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King of the Armadillos
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.
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.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 25, 2023
68 people are currently reading
9020 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Chin-Tanner
15 books86 followersWendy Chin-Tanner is the author of the novel KING OF THE ARMADILLOS and the poetry collections TURN and ANYONE WILL TELL YOU. She is the editor of EMBODIED: An Intersectional Feminist Comics Poetry Anthology and cofounder of A Wave Blue World, an independent publishing company for graphic novels. Born and raised in New York City, she lives in the Hudson Valley with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 233 reviews
March 28, 2023
It's 1954, and Victor, a Chinese-American teenager living in New York City who has just learned that he has leprosy, or Hansen's disease, is sent to the National Leprosarium in Carville, LA for treatment. He is offered piano lessons to help with physical therapy, and discovers his gift for music. He makes friends: an older blind gentleman named Herb who has lived on the grounds for a long time, and Donny, Judy, and Manny, who are his age. In New York, his father, although still married to their mother in China, is seeing a local women named Ruth; Victor loves Ruth, but his brother Henry is angry and resentful. The characters are so well drawn, and the historical setting is pitch perfect, with its references to music and films. The title refers to their Mardi Gras float, since the armadillo is the only other creature who can contract Hansen's disease. I didn't want this compelling book to end. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the privilege of reviewing this advance copy.
July 5, 2023
Given the complexity of its content, Wendy Chin-Tanner's King of the Armadillos is a deceptively simple and gently paced novel. The novel tells the story of a year or so of Victor Chin's life in the U.S. during the 1950s. The story of that period is the story of Victor's diagnosis with Hansen's Disease, which most people know by its more familiar name of leprosy. Victor is relocated from his home in New York City to the Carville residential and treatment center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Carville provided the nation's best treatment for Hansen's Disease at that time and provided it free of charge.
The trade off was that once one entered Carville one had to remain there being tested monthly for the presence of active Hansen's Disease virus. It took twelve sequential negative test results and an approval process following that before one could leave Carville. Interestingly, in a time when much of the U.S., particularly in the south, was fiercely segregated, Carville housed a broad range of people of different ethnicities and widely varying ages.
In the time we spend with Victor, he finds himself in a diverse community of friends, some more loyal than others. He falls in love. And he learn to play the piano, for which he has an unexpected gift, as a form of exercise to keep his hands fully mobile.
The story of Victor's life at Carville is contextualized in the larger story of his family's history. His father emigrated to the U.S. and after many kinds of hourly work, was able to buy a laundry. Each month, he sends home money to support his family in China. Their lives have been shaped by first, Japanese occupation of China, and later the Chinese revolution.
When Victor and his older brother are still children, they're sent to live in the U.S. with their father, leaving their mother and paternal grandmother behind. They are surprised and dismayed to learn that their father is in a years-long relationship with an American woman. She works hard to play a positive role in the boys' lives, winning Victor's affection, but not his brother's.
These two stories, the immediate and the longer-running one become tied together with Victor's diagnosis. Victor's father and brother convince him that neither their neighbors nor his mother should learn of his diagnosis. In New York City's tightly knit Chinese community that is stereotyped as dirty and diseased, Victor's diagnosis will bring shame and, potentially, violence—for his family and the community. His mother will suffer a similar shame in China where treatment for Hansen's disease isn't available.
It's complicated. Victor is isolated from his family, will be obliged to stay at Carville for an unknown, but probably lengthy time, and he must lie in his letters to his mother, pretending he is still healthy and living in New York City. And, of course, he mustn't reveal the relationship his father is in. The story lines, Victor's illness, the prejudice Victor, his father, and his brother face in New York City, and the unspoken betrayals in his family, weave together in increasingly complex patterns.
What I found remarkable about this book is the careful balance Chin-Tanner sets up between Victor's complicated coming of his age and the possible rift within his family. Both stories, which Chin-tanners tells simply, ring utterly true. Almost every character is living with the consequences of multiple bad decisions. At times, I found the layers of hidden truths uncomfortable reading and, while empathizing with the characters, I kept wishing they would find it within themselves to live more honestly.
This is an excellent novel for readers of family stories, historical fiction, U.S. history, and the history of medicine. Most readers will probably find themselves frustrated at times, as I did, but they'll also find a wealth of complicated questions of identity that are well worth pondering.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss; the opinions are my own.
