King of the Armadillos

A Novel

By: Wendy Chin-Tanner

Narrated by: Feodor Chin

Length: 12 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

This program features a bonus conversation between the author and her father, the inspiration for the story.

A transcendent debut novel about family, love, and belonging, set against the backdrops of 1950s New York City and a historical leprosarium in Louisiana, following one young man’s quest to not only survive, but live a full and vibrant life

"A triumph." —Lidia Yuknavitch, bestselling and acclaimed author of The Book of Joan

Perfect for fans of Jacqueline Woodson’s Red at The Bone, Netflix’s Atypical, and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

Victor Chin’s life is turned upside down at the tender age of 15. Diagnosed with Hansen’s disease, otherwise known as leprosy, he’s forced to leave the familiar confines of his father’s laundry business in the Bronx—the only home he’s known since emigrating from China with his older brother—to quarantine alongside patients from all over the country at a federal institution in Carville.

At first, Victor is scared not only of the disease, but of the confinement, and wants nothing more than to flee. Between treatments he dreams of escape and imagines his life as a fugitive. But soon he finds a new sense of freedom far from home—one without the pull of obligations to his family, or the laundry business, or his mother back in China. Here, in the company of an unforgettable cast of characters, Victor finds refuge in music and experiences first love, jealousy, betrayal, and even tragedy. But with the promise of a life-changing cure on the horizon, Victor’s time at Carville is running out, and he has some difficult choices to make.

A groundbreaking work of historical fiction, King of the Armadillos announces Wendy Chin-Tanner as an extraordinary new voice. Inspired by her father’s experience as a young patient at Carville, this tender coming-of-age novel is a captivating look at a forgotten radical community and a lyrical exploration of the power of art.

A Macmillan Audio production from Flatiron Books.

©2023 Wendy Chin-Tanner (P)2023 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"Feodor Chin recounts this illuminating story of a Chinese American youth sent to an institution for those with leprosy, more benignly called Hansen's disease.... Chin, an experienced actor, displays his skills in his many characterizations. He captures the Southern, educated voice of Dr. Bayer, the skilled surgeon who treats Victor, the protagonist, and gives credible voices to the nursing sisters and the many other patients, as well. He also ensures that the subplots and tangential characters--all interesting and relevant to the story--are vibrantly real." (AudioFile)

"King of the Armadillos pulses with the miraculous: the power of art and heart to heal a body from the inside-out. Excavating a history that comes at an important moment in the present tense, the novel asks: how do we want to treat each other in the face of dangerous tensions around otherness and illness? Wendy Chin-Tanner answers with her art. A triumph."—Lidia Yuknavitch, bestselling and acclaimed author of The Book of Joan

“Engrossing, rich with emotion, and loaded with unforgettable characters, King of the Armadillos is a mesmerizing work of historical fiction.”—Alex Segura, bestselling and acclaimed author of Secret Identity

"A beautifully written story of a young man struggling with Hansen’s disease that captures both the tragedy and triumph of Carville."—Pam Fessler, author of Carville’s Cure: Leprosy, Stigma, and the Fight for Justice

That he had a better life at Carvel than home.

I did not like the way it ended so abruptly. I feel at least some things should have had closure

Excellent and engaging

Somewhere in my distant memory, I had heard about Hansen’s colonies in the US. I’m grateful for this masterful storytelling of one of them. So many nuances.

Interesting coming of age story

Good story, beautifully written in many parts and the characters were rich and varied, but when it ended I had to go back and look at the chapters to make sure I hadn’t missed something. There was no resolution to some storylines. There are clues such as Sam looking at Ruth apartment and remembering, but I had difficulty with Victor’s brother’s underhandedness being allowed to ultimately dictate how the lives of the other characters played out.
Definitely a historical fiction worth a read or listen.

Great except the ending (spoiler alert)

I loved this book. It is about loyalty and frailty. The loyalty to family, to friends, to your passions and sometimes people betray or disappoint those them. The lead character, Victor, is a teenager who is far from perfect, but who manages to find beauty in his circumstances. The performance was exceptional and I really enjoyed learning about Carville (a real place!) and Hansen's disease. My big misgiving was the ending, which felt cut off--what happened to Victor in NYC? To his dad, his brother, and even more curiously, Ruth. Why would Ruth just disappear? The saving grace was that after the book there is an interview with the author's father, who lived at Carville in his teens. We get a sense of how his life, at least, turned out. Still, I would like a more satisfying ending to give this five stars.