so incredibly weird and quirky, you can't help but be drawn into the story and wonder what kind of incredible chaos that they're going to cause next!
Child A and Child B were definitely my favourite characters, to see how their parents art affected them so long after they were no longer part of it was kind of fascinating. But at the same time, it made me realize how selfish their parents were and my dislike for Mr and Mrs Fang started to grow.
And that brings me to why I gave this book four stars instead of five. I thought that Mr as Mrs Fangs' final art piece was TRULY despicable and so far out of line that I had I heard time believing what I was reading. I understand that they're artists but how on Earth could they do something like that to their children and think it's okay, all in the name of art?! I'm still shaking my head in disbelief at that ending and then at them asking their children not to ruin their final piece... Like what in the actual fuck?!
October 20, 2012
Don't be misled. This book is touted as a comedy, with the title and cover art echoing that impression, but I just didn't see much humor in it. The main characters, Annie and Buster, are scarred and broken by their childhood, by their parents' manipulation and, well, abuse. I felt like the Fang's "performance art" was a metaphor for other ways parents damage their children.
The "performance art," as other reviewers have commented, is hard to swallow. They create chaos -- most of the flashback sequences are set in shopping malls in the 1980s -- and then watch what happens, but most of the situations just seem childish and destructive. It's difficult to believe that they would receive hundreds of thousands of dollars of grants, awards, etc., that people would love their work enough for one minor character to have written a thesis on it. But like I said, I considered it more of a metaphor, which made it easier to accept.
If half stars were possible, I would probably rate this book 2.5. Did I actually "like" it? It was more of an uncomfortable respect for Wilson's writing, for the way that he created characters who were so realistically flawed. I couldn't help but care about them, to hope that they could emerge from all this chaos, if not whole, at least with some semblance of happiness and completeness in their lives,
Edit: After thinking more about this book, I've bumped it down to 2 stars. And I don't recommend it for moms, or people who are sensitive to issues of manipulative, abusive parents.
The "performance art," as other reviewers have commented, is hard to swallow. They create chaos -- most of the flashback sequences are set in shopping malls in the 1980s -- and then watch what happens, but most of the situations just seem childish and destructive. It's difficult to believe that they would receive hundreds of thousands of dollars of grants, awards, etc., that people would love their work enough for one minor character to have written a thesis on it. But like I said, I considered it more of a metaphor, which made it easier to accept.
If half stars were possible, I would probably rate this book 2.5. Did I actually "like" it? It was more of an uncomfortable respect for Wilson's writing, for the way that he created characters who were so realistically flawed. I couldn't help but care about them, to hope that they could emerge from all this chaos, if not whole, at least with some semblance of happiness and completeness in their lives,
Edit: After thinking more about this book, I've bumped it down to 2 stars. And I don't recommend it for moms, or people who are sensitive to issues of manipulative, abusive parents.
November 4, 2022
Almost 4 stars. Loved the Fang Family! Reminiscent of characters straight from a Wes Anderson film. Can’t wait to read more from this author!
November 26, 2011
I'm torn about this book — there's one part of me that loved the quirks and oddities of the Fang family (parents Caleb and Camille, son, Buster, and daughter, Annie, who are performance artists of the "Let's stage a scene in public and call it art" variety). But there's another part of me that wanted to love them more than I did. Love them in a way I could identify with them somehow (say, the way I did with Jonathan Tropper's Foxman family from his "This Is Where I Leave You"). In the end, the overwhelming sadness and bitterness of these characters, not to mention the way (spoiler alert!!!!) Charles and Camille choose their art over their children, was a real turn-off to me (and speaking of ends, this one comes as a bit of a stretch).
Overall, a good read but not one that kept me at night. Will be interesting to see how this does as a film adaptation...was just announced last week Nicole Kidman's production company has bought the rights. I don't see her as either Camille or Annie, so I'm already dissuaded from wanting to see it (but, if it does get filmed, the comparisons to Royal Tenebaums will be in full effect).
Overall, a good read but not one that kept me at night. Will be interesting to see how this does as a film adaptation...was just announced last week Nicole Kidman's production company has bought the rights. I don't see her as either Camille or Annie, so I'm already dissuaded from wanting to see it (but, if it does get filmed, the comparisons to Royal Tenebaums will be in full effect).