The trade off was that once one entered Carville one had to remain there being tested monthly for the presence of active Hansen's Disease virus. It took twelve sequential negative test results and an approval process following that before one could leave Carville. Interestingly, in a time when much of the U.S., particularly in the south, was fiercely segregated, Carville housed a broad range of people of different ethnicities and widely varying ages.
In the time we spend with Victor, he finds himself in a diverse community of friends, some more loyal than others. He falls in love. And he learn to play the piano, for which he has an unexpected gift, as a form of exercise to keep his hands fully mobile.
The story of Victor's life at Carville is contextualized in the larger story of his family's history. His father emigrated to the U.S. and after many kinds of hourly work, was able to buy a laundry. Each month, he sends home money to support his family in China. Their lives have been shaped by first, Japanese occupation of China, and later the Chinese revolution.
When Victor and his older brother are still children, they're sent to live in the U.S. with their father, leaving their mother and paternal grandmother behind. They are surprised and dismayed to learn that their father is in a years-long relationship with an American woman. She works hard to play a positive role in the boys' lives, winning Victor's affection, but not his brother's.
These two stories, the immediate and the longer-running one become tied together with Victor's diagnosis. Victor's father and brother convince him that neither their neighbors nor his mother should learn of his diagnosis. In New York City's tightly knit Chinese community that is stereotyped as dirty and diseased, Victor's diagnosis will bring shame and, potentially, violence—for his family and the community. His mother will suffer a similar shame in China where treatment for Hansen's disease isn't available.
It's complicated. Victor is isolated from his family, will be obliged to stay at Carville for an unknown, but probably lengthy time, and he must lie in his letters to his mother, pretending he is still healthy and living in New York City. And, of course, he mustn't reveal the relationship his father is in. The story lines, Victor's illness, the prejudice Victor, his father, and his brother face in New York City, and the unspoken betrayals in his family, weave together in increasingly complex patterns.
What I found remarkable about this book is the careful balance Chin-Tanner sets up between Victor's complicated coming of his age and the possible rift within his family. Both stories, which Chin-tanners tells simply, ring utterly true. Almost every character is living with the consequences of multiple bad decisions. At times, I found the layers of hidden truths uncomfortable reading and, while empathizing with the characters, I kept wishing they would find it within themselves to live more honestly.
This is an excellent novel for readers of family stories, historical fiction, U.S. history, and the history of medicine. Most readers will probably find themselves frustrated at times, as I did, but they'll also find a wealth of complicated questions of identity that are well worth pondering.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss; the opinions are my own.
July 28, 2023
Addition on July 27, 2023 ~~
This has just recently published. It is a good book - should be your next read...lol!
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 has a federal institution there that quarantined people in the 1950's known to have Leprosy.
In the story Victor is sent to Carville. He made the long trip from China as a child, to live in the Bronx with his brother and father. As he assimilates to the States he comes down with Leprosy. His father sends him to Carville.
During his stay at Carville, Victor makes friends with an unforgettable cast of characters. He finds his first love, his first best friend, as all the while he is undergoing treatment for his disease. There is trust, betrayal, loss and tragedy. As he fights to get better and be released, the family he once had is slowly falling apart. His new found promising career is pulling him in one direction and his family in the other.
A great coming of age story, set in the 1950's, pulling a young Chinese immigrant in a number of ways as he tries to recover from a community shaming disease called Leprosy.
This has just recently published. It is a good book - should be your next read...lol!
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 has a federal institution there that quarantined people in the 1950's known to have Leprosy.
In the story Victor is sent to Carville. He made the long trip from China as a child, to live in the Bronx with his brother and father. As he assimilates to the States he comes down with Leprosy. His father sends him to Carville.
During his stay at Carville, Victor makes friends with an unforgettable cast of characters. He finds his first love, his first best friend, as all the while he is undergoing treatment for his disease. There is trust, betrayal, loss and tragedy. As he fights to get better and be released, the family he once had is slowly falling apart. His new found promising career is pulling him in one direction and his family in the other.
A great coming of age story, set in the 1950's, pulling a young Chinese immigrant in a number of ways as he tries to recover from a community shaming disease called Leprosy.
July 11, 2024
I really enjoyed this story. I did not know that there had ever been a leprosy colony in the US and it was a fascinating look into one part of US history. This was a lovely example of how incredibly resilient humans are.
August 31, 2023
i have a newfound fear of being diagnosed with leprosy now.
Read
August 5, 2023DNF.
