The Boys - by Katie Hafner

About the Book

When introverted Ethan Fawcett marries Barb, 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. Because Ethan fears becoming a father, one day Barb brings home two young brothers, Tommy and Sam, for them to foster, and Ethan immediately falls in love with the two 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 children are. This hauntingly beautiful debut novel--a bold and original high-wire feat--is "a treat with a surprise inside" ( Publishers Weekly).

Book Synopsis

"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 read 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.

Review Quotes

"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

"Hafner makes a splash with her debut novel thanks to one stunning twist. No spoilers here, but this story about the bubbly Barb, her wallflower husband, Ethan, and the 8-year-old twins they decide to foster is a funny, poignant meditation on a timely topic: loneliness. It's also nearly impossible to put down."--Philadelphia Tribune

"Remarkable . . . Starting out as a lighthearted romance before taking an unsettling turn . . . Upends expectations in the best way."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"A breeze to read, with characters who feel alive."--San Diego Magazine

"Tender and emotionally intelligent . . . An audacious feat of narrative bravado."--Maria Semple, author of Where'd You Go Bernadette

"The Boys is utterly charming―one of the most delightful books I have read in ages. As we bike through Italy's little villages with introvert Ethan Fawcett, stopping to drink a caffè shakerato as church bells ring in a mournful E flat, what we see around us is the wide and beautiful horizon of the human heart. I absolutely loved this little miracle of a book."--Meg Waite Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Postmistress of Paris

"This is a treat-yourself read, the tale of an endearing human on a hilariously misguided quest for love and connection, in the delight-filled tradition of Anne Tyler. But Hafner bakes a surprise into the center of her confection--a glorious, mind-blowing twist that propels the story to unexpected heights and depths. With exquisite compassion and humor, this novel leaves its readers deeply nourished, heart, mind, and soul."--Debra Jo Immergut, author of You Again and The Captives

"Unexpectedly funny, touching, disarming--The Boys got under my skin from the very first page. Hafner is a wry and wise explorer of the secrets buried deep in our most intimate relationships. This novel will stay with me for a long time."--Laura Zigman, author of Separation Anxiety

"Journalist and author Hafner's fiction debut is a striking entry to relationship fiction that is timely and optimistic. . . . With beautifully rendered characters and rich language, this is a treat, especially for fans of Anne Tyler and Elizabeth Berg."--Booklist

About the Author

Katie Hafner is a journalist and author who writes frequently for the New York Times and The Washington Post. She is the author of six non-fiction books including Mother Daughter Me, a memoir; A Romance on Three Legs: Glenn Gould's Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Piano; Where Wizards Stay Up Late: The Origins of the Internet (with Matthew Lyon). She is host and co-executive producer of the popular podcast, Lost Women of Science. The Boys is her first novel. She lives in San Francisco.