February 11, 2020
Na početku knjige, neki lik kaže It was boring as hell, until it wasn't, and then it was fucking terrifying što poprilično rezimira moj osećaj u vezi većeg dela dnevnih obaveza pa me je to potapšalo po ramenu da nastavim sa čitanjem ove knjige koju nisam planirala (htela sam prvo da čitam drugu knjigu Kevina Wilsona Nothing to see here i to isključivo zbog naslova i jer je plot o samozapaljivoj deci toliko bizaran ali nisam je našla na Libgenu iz prve pa može i ova).
Caleb i Camille Fang su konceptualni umetnici koji imaju dvoje dece, Annie (koje zovu „dete A“) i Bustera („dete B“) i ceo život su posvetili PRAVOJ umetnosti koja se sastoji u pravljenju haosa oko sebe („haosa koji svet zaslužuje“, sudeći po njima). Annie i Buster su naravno kao i dobar broj dece poznatih ličnosti solidno psihički sjebani a kao i dobar broj obične dece ne žive po svetoj šemi koju su im mama i tata zacrtali (u ovom slučaju, C&C su očajni što im se deca bave ’nižom umetnošću’ --> naime Annie je glumica, a Buster pisac).
Performans kao stil života nametnut od strane ekscentričnih roditelja ima kao posledicu da dete A i dete B ne preuzimaju nikakvu odgovornost za svoje postupke, jer su granice između akta i dešavanja u pravom svetu zamrljane kao akvareli netalentovanih i entuzijastičnih đaka prvaka. Lepo je opisano njihovo ’napuštanje tela’ i ’ulazak u ulogu’ pred traumatične događaje koji bi bili prekretna tačka u tuđim životima (recimo da ti neko raznese dobar deo face DIY bacačem krompira), ali ne i u njihovim.
Podsetila me je na neki čudan miks Caraxovog filma Holy Motors (2012) (gde imate Monsieur Oscara koji se vozi kolima od jednog mesta do drugog u Parizu i ’ulazi’u u razne filmske uloge, možda jedan od najčudnijih filmova koje sam ikad gledala, sa jednim lepim citatom:
L'Homme à la tache de vin: What makes you carry on, Oscar?
Mr. Oscar: What made me start, the beauty of the act.
L'Homme à la tache de vin: Beauty? They say it's in the eye, the eye of the beholder.
Mr. Oscar: And if there's no more beholder?
...a možda i nije tako lep citat, ali sam se 2012 baš ložila na Caraxa i njegove fimove i filmove uopšte, pa mi se urezao u sećanje) i Andersenovih The Royal Tenenbaums, zbog humora, porodične tematike i nežnosti.
Ne znam da li ova knjiga treba da bude kritika na roditeljstvo, na konceptualnu umetnost, na umetnost uopšte, ali je potpuno očigledno da se Kevin Wilson strahovito dobro zabavljao pišući je i meni je bila izuzetno zabavna tako da me više od toga – i ne zanima.
Caleb i Camille Fang su konceptualni umetnici koji imaju dvoje dece, Annie (koje zovu „dete A“) i Bustera („dete B“) i ceo život su posvetili PRAVOJ umetnosti koja se sastoji u pravljenju haosa oko sebe („haosa koji svet zaslužuje“, sudeći po njima). Annie i Buster su naravno kao i dobar broj dece poznatih ličnosti solidno psihički sjebani a kao i dobar broj obične dece ne žive po svetoj šemi koju su im mama i tata zacrtali (u ovom slučaju, C&C su očajni što im se deca bave ’nižom umetnošću’ --> naime Annie je glumica, a Buster pisac).
Performans kao stil života nametnut od strane ekscentričnih roditelja ima kao posledicu da dete A i dete B ne preuzimaju nikakvu odgovornost za svoje postupke, jer su granice između akta i dešavanja u pravom svetu zamrljane kao akvareli netalentovanih i entuzijastičnih đaka prvaka. Lepo je opisano njihovo ’napuštanje tela’ i ’ulazak u ulogu’ pred traumatične događaje koji bi bili prekretna tačka u tuđim životima (recimo da ti neko raznese dobar deo face DIY bacačem krompira), ali ne i u njihovim.