I didn't read far enough to give this book a fair rating, and though it seemed a highly interesting story - leper colony in the early 1950's is how it starts out - the anachronisms were too much for me. For a younger person, this might have been fine, but there were a few which hit me hard on the head. Then, that's all I can think of. When even 'background elements' don't fit the time period I get edgy - and especially when they are part of my background.
But for those who can ignore - or don't see this - read on!
No rating.
I didn't read far enough to give this book a fair rating, and though it seemed a highly interesting story - leper colony in the early 1950's is how it starts out - the anachronisms were too much for me. For a younger person, this might have been fine, but there were a few which hit me hard on the head. Then, that's all I can think of. When even 'background elements' don't fit the time period I get edgy - and especially when they are part of my background.
But for those who can ignore - or don't see this - read on!
No rating.
August 24, 2023
I think I’m the outlier here, but I wasn’t fully gripped by this story. It felt like a YA novel at times. I did, however, learn a lot about Hansen’s disease and I did enjoy getting to know the characters. I’ll take the blame for not getting enough out of this story because I feel like I was not entirely focused.
3.75 ⭐️
3.75 ⭐️
September 21, 2023
Wish i could give it 3.5- dragged on a bit at the end but loved the concept & NYC/ Louisiana setting. I did feel that in an effort to destigmatize Hansens disease (leprosy) the author put almost too positive of a spin on the disease and hospital in a way that felt a tad reductive to me. Maybe it wasn’t as bad as we think but it couldn’t have been that good either??
August 28, 2023
Kind of like weak tea. Just, unsatisfying
July 23, 2023
Hey! I blurbed this, but the blurbs don't really give you the opportunity to talk about the book, and this book was wonderful. It's a unique coming of age story about a boy whose parents are separated, his father is raising him in the United States, his mother is still in China. And his father is with a white American woman--so there's a very tense set up from the get-go. This is also set the 50s (in San Francisco) so a very different time in some ways. He ends up with Hansen's disease (more commonly, and pejoratively, known as leprosy). So, is then sent to an institution for folks like this and essentially, this is where he grows up. I'm so pleased I had the opportunity to blurb this novel! I hope people pick it up.
November 27, 2022
A bittersweet coming-of-age novel with so much feeling pouring out of every page without being cheesy. Victor is a great main character and I absolutely loved every word of it.
October 30, 2023
2023 reads: 330/350
when fifteen-year-old victor chin is diagnosed with hansen’s disease (aka leprosy), he’s forced to leave the only home he’s ever known to quarantine with other patients. at first, he wants nothing more than to escape and go back home, but as time goes on, he finds new ways to feel free.
this was recommended to me by a dear friend, which i’m very grateful for as i probably wouldn’t have known about it otherwise. the only times i hear about hansen’s disease/leprosy is in church, so it was really interesting to see that the stigma surrounding this disease persisted until very recently (this book took place in the 1950s). additionally, i liked hearing from the author and her dad, on whom this book is based, at the end of the audiobook. i recommend this to any historical readers.
when fifteen-year-old victor chin is diagnosed with hansen’s disease (aka leprosy), he’s forced to leave the only home he’s ever known to quarantine with other patients. at first, he wants nothing more than to escape and go back home, but as time goes on, he finds new ways to feel free.
this was recommended to me by a dear friend, which i’m very grateful for as i probably wouldn’t have known about it otherwise. the only times i hear about hansen’s disease/leprosy is in church, so it was really interesting to see that the stigma surrounding this disease persisted until very recently (this book took place in the 1950s). additionally, i liked hearing from the author and her dad, on whom this book is based, at the end of the audiobook. i recommend this to any historical readers.
August 19, 2025
This was a very interesting book, was it my favorite? No, but I am glad I read it. It was about a part of American history that I’ve never heard about. The story focused on a Chinese immigrant boy in New York City that finds out he has leprosy (or Hansen’s disease) . He is then shipped to a state institution in Carville Louisiana. At first it seems like they might keep him indefinitely, and I was beginning to wonder if it was a way to contain or get rid of immigrants. But that is not the case. The leper colony is more than it seems. It’s a whole thriving community of people from all different walks of life put on equal footing. Not only did Victor (the main character) make some good friends, but he discovered who he was along the way. So much so that he was hesitant to leave when his disease was cured. It had a bitter sweet ending, but at least it was hopeful. The story was fictional, but was based off the author’s farther’s own story of spending his formative years at Carville. He talks about it at the end of the book.
