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.
I chose this book for my bookmongers group as it sounded intriguing from the reviews I had read. I'm kind of torn as I liked it but it was difficult to read. The story jumps from teh past which chapters include "works of art" featuring Child A & B and/or the parents. Then it would be to the current time where we see how Child A (Annie) and Child B (Buster) have turned out. Sadly both are more messed up than they were as children. I think that was the most difficult part seeing how they both struggled with dealing with their emotions and lives. It got worse as they both went home to live with their parents and how things really hadn't changed. You always hear that saying "some people shouldn't have children" and the parents were a complete image of it. I liked it and it sticks with me but it was painful at the same time.