Fixer Chao

By Han Ong

Book Overview

A cult classic and Los Angeles Times Book of the Year, this sharp, insightful novel by New Yorker contributor Han Ong explores racial and social hierarchy, personal identity, and alienation.

William Paulinha--a resourceful gay Filipino sex worker barely getting by in New York--is determined to turn his life around when he crosses paths with Shem C., an on-the-rise author now disgraced and exiled from both his marriage and the city's literary inner circle. Furious at the world that cast him out, Shem finds in the intelligent and pliable William the perfect accomplice for his plans.

Under Shem's tutelage, William reinvents himself as "Master Chao," an enigmatic Feng Shui consultant catering to New York's wealthiest and most self-satisfied classes. As doors swing open and fortunes are arranged and rearranged, William is pulled ever deeper into the private anxieties and secret desires of the powerful, discovering just how much people will pay to believe that even their moral rot can be purified and saved.

Blending razor-sharp satire with tenderness and psychological insight, Fixer Chao traces a dazzling ascent built on illusion and audacious transformation. By turns funny, devastating, and electrifying, Ong's writing asks what it takes to remake oneself in America--and what, if anything, remains when the performance finally ends.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385552114
• ISBN13: 9780385552110
• Release Date: July 2026
• Publisher: Outsider Editions
• Length: 384 Pages

Customer Reviews

Outstanding Satire

An outstanding literary debut by playwright Han Ong, Fixer Chao manages to be a brilliant satire of the excesses of elitist Manhattanites in the late 90s, while at the same time managing to be a riveting portrait of a failed American dream. Darkly funny and at times very touching, this novel delves into many themes and is a roller coaster of a ride for both us and our protagonist William Narcisco Paulinha is a simple, humble man, an immigrant for whom the American Dream has fallen terribly short. Smarter than his circumstances would indicate, William is a thoughtful man, one who would rather devalue himself than others, a mind-set completely opposite of the cut-throat world of Manhattan in which he lives. These days, he types manuscripts for aspiring writers, a much better job than his previous outing as a hustler turning tricks in the Port Authority bus terminal. Lonely and frustrated, William is above all a man who wants to do good, and he is on the verge of turning his life around when a fateful meeting takes place. One night, at a seedy bar William frequents, he meets Shem, an abrasive, bitter man recently thrown out of his home by his wife, the daughter of a famous novelist. Shem is a social climber (though not terribly good at it), a struggling novelist and a relatively unsuccessful author of celebrity profiles. Having never quite fit into Manhattan's elite, Shem has a plan, a way to exact revenge upon those who see themselves better, smarter and more talented than poor old Shem. Knowing the lemming like quality of the city's upper crust, Shem knows exactly where to hit them, right in their own naiveté. His targets have all the right clothing, the perfect cars, the buzz-inducing interior designers, but most of all they have the desire--no, the absolute need--to be at the forefront of the latest trends, every hot "new thing." Shem has everything he needs to succeed, everything except the Chinese man who can pull it all off. Shem propositions William to take part and become William Chao, a Feng Shui expert from the mysterious East. Shem explains that all William need do is learn a little about the ancient art and ingratiate himself to the elitists to whom Shem will introduce him. From there, it is simple...enter into their lives and do exactly what they want. Arrange their homes to capture the chi, make their living spaces a conduit for successes even beyond their own imaginations. And when he has won their trust, when their lives are on the upswing because of Master Chao's remarkable gift, pull the rug out from under them by doing one thing wrong. Leave out one simple aspect--a mirror is the wrong place, a bed facing an open doorway--something small that will cause their lives to unravel. William agrees and embarks upon an adventure that works perfectly as he--no, his alter ego, the Fixer Chao--is lauded and rises to the level of celebrity, the man who can make everything right, the Master whose ancient art can only improve

Underneath it All, Were All Pretty Much the Same

William Paulinha is an aimless, Filipino street hustler in New York who's done plenty of menial jobs, including turning tricks in the Port Authority men's room. Then one day he's given a chance to improve his lot by Shem C, an embittered social-climbing writer, who wants revenge on the uppercrust of Manhattan's elite who have rejected him. Under Shem C's guidance and armed with the knowledge from a few library books, William is transformed into Master Chao, a revered Feng Shui practitioner from Hong Kong. William, as Master Chao, performs Feng Shui ceremonies to harmonize the homes and the lives of his clients and before long Manhattan's loftiest poets, writers, editors and bankers are all clamoring for his advice.As the scam escalates, the line between truth and untruth starts to blur. William becomes Master Chao in his mind. His original class envy and disdain is replaced by his desire to belong. Is it really a scam if he believes in it himself? Has the Feng Shui con of the century turned on him?With caustic wit, Mr. Ong paints a picture of the foolishness of keeping up with the Jones's, but he also shows his readers that underneath even a pile of wealth, people are pretty much the same in this novel that I couldn't put down.Andy Raven, Raving United Fan

Dark, Funny, Touching

The Fixer Chao is one of those books that you never want to put down, but force yourself to, lest it be over too quickly. Funny, dark and touching with out being trite or manipulative, the story is an entertaining ride with a lead character who, despite his faults, is completely engaging. Ong manages a vivid, descriptive style without the reader ever feeling like he or she is being bombarded with superfluous, flowery language. The result is that the atmosphere, setting, and personal quirks of each character wash over you with ease. As to the ending, despite what others have said, I found it completely satisfying. Was it the ending I expected? No. Was it the ending I wanted? No. It was, however, true to the story and the characters and any other "happier" ending would have seemed out of place and forced. A stand-out book.

Amazingly conceptualized, brilliantly written

Intrigued by a recent magazine review, I had no way of knowing just how magnificent this book would be. Han Ong's metre, word choices, tone and language are pitch perfect. Each page of my hardcover is filled with highlighted sentences and exclamations of just how insightful, how observant this first-time novelist is. Whether a foray into autobiography or simply a brilliantly crafted novel, this book is a must read for anyone who has ever strolled up Central Park West and wondered about the lives lived beyond the doorman.

a new filipino writer

Books by Filipino authors are so rare, bizzarely given our numbers, that it is a treat to get three excellent books about Fil Ams at once (Ong's; de la Paz's beautiful poetry collection; and Brian Ascalon Roley's harrowing American Son). Ong's is the most comic. The press has been emphasizing its satirical aspects, its portrayal of upperclass New Yorkers, but to me the most lasting effect is the potrayal of loners and bitter losers. It gives weight to what could otherwise have been a transient comic experience.