July 16, 2023
[3.5/5 stars]
Set against the backdrops of 1950s NYC and Louisiana - this is about Victor Chin, a Chinese boy whose life is upended when he is diagnosed with Hansen's disease and he is sent to Carville, an institution of operation and treatment.
Inspired by the author's father's experience as a young patience at Carville, Chin-Tanner sharply exposes the cruel reality about those suffering from Hansen's disease. The author doesn't hold back at diving deep into the stigma of Hansen's disease - when leprosy is shrouded in shame and those who have the disease become burden to their family. Or when the Institution for Hansen's disease also means 'leper colony'. Not only is the leprosy the hungry ghost who inhabits and consumes the host, but the government and society that condemn them.
I honestly didn't know much about Hansen's disease and this novel opened my eyes about it. In addition to the focus on the disease, this book also covers immigrant experience and themes of family, friendship, love, starting over and belonging. More often than not, I was wondering the direction of the plot and I found myself more invested in the backstories - Victor's family and stepmother - instead of Victor's narrative. As one follows a group of teenagers, the story often embodies some YA vibes and I was less patient at digging into parts of the narrative.
This is also a journey of self-discovery, in which Victor starts to get attached to people and place, also being capable of dreaming. One of the inspiring aspects of the book is the reflections on music that captured my interest. Despite disapproving the romance, it felt real. With accessible writing, there's a secret uncovered and the story has a somewhat satisfying closure.
KING OF THE ARMADILLOS is an insightful debut novel about Hansen's disease and perfect for DISABILITY PRIDE month. Regardless of some complaints, this book is an important read.
[ I received an ARC from the publisher - Flatiron Books . All opinions are my own ]
Set against the backdrops of 1950s NYC and Louisiana - this is about Victor Chin, a Chinese boy whose life is upended when he is diagnosed with Hansen's disease and he is sent to Carville, an institution of operation and treatment.
Inspired by the author's father's experience as a young patience at Carville, Chin-Tanner sharply exposes the cruel reality about those suffering from Hansen's disease. The author doesn't hold back at diving deep into the stigma of Hansen's disease - when leprosy is shrouded in shame and those who have the disease become burden to their family. Or when the Institution for Hansen's disease also means 'leper colony'. Not only is the leprosy the hungry ghost who inhabits and consumes the host, but the government and society that condemn them.
I honestly didn't know much about Hansen's disease and this novel opened my eyes about it. In addition to the focus on the disease, this book also covers immigrant experience and themes of family, friendship, love, starting over and belonging. More often than not, I was wondering the direction of the plot and I found myself more invested in the backstories - Victor's family and stepmother - instead of Victor's narrative. As one follows a group of teenagers, the story often embodies some YA vibes and I was less patient at digging into parts of the narrative.
This is also a journey of self-discovery, in which Victor starts to get attached to people and place, also being capable of dreaming. One of the inspiring aspects of the book is the reflections on music that captured my interest. Despite disapproving the romance, it felt real. With accessible writing, there's a secret uncovered and the story has a somewhat satisfying closure.
KING OF THE ARMADILLOS is an insightful debut novel about Hansen's disease and perfect for DISABILITY PRIDE month. Regardless of some complaints, this book is an important read.
[ I received an ARC from the publisher - Flatiron Books . All opinions are my own ]
April 29, 2023
KING OF THE ARMADILLOS by Wendy Chin-Tanner
I had a hard time putting this book down. I needed to find out what happened to Victor, his family and his friends in the 1950’s. Chin-Tanner made them real people and I was invested in them from the first pages of this coming-of-age novel. Victor, a 15-year-old Chinese immigrant boy living with his father, brother and his father’s live-in girlfriend in New York City, discovers he has Hanson’s Disease (leprosy, a slur) and must be confined to the National Hospital in Carville, Louisiana until he is cured. At Carville, for the first time, Victor is able to make his own friends and decisions and discovers he has talents and capabilities he was unable to foster in the confines of his brother’s shadow.
As an educator I was able to visit Carville in the late 1960’s. Chin-Tanner got the atmosphere, fear and hope of the place exactly right. She wrote expressively of being a teenager in a state of anxiety and dread with great empathy and reality. The alternate plot of the family left behind in New York was equally fascinating. The oppressive climate of hot, humid Louisiana in the summer was clear.
Altogether this is a great book well worth your time. You will learn a lot about Hanson’s Disease and Carville, teenagers and their path to adulthood. KING OF THE ARMADILLOS is full of love, despair, hope, friendship, betrayal, passion, talent, family, and much more. Book groups will find a plethora of topics to discuss.
