The Fangs are performance artists who use their kids, Child A and child B, to create memorable scenes and weirdness. I love this book. It's quirky and cool and moving and good. It's about family and how they ruin you and ultimately, how they can be instrumental in fixing you. Sort of.
When the grown children of two artists move home because of misfortune stemming from the weird issues their parents probably gave them, their parents disappear and the brother and sister have to figure out if it's just a big piece of performance art.
If this book were a movie, Wes Anderson would direct it.
Again and again the statement "Kids kill art" comes up in this book. What do you think? Do kids kill art?
You can buy The Family Fang here. I recommend it.
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I thought of Wes Anderson the whole time I read it. I hope it becomes a movie. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, odd as it was.
ReplyDeleteI just read this too. Loved it. I gave it my daughter because I knew she would love it.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great read. And kids do kill art. There, I said it!
ReplyDeleteLoved it, too. So weird, so well written.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read the book, but I think I may have an answer to your question.
ReplyDeleteDo kids kill art?
I would have to say yes, because kids impose routine and structure and those can be contrary to the artistic process. As soon as you think 'okay, I've got two hours till we have to eat' you've tamed, limited and restricted something which almost *has* to be wild, expansive and free.
On a whole other side, I would have to say no, because having kids enlarges us as people. It's true that practice improves skill, but all of life is practice for an artist. Experiencing the specific heights of joy and depths of depression intrinsic to child rearing expand us as people as well as artists.
So, my answer is 'sorta' and I shrug a little when I say it.
It's totally everything. Totally original, totally absorbing, ALMOST totally believable. The author certainly is totally understanding about what kinds of damage can be done to children aside from physical abuse, but in this case, leaves us with hope and satisfaction at the close. I TOTALLY recommend it.
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