Podsetila me je na neki čudan miks Caraxovog filma Holy Motors (2012) (gde imate Monsieur Oscara koji se vozi kolima od jednog mesta do drugog u Parizu i ’ulazi’u u razne filmske uloge, možda jedan od najčudnijih filmova koje sam ikad gledala, sa jednim lepim citatom:
L'Homme à la tache de vin: What makes you carry on, Oscar?
Mr. Oscar: What made me start, the beauty of the act.
L'Homme à la tache de vin: Beauty? They say it's in the eye, the eye of the beholder.
Mr. Oscar: And if there's no more beholder?
...a možda i nije tako lep citat, ali sam se 2012 baš ložila na Caraxa i njegove fimove i filmove uopšte, pa mi se urezao u sećanje) i Andersenovih The Royal Tenenbaums, zbog humora, porodične tematike i nežnosti.
Ne znam da li ova knjiga treba da bude kritika na roditeljstvo, na konceptualnu umetnost, na umetnost uopšte, ali je potpuno očigledno da se Kevin Wilson strahovito dobro zabavljao pišući je i meni je bila izuzetno zabavna tako da me više od toga – i ne zanima.
August 15, 2011
This is a brilliant, quirky, fantastic book.
Caleb and Camille Fang are performance artists. To them, there is nothing greater than the process of creating something that provokes reaction in others, no matter what that reaction is. They have raised their children, Annie and Buster (whom they refer to as Child A and Child B), to be part of their performances, either willingly or unwillingly. When Annie and Buster grow into adulthood, both flee as far from their parents as possible; Annie becomes an Oscar-nominated actress with an increasingly unstable personality, and Buster is a novelist with diminishing promise, who finds work as a freelance writer for men's magazines.
When crises force both Buster and Annie to return home to their parents, they quickly expect to be drawn back into the world of performance. Yet shortly after their return, their parents disappear without a trace, and they are torn between believing they are gone for good or whether this disappearance is their ultimate performance. The Family Fang is a story about the profound effects your childhood has on your later life, but how you cannot let it define your future.
I found myself quickly drawn into the Fangs' world. The book juxtaposes present time with accounts of some of their memorable performances through the years, which truly gives you an insight into what drove Caleb and Camille, and how this drive affected Annie and Buster. The book is at times funny, sad, irritating and uplifting, and I was often amazed at how Kevin Wilson continued weaving this story. The Fangs and their lives are undoubtedly quirky, but you will absolutely enjoy getting immersed in their story. Don't miss this one.
Caleb and Camille Fang are performance artists. To them, there is nothing greater than the process of creating something that provokes reaction in others, no matter what that reaction is. They have raised their children, Annie and Buster (whom they refer to as Child A and Child B), to be part of their performances, either willingly or unwillingly. When Annie and Buster grow into adulthood, both flee as far from their parents as possible; Annie becomes an Oscar-nominated actress with an increasingly unstable personality, and Buster is a novelist with diminishing promise, who finds work as a freelance writer for men's magazines.
When crises force both Buster and Annie to return home to their parents, they quickly expect to be drawn back into the world of performance. Yet shortly after their return, their parents disappear without a trace, and they are torn between believing they are gone for good or whether this disappearance is their ultimate performance. The Family Fang is a story about the profound effects your childhood has on your later life, but how you cannot let it define your future.
I found myself quickly drawn into the Fangs' world. The book juxtaposes present time with accounts of some of their memorable performances through the years, which truly gives you an insight into what drove Caleb and Camille, and how this drive affected Annie and Buster. The book is at times funny, sad, irritating and uplifting, and I was often amazed at how Kevin Wilson continued weaving this story. The Fangs and their lives are undoubtedly quirky, but you will absolutely enjoy getting immersed in their story. Don't miss this one.
May 24, 2016
Performance Art. Until now, everything I knew about it was from the movie Legal Eagles and the David Sedaris hilarious account of his own days as a performance artist. Thanks to this book, I now consider myself an expert.
Not happy with "dead art" that simply hangs in museums, on walls, or just sits there, Camille and Caleb Fang spend their life "forcing their art onto unsuspecting people; he made them part of the piece, and they didn't even know it . . .But if they didn't know what was going on, how would they appreciate it? They're not supposed to appreciate it. They're supposed to experience it."
Thus the tale of artists who spend their life creating chaos as their art.
