Theo of Golden
A Novel
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4.6 • 7.9K Ratings
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING PHENOMENON
A Katie Couric Book Club Pick • A Jen Hatmaker Book Club Pick
“[A] word-of-mouth smash hit.” —The New York Times
“A treasure.” —Hoda Kotb
One spring morning, a stranger named Theo arrives in the small Southern city of Golden. He doesn’t explain much about where he came from or why he’s there—but when he visits the local coffeehouse, where pencil portraits of the people of Golden hang on the walls, he begins purchasing them, one at a time, and giving each portrait to the person depicted. In exchange, he asks only for the person’s story. And so portrait by portrait, person by person, secrets are revealed, regrets are shared, and ordinary lives are profoundly altered.
A story of giving and receiving, of seeing and being seen, Theo of Golden is an unforgettable novel about the power of generosity, the importance of connection, and the quiet miracles that happen when we choose kindness and wonder.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
When something is so beautiful it’s a little bit sad, we call it poignant. That’s the feeling that wells up throughout Allen Levi’s exceedingly gentle novel. A Portuguese octogenarian named Theo arrives in a small Southern U.S. city and heads to a coffee shop lined with portraits drawn by a local artist. After buying them all up, he sets out to gift each one to its subject. But what is the meaning behind all this? Levi masterfully lets this question float languidly through the vignettes that follow as the old man meets a diverse collection of people. And what becomes beautifully clear is that while the world still contains violence, hatred, and indifference, this simply makes the good Theo is doing that much more important. Theo of Golden proves that sincerity has a vital place in the world of literature.
Customer Reviews
Sublime perfection1
Get ready for a real treat!
Too sweet
Started out ok with an interesting but mysterious stranger arriving in Golden. The bestowals of portraits were interesting. But it was a bit saccharine-too fakely sweet. The discovery the son’s identity was predictable. The character of Theo too good and thus unbelievable. Is this an attempt to make Theo a Christ like figure who sacrifices himself? The attack on Ellen and the cellist and Theo’s death as the climax was dramatic but a bit contrived. The Bible verse at the end was too religious, especially for those who aren’t Christian and maybe even some Christians.
Sweet but got repeptitive
Sweet but got repetitive. I ended up skipping last 20% and going to the end.