5 of 5 stars
I had a hard time putting this book down. I needed to find out what happened to Victor, his family and his friends in the 1950’s. Chin-Tanner made them real people and I was invested in them from the first pages of this coming-of-age novel. Victor, a 15-year-old Chinese immigrant boy living with his father, brother and his father’s live-in girlfriend in New York City, discovers he has Hanson’s Disease (leprosy, a slur) and must be confined to the National Hospital in Carville, Louisiana until he is cured. At Carville, for the first time, Victor is able to make his own friends and decisions and discovers he has talents and capabilities he was unable to foster in the confines of his brother’s shadow.
As an educator I was able to visit Carville in the late 1960’s. Chin-Tanner got the atmosphere, fear and hope of the place exactly right. She wrote expressively of being a teenager in a state of anxiety and dread with great empathy and reality. The alternate plot of the family left behind in New York was equally fascinating. The oppressive climate of hot, humid Louisiana in the summer was clear.
Altogether this is a great book well worth your time. You will learn a lot about Hanson’s Disease and Carville, teenagers and their path to adulthood. KING OF THE ARMADILLOS is full of love, despair, hope, friendship, betrayal, passion, talent, family, and much more. Book groups will find a plethora of topics to discuss.
5 of 5 stars
May 22, 2023
King of the Armadillos is a book about growing up, a book about family and culture and a book about a disease that leaves the main character wrestling with his own place of belonging. The style of writing is very engaging and the deep dive into character development is well done, I just had a hard time with the pacing of the book and the main plot of the story. Both were slow moving and a bit uninteresting. I thought the main character was interesting and the push and pull of his own wrestling with his culture in Deep South America was very interesting, I think the rest fell flat for me.
December 24, 2023
editing before the new year and making some of these all time favorites because i can’t stop thinking about them!!!
def my fav historical fiction of the year so far
def my fav historical fiction of the year so far
July 24, 2023
Thank you to Flatiron Books for the gifted ARC
Set in the 1950s, Victor Chin’s life is upended after being diagnosed with Hansen’s disease at 15. He’s forced to move away from his family in New York City to a federal institution for patients in Carville, Louisiana. Together with his fellow residents, Victor experiences love, friendship, jealousy, joy, and his passion for music in this coming-of-age story.
ARMADILLOS covers topics of fractured families, the life of Chinese immigrants, and entrenched racism that impacts every aspect of one’s life. Since the focus is on Victor’s experience living in the leprosarium and figuring out life with other teenagers, the book leans more toward YA than most coming-of-age novels.
There are also shifting POVs between Victor’s family members. I thought these are the weaker aspects of ARMADILLOS as they are more slice-of-life musings, and the readers don’t get a full picture of the supporting characters.
ARMADILLOS is a solid debut inspired by the story of Chin-Tanner’s father. It explores an important historical aspect of Hansen’s disease and the life-saving power of music.
Set in the 1950s, Victor Chin’s life is upended after being diagnosed with Hansen’s disease at 15. He’s forced to move away from his family in New York City to a federal institution for patients in Carville, Louisiana. Together with his fellow residents, Victor experiences love, friendship, jealousy, joy, and his passion for music in this coming-of-age story.
ARMADILLOS covers topics of fractured families, the life of Chinese immigrants, and entrenched racism that impacts every aspect of one’s life. Since the focus is on Victor’s experience living in the leprosarium and figuring out life with other teenagers, the book leans more toward YA than most coming-of-age novels.
There are also shifting POVs between Victor’s family members. I thought these are the weaker aspects of ARMADILLOS as they are more slice-of-life musings, and the readers don’t get a full picture of the supporting characters.
ARMADILLOS is a solid debut inspired by the story of Chin-Tanner’s father. It explores an important historical aspect of Hansen’s disease and the life-saving power of music.
August 28, 2025
I listened to this one and enjoyed learning some American History I did not know about before. The variety of characters, each with their own internal battles, was interesting, and I really liked the interview at the end between the author and her father who was the inspiration for Victor's character.
March 1, 2024
a person who is better than i am would have given it five stars and respected the ending, unfortunately i am what i am
June 28, 2023
This book is a perfect example of why I'm addicted to entering giveaways on this site. They introduce me to books I probably wouldn't have heard of/paid attention to otherwise.