So far, so good. But what happens when you have children? Child A--Annie and child B--Buster come along and they are worried that having children will kill their art. But like great artists and good optimists, they discover a way to make lemonade out of their lemons. When Annie pitches a fit as a toddler and creates a moment of great discomfort for everyone around--Eureka--ART!
This book chronicles their great moments of art, their questionable parenting skills, and how, as adults, do you leave the family business behind? It is an absurd world with great characters worthy of John Irving; it skewers the self-importance of "artistes;" it is hilarious: and has more funny quotes than any novel I've read in a long time. I think I just talked myself into 5 stars.
I should have marked more quotes as I went along, but here's one that I plan on using. "He considered telling Lucas about this plagiarism but wondered if perhaps there was some kind of experimental explanation for the story, a textual reappropriation." Oh right, I was just handed some art. (Yes, English teacher humor.)
Not happy with "dead art" that simply hangs in museums, on walls, or just sits there, Camille and Caleb Fang spend their life "forcing their art onto unsuspecting people; he made them part of the piece, and they didn't even know it . . .But if they didn't know what was going on, how would they appreciate it? They're not supposed to appreciate it. They're supposed to experience it."
Thus the tale of artists who spend their life creating chaos as their art.
So far, so good. But what happens when you have children? Child A--Annie and child B--Buster come along and they are worried that having children will kill their art. But like great artists and good optimists, they discover a way to make lemonade out of their lemons. When Annie pitches a fit as a toddler and creates a moment of great discomfort for everyone around--Eureka--ART!
This book chronicles their great moments of art, their questionable parenting skills, and how, as adults, do you leave the family business behind? It is an absurd world with great characters worthy of John Irving; it skewers the self-importance of "artistes;" it is hilarious: and has more funny quotes than any novel I've read in a long time. I think I just talked myself into 5 stars.
I should have marked more quotes as I went along, but here's one that I plan on using. "He considered telling Lucas about this plagiarism but wondered if perhaps there was some kind of experimental explanation for the story, a textual reappropriation." Oh right, I was just handed some art. (Yes, English teacher humor.)
September 6, 2011
This is Wilson’s first novel (he previously published the fantastic short story collection TUNNELING TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH), and it more than lives up to the promise of his stellar short fiction. The Family Fang: Caleb (Dad), Camille (Mom), then Kid A (Annie) and Kid B (Buster). The Fangs spent the 80s and 90s performing art in public. Fang art is generally comprised of creating small pockets of shock and chaos out in the world (handing out fake coupons for a free chicken sandwich at a mall food court, having the children street perform terribly, as examples). Of course Annie and Buster aren’t the most well-adjusted people in the world, but would you be if your parents had you wear fangs for the family photo? Yeah, I suppose you would. Anyway, the novel bounces back and forth between family art exploits from the past, and how Annie and Buster are trying to put the pieces back together in their own crumbling adult lives, while also trying to figure out where their parents disappeared to, or if their parents actually died horribly. I’m sucking at this plot synopsis and I don’t care. Just read the book and enjoy the kookiness, the unforgettable characters, the writing (chops galore, mr. wilson has), and the emotional payoff you get from my new favorite dysfunctional family. The Fangs abide.
February 14, 2013
I am overjoyed when a book not only meets my expectations, but exceeds them. After reading this author's short story collection, Tunneling to the Center of the Earth: Stories, I watched and waited for a full novel. He did not let me down.
Darkly comic (and sometimes just dark), the Fangs live at the border between life and art.
"Art, if you love it, was worth any amount of unhappiness and pain. If you had to hurt someone to achieve those ends, so be it. If the outcome was beautiful enough, strange enough, memorable enough, it did not matter. It was worth it."
Wilson takes this thought-provoking premise and fills it with these wonderful characters. Buster and Annie (the children of the family now struggling into adulthood) are exactly the products we might expect from a dysfuntional family. I couldn't help falling in love with them and truly caring what happened as the story twisted through to its conclusion.
I only hope Kevin Wilson is hard at work on his next book.
Darkly comic (and sometimes just dark), the Fangs live at the border between life and art.
"Art, if you love it, was worth any amount of unhappiness and pain. If you had to hurt someone to achieve those ends, so be it. If the outcome was beautiful enough, strange enough, memorable enough, it did not matter. It was worth it."
