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A Good Family A Novel Erik Fassnacht Books

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A Good Family A Novel Erik Fassnacht Books

An incredible read! Fassnacht captures the banal fucked-up-ness of suburbia in an engrossing narrative about a broken family. He alternates from character to character to tell the story which I think is an incredibly ambitious choice for an author; akin to an actor playing a ten year old girl in one film, then an old man ten minutes later. Inevitably, the occasional reader will probably take umbrage at any authoring trying to capture his or her individual age/gender demographic in a very invasive third person omniscient voice. For my part, however, I found myself absolutely captured by each and every member of the family. My favorite is the primary protagonist (the younger son) possibly because he's the least damaged of the cast...or possibly because I have the most in common with him. But even the characters with whom I have exactly zero experiences were eventually relate-able which I attribute to Fassnacht's powerful and evocative writing forcing me to absorb their memories and emotions. Within pages, I found myself horrified by the combat experiences of one character (a military vet) and then holding my breath at the toe-curling awkwardness of another character (interviewing for a teaching job). Somehow both heavy, serious issues (war, cancer) and trivial, truly first-world problems (dating, femininity and aging, fatherly approval) are addressed in depth without making the the former grandiose or cliched or the latter petty; reflecting their weight for the individual character experiencing them. As for the plot? I thought it moved along wonderfully and I couldn't put the book down. Could you summarize it in 2 pages? Maybe, but the same could be said of Gatsby. A Good Family also captures a cross-section of society. You may judge the characters, you may dislike them, but you will inevitably care what happens to them.


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A Good Family A Novel Erik Fassnacht Books Reviews

This book made me laugh (a lot) and cry, gave me goosebumps, and broke my heart because I wasn't ready to leave these characters. Erik's descriptions are incredibly beautiful and unique. If you're a writer, you'll wish you'd thought of them. The characters are fully developed. I especially loved Barkley and Julie. The plots are interwoven beautifully. I had a class with Erik in grad school and was blown away by his first drafts, so I knew this would be amazing.
A friend recommended A Good Family, which I enjoyed immensely. The story is unforgettable, with believable characters who are so well described and developed that you come to care about them. Kudos to Erik Fassnacht in his debut novel; I eagerly await his next!
A beautifully crafted novel. I truly enjoyed the journey of each character in A Good Family. Through Fassnacht's descriptive writing I found myself laughing out loud, winching with pain and routing for the Brunson's. I can't wait for Fassnacht's next book!!
Great read and so excited to find a book set in the suburbs near where I live.
Fassnacht is an excellent writer who creates symapthetic characters entwined in a complex family story.
This is a great and enjoyable read in so many ways – the writing, the story, the characters, the urban setting, the humor, and even the chapter titles. Throughout this excellent novel, the Brunson family members remain truly authentic and compelling. We meet them individually – Henry, the father, Julie, the mother, and brothers Charley and Barkley – all at significant crossroads in their lives. The wonderfully expressive style of talented author Erik Fassnacht reveals them as they confront personal issues, reconcile past decisions, and just try to be happy. They interact – or not. The Brunsons would be considered “a good family” in contemporary society; but, as in many families, individual expectations cannot always be met, some circumstances are beyond control, and unexpected obstacles loom. Especially because of the quite entertaining dialogue, I felt connected to them and was eager to offer advise, or berate, or sympathize, or cheer, or console. What might be in the future for this “good family”? I hope Mr. Fassnacht will let us know.
'A Good Family' is a debut novel by a first-time author that feels like it was written by a seasoned veteran. The story follows the Brunson family across real-life settings throughout Chicago and the surrounding suburbs and paints a picture so realistic that you realize this could be the family next door in your own subdivision. Each of the four members of the Brunson clan have a point of view so strong and dynamic, its hard to remember that each character's story was written by the same author. While each family member's story is strong enough to stand on its own, they all weave together effortlessly enough to create a cohesive and highly entertaining story about a family that you can't help but root for (well, most of the time). 

Henry is the philandering father who leaves his family for a penthouse in the city. Julie is the wife he left behind who is constantly in a haze of medication and has lost touch with who she is and what she wants. Their sons, Charlie and Barkley, are both lost in their own ways and trying desperately to feel like they have it all together. These characters don't lean on each other like a sterotypical, happy family but this novel is entirely satisfying nonetheless. Any reader who appreciates a smart, entertaining, and beautifully written story will love this debut by Erik Fassnacht. 
An incredible read! Fassnacht captures the banal fucked-up-ness of suburbia in an engrossing narrative about a broken family. He alternates from character to character to tell the story which I think is an incredibly ambitious choice for an author; akin to an actor playing a ten year old girl in one film, then an old man ten minutes later. Inevitably, the occasional reader will probably take umbrage at any authoring trying to capture his or her individual age/gender demographic in a very invasive third person omniscient voice. For my part, however, I found myself absolutely captured by each and every member of the family. My favorite is the primary protagonist (the younger son) possibly because he's the least damaged of the cast...or possibly because I have the most in common with him. But even the characters with whom I have exactly zero experiences were eventually relate-able which I attribute to Fassnacht's powerful and evocative writing forcing me to absorb their memories and emotions. Within pages, I found myself horrified by the combat experiences of one character (a military vet) and then holding my breath at the toe-curling awkwardness of another character (interviewing for a teaching job). Somehow both heavy, serious issues (war, cancer) and trivial, truly first-world problems (dating, femininity and aging, fatherly approval) are addressed in depth without making the the former grandiose or cliched or the latter petty; reflecting their weight for the individual character experiencing them. As for the plot? I thought it moved along wonderfully and I couldn't put the book down. Could you summarize it in 2 pages? Maybe, but the same could be said of Gatsby. A Good Family also captures a cross-section of society. You may judge the characters, you may dislike them, but you will inevitably care what happens to them.