I have a feeling this one would've slipped past me if I hadn't won an ARC of it.
And that would've been a shame. It was definitely worth the read.
It nearly lost me several times in the beginning because medical talk is not my thing. I'm glad I stuck with it though. I enjoyed the characters and the story. It was sweet and sad and ultimately hopeful.
I was left with the feeling there could be more to it. Maybe a sequel about Victor's life after Carville or one about his half-sibling tracking him down later on. I'd be interested in either of those.
I have a feeling this one would've slipped past me if I hadn't won an ARC of it.
And that would've been a shame. It was definitely worth the read.
It nearly lost me several times in the beginning because medical talk is not my thing. I'm glad I stuck with it though. I enjoyed the characters and the story. It was sweet and sad and ultimately hopeful.
I was left with the feeling there could be more to it. Maybe a sequel about Victor's life after Carville or one about his half-sibling tracking him down later on. I'd be interested in either of those.
December 2, 2023
I really hated giving this promising book a two star rating. The main plot of the book is a coming of age story about a teenaged Chinese boy, living in New York, who becomes infected with leprosy, aka Hansen’s disease. A book featuring a rare disease that also includes a complicated family drama should have been right up my alley. And it was - until the last 30 pages.
Young Victor, the infected teen, is sent in 1954 to the only leprosy sanitarium in the US, located in Louisiana. A true cure has only recently been tested, so Victor has a good chance of being cured and leading a normal life. He truly blossoms during his stay at Carville, where he is given free piano lessons as therapy for his hands. The opportunity for music lessons reveals a remarkable talent that might even allow an impoverished youth to attend LSU on a music scholarship. I could hardly turn the pages fast enough - until the author threw in several complications and ended the story with the reader left hanging on a cliff! There are too many story lines that took dramatic turns at the end with absolutely no resolution. Don’t do that to me! I expect to have some feeling of satisfaction at the completion of a story; in this case I felt that several chapters were just left out because the author had enough pages and decided to stop writing. Even more shocking - the number of five star reviews that I see on Goodreads.
Young Victor, the infected teen, is sent in 1954 to the only leprosy sanitarium in the US, located in Louisiana. A true cure has only recently been tested, so Victor has a good chance of being cured and leading a normal life. He truly blossoms during his stay at Carville, where he is given free piano lessons as therapy for his hands. The opportunity for music lessons reveals a remarkable talent that might even allow an impoverished youth to attend LSU on a music scholarship. I could hardly turn the pages fast enough - until the author threw in several complications and ended the story with the reader left hanging on a cliff! There are too many story lines that took dramatic turns at the end with absolutely no resolution. Don’t do that to me! I expect to have some feeling of satisfaction at the completion of a story; in this case I felt that several chapters were just left out because the author had enough pages and decided to stop writing. Even more shocking - the number of five star reviews that I see on Goodreads.
December 11, 2023
3.5 stars
"No matter how you slice it," she said, with a faraway look in her eyes, "every living thing is vulnerable. Human or armadillo, the price of life is suffering."
At times, I really enjoyed this book. It was a compelling coming of age story with quite a unique perspective. I was fascinated to learn so much more about Hansen's Disease (Leprosy) than I had ever known previously, and the historical elements were equally as interesting. The characters felt realistic and complex.
But at other times, I found myself questioning why entire chapters were present. While we mainly follow one narrator, there are random chapters thrown throughout the book that shifts the narration to other characters. This can work if it's done correctly, but here it just felt out of place and stilted. The ending was also incredibly unsatisfying. While of course the point of the novel was the journey itself that the narrator takes, there were so many loose ends that I felt were left hanging in a way that made it feel unfinished.
"No matter how you slice it," she said, with a faraway look in her eyes, "every living thing is vulnerable. Human or armadillo, the price of life is suffering."
At times, I really enjoyed this book. It was a compelling coming of age story with quite a unique perspective. I was fascinated to learn so much more about Hansen's Disease (Leprosy) than I had ever known previously, and the historical elements were equally as interesting. The characters felt realistic and complex.
But at other times, I found myself questioning why entire chapters were present. While we mainly follow one narrator, there are random chapters thrown throughout the book that shifts the narration to other characters. This can work if it's done correctly, but here it just felt out of place and stilted. The ending was also incredibly unsatisfying. While of course the point of the novel was the journey itself that the narrator takes, there were so many loose ends that I felt were left hanging in a way that made it feel unfinished.