Wilson takes this thought-provoking premise and fills it with these wonderful characters. Buster and Annie (the children of the family now struggling into adulthood) are exactly the products we might expect from a dysfuntional family. I couldn't help falling in love with them and truly caring what happened as the story twisted through to its conclusion.
I only hope Kevin Wilson is hard at work on his next book.
February 10, 2017
The act of creation called art includes collaboration and collusion between artist and observer. It may also consists of relationaships between jparticipants who call themselves artists. In this thrilling, original book, the creators are Caleb and Camille, gonzo artists who specialize in scorched earth performance pieces that come to include and feature their children, who we are told had arrived without preamble or fanfare. Everything that happens to this family is done with agenda in hand, until the children develop minds of their own.
This book is written with care and wit. For some reason, it seems as if some of my favorite authors this year have come out of Tennessee. I don't know if it's the climate or something in the water, but there is a care of craft issuing from this state that has produced work of originality and satisfaction. My opening statement can be expanded to this: probably the most intimate connection between an artist and their appreciator is that between author and reader. If that is the case, I am thankful for the output of the Smoky Mountains.
This book is written with care and wit. For some reason, it seems as if some of my favorite authors this year have come out of Tennessee. I don't know if it's the climate or something in the water, but there is a care of craft issuing from this state that has produced work of originality and satisfaction. My opening statement can be expanded to this: probably the most intimate connection between an artist and their appreciator is that between author and reader. If that is the case, I am thankful for the output of the Smoky Mountains.
July 30, 2018
Years I've been waiting and actively searching for a novel with the same humor as Steve Toltz' A fraction of the whole. I finally found one! Maybe it isn't that good as my all time funniest book but it has the same wild, creative, eventfull, witty, absurd (but not Vonnegut-absurd) characters, family relations and situations in it.
Just a tad too tedious, but still a lovely summer read.
I know there is a mobie adaptation with Jason Bateman. We'll see...
Just a tad too tedious, but still a lovely summer read.
I know there is a mobie adaptation with Jason Bateman. We'll see...
August 17, 2011
Where do I even begin with this? The book is bizarre, the premise is disturbing, the humor is off-kilter and dark, the morals are completely missing. Paragraph structure is chaotic and confusing with multiple characters quotes in the same paragraph. Language is offensive, dialogue is weird, family dynamics is disturbing, sexual envelope is pushed and yet...
With all the criticisms I might have, I really did enjoy the weirdness of it. I was a little disappointed with the anti-climactic ending but, besides that and the above paragraph, I liked it. I decided it was the character development of the Fangs. The chapters are written to leapfrog between years ago (not in order, just to establish character) and until recently (which is order). Recently, Buster had an unfortunate accident which was hilarious and bizarre. He is out of money, down on his luck and has no life. He goes home.
Also recently, Annie, now a B list actress, has made a couple of mildly poor decisions that prove to be catastrophic in light of paparazzi spin and finds her opportunities limited. Again, the development of her current state is hilarious, inappropriate, and the reader is sympathetic. She goes home.
Caleb and Camille, the parents, welcome both adult children home then mysteriously disappear.
The background is that Caleb and Camille are artists. Not visual artists or even performing artists as one defines it. They create chaos and document it. They use a number of different props, their best props being Child A (Annie) and Child B (Buster). They are completely and utterly bizarre. Annie and Buster grow up and want out. Are they really prepared to be adults in the normal world after having a childhood where they are used in the name of art? Are they prepared to embark on a journey to find their missing parents alive or dead or should they just leave them alone and have a life?
Although I haven't done them justice, Caleb and Camille has wonderful character development as well. Not as well as Annie and Buster but the four Fangs, especially Annie and Buster really do grow on the reader.
It's a mixed review. I will share it with certain friends but with a caveat that the content, language, and concept is disturbing...yet entertaining.
With all the criticisms I might have, I really did enjoy the weirdness of it. I was a little disappointed with the anti-climactic ending but, besides that and the above paragraph, I liked it. I decided it was the character development of the Fangs. The chapters are written to leapfrog between years ago (not in order, just to establish character) and until recently (which is order). Recently, Buster had an unfortunate accident which was hilarious and bizarre. He is out of money, down on his luck and has no life. He goes home.
