When I was little, my mother would play this game with me in public that she called "Go Away, Little Boy." When we were out together at a grocery store or the mall, she'd contrive to get me separated from her - say, by sending me over to the next aisle for something - then, when I'd return, she'd pretend she didn't know me. "Go away, little boy. Go find your mother." She'd try to walk - sometimes run - away from me. Now, I was in on the joke, of course, and I was infinitely delighted by this. But as I grew to know my mom better, as an adult, I began to realize that this "game" - and other, similar performances - were just as much for the benefit of the audience of other shoppers as they were for her amused little boy. I don't know if she simply enjoyed putting one over on people or if she was driven by a desire to be the center of attention. It was probably both. The parents Fang take their public performances to levels far beyond the "Go Away, Little Boy" game, and accordingly they set their aspirations higher: preferring to consider the occurrences they stage to be "art." Whatever you call it, though, the twin motivations - duping people and getting attention - are still the same but are ramped up to the extreme. Caleb and Camille Fang are entirely fueled by the emotional reactions of others. I don't consider myself psychologically traumatized by "Go Away, Little Boy" (who knows, though; it may it explain a lot) but Annie and Buster Fang are clearly and majorly fucked up as a result of their parents activities. As "Child A" and "Child B," respectively, Annie and Buster became characters in their parents' disruptive performances and grew to be emotionally-damaged adults with a limited ability to function in the world. Kevin Wilson playfully guides us through the absurd nadirs that drive Annie and Buster reluctantly back to live with their loony parents, all the while peppering the story with flashbacks of their family's "happenings" that build and intricately intersect with the main storyline. Wilson's style is contagious and clever, and he mostly avoids taking that cleverness too far. He is able to evoke laughter at Annie's and Buster's predicaments but I always maintained sympathy for them. At a crucial moment shortly after the family is reunited, the elder Fangs suffer an artistic humiliation and the tone and direction of the novel shifts. While the opening of the book tears Annie and Buster down and hints at the background of parental eccentricity they came from, the rest of the book slowly builds them back up and reveals the truly dark depths that the Fangs' parental eccentricity plumbs. Ultimately, Annie and Buster must decide to sever their connections to the parents who always controlled them, who always scripted their performances without sharing the script with them. In so doing, they must also learn who they really are, what they really love, and how to feel things without an audience.

great book! I was a bit discouraged by the negative comments I read here and on goodreads, but I'm so glad I read it anyway. I didn't see those things as "negatives" at all.

LOVED this book. It reminds me of a Wes Anderson film. It was bizarre and hilarious and I was sad when I finished it because I wanted to keep reading. Read this book.

This is a great book of short stories. It could easily be made into an indie film. There were times where I felt the book lacked some direction and I wasn't that enthusiastic about the ending. However, it's a decent summer read.

An odd but engaging book. The family Fang revolves around performance art. The children are eventually forced to choose between family and art.

Fun odd little book... if you like stories of messed up families you will definitely enjoy this story!

Painful and funny, my favorite kind of book.

I loved this odd little well written story. I really enjoyed the daughter's character.

I love this book! For anyone without a 'normal' upbringing, this one is for you. The characters are horrible to each other, and it makes for an enthralling read. I love how Kevin Wilson turned such terrible existence into a mirthful, enjoyable, and funny novel.

Unfortunately, this book is just too silly. It is the story of two children whose parents are performance artists. The chaos of their childhood makes if difficult for them to cope with life.