The Family Fang

By: Kevin Wilson

Narrated by: Therese Plummer

Length: 10 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

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.

Filled with Kevin Wilson's endless creativity, vibrant prose, sharp humor, and keen sense of the complex performances that unfold in the relationships of people who love one another, The Family Fang is a masterfully executed tale that is as bizarre as it is touching.

©2011 Kevin Wilson (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"The Family Fang sparkles with Kevin Wilson’s inventive dialogue and wonderfully rendered set-pieces that capture the surreal charm of the Fang’s most notable work. With this brilliant novel, the family Fang is destined to join the families Tenenbaum and Bluth as paragons of high dysfunction." (Amazon.com review; Amazon Best Books of the Month, August 2011)

Love the Fangs!

I really enjoy Kevin Wilson's offbeat stories. This is the second one I have listened to and I am ready for another. Sweet and weird and sure to entertain you.

Excellent

I loved it!!! I loved the characters and their story. laughed out loud!! I can't wait to listen to more by this author. The narration was excellent also.

Kevin Wilson has continued to get stronger

4 stars. I love Kevin Wilson's writing and you can tell this book was not a recent one of his (read News years eve/day 2024). he writes characters very well. The sibling relationship is strong. it takes a long time to get to where this book starts which is not typically an issue with Wilson's writing. I had a very hard time in the beginning wanting to listen. But I really like the characters Annie and Buster.

Okay and absurd.

An absurd novel (as only Kevin Wilson can write) about family trauma - wrapped up in story about Camille and Caleb Fang - and the abstract, conceptual art they and their kids, Children A(nnie) and B(uster), performed throughout their lives.

“Nothing to See Here”, read by Marin Ireland, was one of my favorite books I’ve listened to this year. A book, about kids who spontaneously combust, has no business being as good as it does. So, I couldn’t wait to read more Wilson. Also - note - there’s an Easter Egg to that book in “The Family Fang.”

This one doesn’t reach the heights of the other - but still an enjoyable read with heart and harsh truths.

Buster is now grown up, and is forced to return home after a serious potato gun accident. Annie, a bit adrift after a tabloid scandal that could impact her acting career, finds herself at home with Caleb, Camille and her brother. As she and Buster begin to cope with their shared family history, we are treated to all the former performance art pieces the Fangs performed - which helps us understand Annie and Buster more. And that’s where the crux of the story sits.

Sure, family is family - but as adults - how do our parents choices impact our lives?

When Camille and Caleb go missing - are they dead? Or is it their final work of art?

Then the story begins to wrap up - and the ending is absurd and poignant at the same time. Not necessarily happy - but as real as you can get with such an absurd story concept set around an absurd family!

Captivating

I would never have even picked this book up. It was a book club selection for my group. I am ecstatic that y got to meet the Fangs.

A great story

What made the experience of listening to The Family Fang the most enjoyable?

A good story is hard to find. This is a well written and thoroughly enjoyable story that reminded me of the writing of John Irving. There is that same originality and humanity along with the depiction of life in a way that stays with you.

Quirky characters, yet believable

Would you listen to The Family Fang again? Why?

Yes, just to hear the funny scenes created by the Fang family in the interest of art. I really got a chuckle out of those.

What other book might you compare The Family Fang to and why?

A little bit of Royal Tannenbaums, but better, there is some mystery involved, but I can't think of a movie comparison.

Have you listened to any of Therese Plummer’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Plummer reads in such a way that her voice delivers the story without distraction. The listener is able to attend to the story without noticing an unusual tone of voice or odd pronunciations from the reader. She does adjust her voice to the characters, but it is subtle and effective.

Any additional comments?

The book jumps back and forth from the childhood years of the two Fang children when the family was creating art by including their children in fantastic scenes of conflict in public to the children as adults. The children have suffered psychologically due to their unusual childhoods, but then haven't we all?

Fantastic Story, Even Better Narration

Where does The Family Fang rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the best, by far.

What other book might you compare The Family Fang to and why?

Hard to really say.....stands out for being itself.

What does Therese Plummer bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

She's the reason I was so enthralled. This is the first time that I'm going to seek out books based on the performance of the narrator. Therese Plummer is excellent! All the voices are perfect, and I could SEE the characters based on her inflections.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes! I found stuff to do around the house just so I could finish.

Any additional comments?

There are a ton of literary easter eggs in this book, including a reference to John Cheever that had me laughing for days.

Thoroughly enjoyed this one!

Memorable characters, plenty of surprises, and a great narrator. I would definitely listen to more books by this author and narrator.

Wonderful reading wonderful story

If you could sum up The Family Fang in three words, what would they be?

can't stop thinking

What did you like best about this story?

can't stop laughing

Any additional comments?

The epilogue wasn't necessary--detracts from the story. Should have ended before.