November 29, 2023
Much of this book was a four star story but then the ending felt too rushed. After having multiple POVs some decisions are left completely unexplained by not having those POVs revisited and that didn’t make sense to me. Otherwise, I felt this was a very good coming of age story with a good lesson about Hansen’s disease and excellent use of history and different locations.
May 4, 2023
A moving and readable book about a time period and disease not commonly explored. Victor, a Chinese teenager living in NYC, has Hansen's Disease (leprosy) and is sent to Louisiana for treatment. He reluctantly goes bc of the cost and stigma associated with Hansen's and does so to help his family. Not only is scared, there are so many family dynamics to contend with but while at Carville, he finds a freedom that he's never explored or known before. This read touches on so many things, friendship, family, immigration, secrets and disability. Victor and his family are so memorable that I would love a continuation of their stories.
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
September 1, 2023
A really important and interesting chapter of not-so-distant history; hearing the author’s interview with her father, off of whose life Victor’s story is based, really added a wonderful layer to the story. The story was good but I felt it was lacking a certain depth and punch—I think maybe feeling comes from Victor’s story which I found to be a bit less compelling than the side characters.
November 7, 2024
King of the Armadillos is about Victor Chin, a 15 year-old boy living in the Bronx in the 1950s. Victor is diagnosed with Hansen's disease, also known as leprosy, and sent to live at the Carville leprosarium in Louisana. He has lived in the Bronx since he was a child, when he emigrated from China with his older brother to live with their father.
At first, Victor is worried he will be lonely or miserable at the hospital but he meets others his age and begins to live like a teenager, while also worrying about his disease. All things considered, Victor has a nice life at Carville. He has more opportunities than if he had stayed in the Bronx, schooling and socially. He falls in love with music and begins to learn how to play the piano, a skill that eventually may help him go to college. However, his absence seems to only have increased the issues with his family dynamics, him in LA, his mother in China, his brother and father in NYC with his 'step-mother' Ruth.
Ruth is not his true step-mother because his father is still married to his mother who has no idea she has been replaced in America. His older brother Henry resents Ruth and this makes their relationship hard. Victor on the other hand grew up with Ruth around and developed more of a true mother relationship with her. He is constantly torn because of his immense love for his mother in China and how his relationship with Ruth confuses that. Victor thrives at Carville while his family struggles in their lives.
I won't say anymore so I don't spoil anything but this was such an amazing story. The way the author writes the characters felt like she cared deeply for them so it made perfect sense when I found out that the inspiration for Victor was her own father. Her father's struggle with Hansen's and subsequent life at Carville was very different but followed a similar vein. He also fell in love with music at the facility and struggled with his familiar relationships while there. I read this while listening to the audiobook and the end of the audiobook has a very nice conversation between her and her father.
This author's writing is so beautiful that I want to go read everything she has ever written.
At first, Victor is worried he will be lonely or miserable at the hospital but he meets others his age and begins to live like a teenager, while also worrying about his disease. All things considered, Victor has a nice life at Carville. He has more opportunities than if he had stayed in the Bronx, schooling and socially. He falls in love with music and begins to learn how to play the piano, a skill that eventually may help him go to college. However, his absence seems to only have increased the issues with his family dynamics, him in LA, his mother in China, his brother and father in NYC with his 'step-mother' Ruth.
Ruth is not his true step-mother because his father is still married to his mother who has no idea she has been replaced in America. His older brother Henry resents Ruth and this makes their relationship hard. Victor on the other hand grew up with Ruth around and developed more of a true mother relationship with her. He is constantly torn because of his immense love for his mother in China and how his relationship with Ruth confuses that. Victor thrives at Carville while his family struggles in their lives.
I won't say anymore so I don't spoil anything but this was such an amazing story. The way the author writes the characters felt like she cared deeply for them so it made perfect sense when I found out that the inspiration for Victor was her own father. Her father's struggle with Hansen's and subsequent life at Carville was very different but followed a similar vein. He also fell in love with music at the facility and struggled with his familiar relationships while there. I read this while listening to the audiobook and the end of the audiobook has a very nice conversation between her and her father.
This author's writing is so beautiful that I want to go read everything she has ever written.
