The boys
(Book)

When introverted Ethan Fawcett marries outgoing Barb, he has every reason to believe he will be delivered from a lifetime of solitude. And when Barb brings home two young brothers, Tommy and Sam, to soter, in preparation for the couple becoming parents, he feels he finally has the sense of family he lost as a boy. As the pandemic hits, Ethan becomes obsessed with providing a perfect life for the boys, studying their native Russian, homeschooling them, watching TV with them, barely leaving the house. But instead of bringing Barb and Ethan closer together, the boys become a wedge in their relationship, as Ethan is unable to share with Barba a secret that has haunted him since childhood. It's not until Ethan takes Tommy and Sam on a biking trip in Italy that it becomes clear just how unusual the three of them are - and what it will take for Ethan to repair his marriage. And as we learn about Ethan's past, we also discover the extent of Katie Hafner's outsized talent. A knockout novel filled with surprise and humor, The Boys is a hauntingly beautiful debut - and a bold and original high-wire feat.