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Summary and Reviews of King of the Armadillos by Wendy Chin-Tanner

King of the Armadillos by Wendy Chin-Tanner

King of the Armadillos

by Wendy Chin-Tanner
  • BookBrowse Review:
  • Critics' Consensus:
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  • First Published:
  • Jul 25, 2023, 336 pages
  • Paperback:
  • Sep 2024, 336 pages
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About This Book

Book Summary

A transcendent debut novel about family, love, and belonging, set against the backdrops of 1950s New York City and a historical leprosarium in Louisiana, following one young man's quest to not only survive, but live a full and vibrant life

Perfect for fans of Jacqueline Woodson's Red at The Bone, Netflix's Atypical, and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

Victor Chin's life is turned upside down at the tender age of 15. Diagnosed with Hansen's disease, otherwise known as leprosy, he's forced to leave the familiar confines of his father's laundry business in the Bronx – the only home he's known since emigrating from China with his older brother – to quarantine alongside patients from all over the country at a federal institution in Carville.

At first, Victor is scared not only of the disease, but of the confinement, and wants nothing more than to flee. Between treatments he dreams of escape and imagines his life as a fugitive. But soon he finds a new sense of freedom far from home – one without the pull of obligations to his family, or the laundry business, or his mother back in China. Here, in the company of an unforgettable cast of characters, Victor finds refuge in music and experiences first love, jealousy, betrayal, and even tragedy. But with the promise of a life-changing cure on the horizon, Victor's time at Carville is running out, and he has some difficult choices to make.

A groundbreaking work of historical fiction, King of the Armadillos announces Wendy Chin-Tanner as an extraordinary new voice. Inspired by her father's experience as a young patient at Carville, this tender coming-of-age novel is a captivating look at a forgotten radical community and a lyrical exploration of the power of art.

ONE

At the ticket booth, Victor watched the nurse count out several bills from a crisp white envelope. Pushing them through a slot, she received in return two tickets with the destination, New Orleans, Louisiana, printed in black ink on yellow card stock. She slid them both, along with the remaining cash, into her pocketbook "for safekeeping," she said, and clicked the brass clasp shut.

It was six days after Victor officially became a leper. He stood, rubbing sleep from his eyes under a smoke-smudged mural of the constellations—a crab, a lion, a scorpion, a bull, and a man with his arm raised, ready to club it. A silent ambulance had whisked him uptown through the dark Manhattan streets from Bellevue to Grand Central Terminal so early that the city was still half asleep.

Already standing ramrod straight, Ba drew himself up a millimeter more. His jaw tightened, and Victor could tell his father was bothered by the nurse implying that he couldn't be trusted with the tickets. What...

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

  1. In the opening paragraph, readers immediately sense that Victor is about to embark on a journey into the unknown. How does the theme of migration/movement inform the novel from this opening scene?
  2. Victor is sent to Carville after his diagnosis. What do you know about leprosy or Hansen's disease? What did you learn from Victor's experience?
  3. The title of the book references armadillos, which appear in both the popular belief of the time that armadillos spread Hansen's disease and in the Mardi Gras celebration. What do you think the armadillo symbolizes?
  4. The first friend that Victor makes at Carville is Herb, and their friendship evolves throughout the novel. Why do you think they are drawn to one another? What does Victor ...

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Reviews

BookBrowse Review

BookBrowse

Although fiction, this coming-of-age novel sheds light on the reality of dealing with a rare, debilitating and feared disease. It is dedicated to the author's father, who was a patient at Carville, where there is today a museum of artifacts on the grounds of the now-closed leprosarium near New Orleans (Laura C). I grew up not far from Carville and often heard stories and rumors about the "leper colony." Reading King of the Armadillos was shocking for me as I had no idea what life was truly like inside the Hansen's facility and figured it was just a locked-down hospital. The description of the treatments and the effects of the disease were eye-opening to say the least! (Margot P)...continued

Full Review (623 words)

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(Reviewed by First Impressions Reviewers).

