The Family Fang

309 pages

English language

Published May 2, 2011 by Ecco.

ISBN:
9780061579035
OCLC Number:
670475475

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4 stars (1 review)

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. The novel displays a keen sense of the complex performances …

2 editions

When is the best time to read this?

4 stars

There are themes in this book that are explored in his newer novels. Do I recommend to read 'Nothing to See Here' (my favorite) first since it's plot is paraphrased in this one? Or my sister's favorite Wilson is 'Perfect Little World' which has similar themes of child rearing and abandonment. And the latest 'Now is Not the Time to Panic' admittedly uses a phrase from the Fangs.

This is a well written novel, but I personally consider Wilson's newer stuff as near-genius. I suppose take that into account and order your reading as you see fit.

Subjects

  • Adult children living with parents
  • Families
  • Performance artists
  • Fiction