July 2, 2023
Victor is a 16 year old Chinese emigrant living in the New York Bronx with his father and brother when he is diagnosed with Hansen's disease, also known as leprosy. Set in the 1950s there was still a strong stigma against the disease, and cause Victor to be sent to an isolation camp to receive medical attention. At first the move to Carville in Louisiana turned Victor's life upside down. But after a few months, and as he began feeling better he realizes that Carville offers something unique in that everyone within the camp is in the same boat and on a similar playing field. Victor even goes so far as to feel a sense of belonging in the camp. But what happens as he begins to fully recover and returning to the "real world" begins to loom ever closer?
Although the novel reads similarly to other "coming of age" novels, the leprosy diagnosis gave a different light on the story. Additionally, I appreciated that the book took something that was true in the fifties and built a new story around such an experience. Until this book I had never realized that there were isolation camps in America, nor that leprosy was still stigmatized in the 1950s. Unlike some of the other popular books out there right now this did not read as a light-hearted novel, but instead is something that evoked feeling, and thoughts that will stay with me for some time. It has also caused me to "think" after reading the book. I really enjoyed reading this book, and recommend to anyone that is interested in the coming of age theme.
Although the novel reads similarly to other "coming of age" novels, the leprosy diagnosis gave a different light on the story. Additionally, I appreciated that the book took something that was true in the fifties and built a new story around such an experience. Until this book I had never realized that there were isolation camps in America, nor that leprosy was still stigmatized in the 1950s. Unlike some of the other popular books out there right now this did not read as a light-hearted novel, but instead is something that evoked feeling, and thoughts that will stay with me for some time. It has also caused me to "think" after reading the book. I really enjoyed reading this book, and recommend to anyone that is interested in the coming of age theme.
January 8, 2025
Before reading this, I did not know anything about Hansen’s disease beyond a continued (and now dismantled) belief in some of the myths surrounding it. I was happy to unlearn these, and I thought the author told the story of a young boy sent to a government research ‘colony’ with grace. No individual scene in this story is given full attention—it is more character driven than plot driven. I found the ending kind of unsatisfying and wanted to see Victor reunite with his family, especially his mom who had been in China for many years, or follow up with Ruth, who was his stepmom in a way that brought out a lot of interesting questions.
The Carville institute is portrayed in a very interesting way, before the matter is dropped completely. U.S. research facilities have not been benevolent toward marginalized groups and that trauma resounds today. In this version of Carville, every character seems to be from a marginalized community, especially for the time it was set in. Despite the fact that Carville is discussed as a complicated institution, the protagonist seems to have mostly positive feelings about it, the story remains positive/appreciative, and the nature of these institutions isn’t discussed much. Assuming that white gentiles also had Hansen’s disease, where were they treated and why did none end up at Carville? Reading into this, it feels like there’s a lot more to the potential insidious aspect of the colony than was fully realized in this book, which leaves me curious.
The Carville institute is portrayed in a very interesting way, before the matter is dropped completely. U.S. research facilities have not been benevolent toward marginalized groups and that trauma resounds today. In this version of Carville, every character seems to be from a marginalized community, especially for the time it was set in. Despite the fact that Carville is discussed as a complicated institution, the protagonist seems to have mostly positive feelings about it, the story remains positive/appreciative, and the nature of these institutions isn’t discussed much. Assuming that white gentiles also had Hansen’s disease, where were they treated and why did none end up at Carville? Reading into this, it feels like there’s a lot more to the potential insidious aspect of the colony than was fully realized in this book, which leaves me curious.
March 18, 2025
I loved this one and I am sure it will be one of my top reads in 2025. This was the March read for my book club and everyone really liked the book. The story, inspired by the author’s father, concerns a teenager of Chinese heritage living in New York City named Victor. Set in the 1960’s, he is diagnosed with leprosy and sent to live in the Carville Sanitarium in Louisiana where he receives medical treatment for the disease. I learned some interesting things about leprosy through this book, but Victor’s time at Carville was just a part of the story. This book is about family bonds and what makes a family, friendships, hope and healing. It is beautifully written with all of the characters expertly described. The settings, including China, New York City and Carville, Louisiana come to life through these pages.
I listened to this on Audible and the narrator, an actor is now one of my favorites. He is wonderful with all the voices. One bonus to listening to this, is that at the end, there is an interview between the author and her father which gives further insight to the story.
Spend some time with Victor, his family and friends. You will be glad you did! Five ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
I listened to this on Audible and the narrator, an actor is now one of my favorites. He is wonderful with all the voices. One bonus to listening to this, is that at the end, there is an interview between the author and her father which gives further insight to the story.
Spend some time with Victor, his family and friends. You will be glad you did! Five ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
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