Media Reviews

The New York Times Book Review
Lambent and poignant ... Chin-Tanner portrays the soul-withering routines of institutionalization and the bonding of the damned with elegiac strokes

Booklist
Chin-Tanner's exacting details render little-known medical history, deftly interwoven with the Chinese American experience, from paper sons to debilitating racism to bifurcated identity, to create a satisfying, polyphonic narrative about the intricate relationships within families by birth and circumstance.

Publishers Weekly
Poignant if somewhat mechanical ... Though the plotlines feel a bit rote, Chin-Tanner shines in her depictions of loyalty and familial obligation, Ruth's in particular. Though clunky at times, the multicultural elements add an appealing layer to this drama

Author Blurb Alex Segura, bestselling and acclaimed author of Secret Identity
Engrossing, rich with emotion, and loaded with unforgettable characters, King of the Armadillos is a mesmerizing work of historical fiction.

Author Blurb Cari Luna, author of The Revolution of Every Day
Wendy Chin-Tanner's King of the Armadillos is both a moving coming-of-age story and a fiercely intelligent love letter to the author's father. It is beautifully written and entertaining, but doesn't shy away from questions of race, class, and belonging. A fantastic debut.

Author Blurb Erika T. Wurth, author of White Horse
A heartbreaking, compelling novel.

Author Blurb Lidia Yuknavitch, bestselling and acclaimed author of The Book of Joan
King of the Armadillos pulses with the miraculous: the power of art and heart to heal a body from the inside-out. Excavating a history that comes at an important moment in the present tense, the novel asks: how do we want to treat each other in the face of dangerous tensions around otherness and illness? Wendy Chin-Tanner answers with her art. A triumph.

Author Blurb Pam Fessler, author of Carville's Cure: Leprosy, Stigma, and the Fight for Justice
A beautifully written story of a young man struggling with Hansen's disease that captures both the tragedy and triumph of Carville.

Author Blurb Rene Denfeld, bestselling author of The Child Finder
This remarkable, brilliant book shows us the power of exile―and the dreams of freedom. Wendy Chin-Tanner pulls back the veil on a federal leprosarium in the 1950s, with a rich cast of characters who find refuge in art and love. Inspired by her own family history, it rings with authenticity and delight, finding great joy even in sorrow. An absolute treasure of a book.

Reader Reviews

Mohapatra S

KING OF THE ARMADILLOS
One of the book's assets lies in its advanced characters. Arlo's assurance and strength make him an adorable hero, while his experiences with different animals give significant bits of knowledge into the significance of sympathy and understanding. ...   Read More
Wendy

King of The Armadillos
A coming of age story that was completely unexpected. The novel gets off to a slow start that had me wondering if I had chosen a novel for which I wasn’t a match! Surprise! Victor Chen is living in NYC and is diagnosed with Hansens’s disease, aka ...   Read More
Sandi W. (East Moline, IL)

Great Debut...
4.5 stars Thanks to BookBrowse and Flatiron Books for a chance to read this ARC. Publishes July 25, 2023. This is a great debut novel by Wendy Chin Tanner. She based the story on her own father when he spent time in Carville, Louisiana. Carville ...   Read More
Gail G. (Hernando, FL)

Loved this book!
This story touches on so many issues. It tells of Victor, a young immigrant Chinese teen who is diagnosed with Hansen's Disease (leprosy) and is sent to a government hospital in Louisiana for treatment. During the 2 years he is there, he matures and ...   Read More

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Beyond the Book



The Carville National Leprosarium

2011 photo of the site where the Carville facility was located, showing a wide, white two-story building with pillars on both levels King of the Armadillos by Wendy Chin-Tanner takes place partly in a federal institute in Louisiana where young protagonist Victor Chin is sent to be treated for Hansen's disease — commonly known as leprosy — in the 1950s.

This inpatient center, often referred to simply as Carville, was built on the site of an abandoned sugar plantation first rented to the state by the bank that owned it. In 1894, it was established as the Louisiana Leper Home. Nuns from the Daughters of Charity order arrived in 1896 to care for the patients and take charge of the home's development. It was purchased by the state in 1905, and selected as a site for a National Leprosarium in 1921.

Hansen's disease is a chronic condition brought on by a...

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