Also recently, Annie, now a B list actress, has made a couple of mildly poor decisions that prove to be catastrophic in light of paparazzi spin and finds her opportunities limited. Again, the development of her current state is hilarious, inappropriate, and the reader is sympathetic. She goes home.
Caleb and Camille, the parents, welcome both adult children home then mysteriously disappear.
The background is that Caleb and Camille are artists. Not visual artists or even performing artists as one defines it. They create chaos and document it. They use a number of different props, their best props being Child A (Annie) and Child B (Buster). They are completely and utterly bizarre. Annie and Buster grow up and want out. Are they really prepared to be adults in the normal world after having a childhood where they are used in the name of art? Are they prepared to embark on a journey to find their missing parents alive or dead or should they just leave them alone and have a life?
Although I haven't done them justice, Caleb and Camille has wonderful character development as well. Not as well as Annie and Buster but the four Fangs, especially Annie and Buster really do grow on the reader.
It's a mixed review. I will share it with certain friends but with a caveat that the content, language, and concept is disturbing...yet entertaining.
November 6, 2011
I just finished reading THE FAMILY FANG by Kevin Wilson. I scored a free copy at ALA this summer but I was too busy moving and touring to settle down to read it. About a month ago, I heard Kevin give a delightful reading at Harvard Bookstore so I scooted it up my to-read list. I am so glad I did.
If you are a person who enjoyed The Royal Tannenbaums, this is a book for you. It has all the idiosyncrasy of that film, but the richness that makes a novel really satisfying.
I started off reading it just for the quirkiness. Here’s the plot– two kids have grown up in a most bizarre family. The parents are performance artists and use the kids as part of the act. Sometimes, the children don’t even know there is a act. Now Buster and Annie, grown up and messed up, are forced to move back home. (I could go on, but I don’t want to spoil.) I chuckled my way through the first third of the story– what wacky parents! But somewhere around page 150, the narrative snuck up on me and got deep.
This is a novel that made me re-examine my own childhood and childhood as a concept– To what extent are kids bit players is all of our parents’ performances? Can you ever really grow up? And while we’re at it, what is art, anyway? What is love? What is sacrifice?
All of this, and it’s damn funny, too.
If you are a person who enjoyed The Royal Tannenbaums, this is a book for you. It has all the idiosyncrasy of that film, but the richness that makes a novel really satisfying.
I started off reading it just for the quirkiness. Here’s the plot– two kids have grown up in a most bizarre family. The parents are performance artists and use the kids as part of the act. Sometimes, the children don’t even know there is a act. Now Buster and Annie, grown up and messed up, are forced to move back home. (I could go on, but I don’t want to spoil.) I chuckled my way through the first third of the story– what wacky parents! But somewhere around page 150, the narrative snuck up on me and got deep.
This is a novel that made me re-examine my own childhood and childhood as a concept– To what extent are kids bit players is all of our parents’ performances? Can you ever really grow up? And while we’re at it, what is art, anyway? What is love? What is sacrifice?
All of this, and it’s damn funny, too.
May 5, 2020
The kind of book that sits with you overtime only to realize how truly astounding it is. This took me by surprise, and I’m glad it did. I can’t wait to read more of Wilson’s books.
You could blurb this as a spin on parents embarrassing their children in public. Or traumatizing. Maybe both. For art?
Check out just how well the author draws you in through this excerpt:
Visit bookspoils.com for more book discussions and reviews.
You could blurb this as a spin on parents embarrassing their children in public. Or traumatizing. Maybe both. For art?
Check out just how well the author draws you in through this excerpt:
Visit bookspoils.com for more book discussions and reviews.
February 26, 2020
Unique. It took a bit to get into it, but once I did I couldn't put it down. I had to find out what happened to the Fangs.
September 26, 2016
Unfamiliar with Kevin Wilson I noticed this book on the 'Staff Recommendation' rack and am SO glad I checked it out and read it. I laughed, wondered and laughed some more as I read the tale of the two Fang parents who are beyond performance artists in all ways imaginable. The stories of how they roped their two children, A & B, into the stunts they pulled which are being done purely as 'art' are hysterical. Years later the children grow weary of this as they seek to find themselves. This in itself is a challenge when you've been brought up in such a bent world. I loved the stories, narrative and execution of this book, though in all honesty, I was slightly let down by the ending. Regardless I highly recommend it and will be reading Kevin's other book shortly.
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