I first fell in love with Kevin Wilson’s writing in 2009. This quirky Harper paperback original caught my eye with its beautiful cover and then captivated me with its stories of lost and searching characters. A good short story collection is as congruous as a great album–each song is a gem in and of itself, but the real beauty of the collection is the way each song complements its counterparts and works together to create a perfect sum total of the parts, not just a good song. Tunneling to the Center of the Earth does just that: each story is good in and of itself, but the entire body of work jives. There is not a single story that needs skipping.

When Kevin was here for the release of his first book, I garnered a coveted Lemurian attendance to his reading. He surprised us all by reading a piece he had just written, and while I can’t remember what it was actually about, I do remember the feeling of sitting out on the Dot Com deck and realizing how fortunate I was because even then I just knew: Kevin was going places. His writing style is unique and refreshing and familiar all at the same time. In 2010, Tunneling to the Center of the Earth won the Shirley Jackson award and an Alex award, and every time I read of Kevin’s accolades I wanted to clap for him and say, ‘I knew it!’

During that same visit, Kevin also told us that he had been signed to write a short story collection and a novel. So when I first heard last fall that he had finished his novel, I was ecstatic. It was finally here. I snagged an advanced copy from Joe’s desk and then promptly came down with the flu. Now, the flu part of that week, as you can guess, was horrible. But Kevin’s novel, The Family Fang, made my week. I couldn’t read it fast enough and I couldn’t bear to finish it; it was just that good.

The Fangs are quite different than your average family. Think Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums or the dysfunctional family in Margot at the Wedding. The parents, Caleb and Camille Fang, are performance artist who believe that chaos is the highest form of art. They wish to disrupt the world, to pull it from its malaise and elevate it with their art. They use their own children as props in their public art events, which often occur in shopping malls full of the Fang’s unsuspecting audience.

Child A and Child B, also known by their true names Annie and Buster, participate in their parents’ mad schemes for a time. But as all children do, Annie and Buster grow up and begin to realize the absurdity of their parents’ art, and it’s that same realization that makes reading this novel both entertaining and sobering. Without their child props, Caleb and Camille try to continue their art performances, but as shopping malls become outdated and social media devices more prevalent, their ‘events’ fall flat. They begin searching for the ultimate ‘Fang event,’ something that will solidify their place in history. I can’t tell you much more without giving away a large portion of the plot, but I must say that the ending was just as surprising and well written as I had hoped it would be.

I cannot wait to hear Kevin’s thoughts on his newest novel and to hear him read on Thursday, August 18th at 5:00. Much like Kevin’s last visit did, his signing this Thursday is sure to add an invaluable element to my reading and remembrance of The Family Fang. I honestly believe that you will regret not coming to Lemuria for Kevin’s visit. His contribution to Southern literature is brilliant.

See Kaycie’s blog on her love for The Family Fang and Kevin Wilson here.

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