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The Boys
- A Novel
- Narrated by: BJ Harrison
- Length: 7 hrs and 19 mins
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The Boys
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Publisher's Summary
“Hafner’s taut and utterly delightful debut is a novel of multitudes…. What a wonder of storytelling.”—Weike Wang, New York Times
New York Times Editor’s Choice |
Good Morning America Reading Pick | LitHub Most Anticipated Book |
Christian Science Monitor Summer Reading Pick
A delicious summer listen filled with humor and surprise for readers of Anne Tyler and Kevin Wilson.
When introverted Ethan Fawcett marries fun-loving Barb, so comfortable in the world, he has every reason to believe he will be delivered from a lifetime of solitude. She fills his world with a sense of adventure, expanding his horizons beyond his comfortable routine. To ease Ethan’s fears of becoming a father, Barb suggests they foster two young brothers, Tommy and Sam, and Ethan immediately falls in love with the boys.
When the pandemic hits, he becomes obsessed with providing a perfect life for them. But instead of bringing Barb and Ethan closer together, the boys become a wedge in their relationship, as Ethan is unable to share with Barb a secret that has been haunting him since childhood. Then Ethan takes Tommy and Sam on a biking trip in Italy, and it becomes clear just how unusual Ethan and his boys are.
What the critics say
“Katie Hafner’s taut and utterly delightful debut is a novel of multitudes. It is travel escapism, a family drama, a character study, social commentary on pandemic isolation and an incredible journey back to center. We are emerging from a period of forced introversion, and The Boys provides the perfect antidote. … There is a surprise at the center of this book, so original and unusual that I stopped pushing forward for a day to reread the first half again and check for inconsistency. Hafner doesn’t miss a beat. … I will just say this: What a wonder of storytelling. I will be thinking of these boys for a long time to come.“—Weike Wang, New York Times Book Review
“Clever, skillfully crafted … a laugh-out-loud delight to read …. Also a poignant exploration of loneliness and the ways trauma survivors can go to extraordinary lengths to avoid facing their psychic wounds.“—San Francisco Chronicle
“Think of Katie Hafner as Anne Tyler, but much weirder…. Hafner is a smart, funny observer of human foibles and in Ethan she has created a character so endearing that it would not be a surprise if this debut novel led to a career with Tyler’s longevity.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune