Theo of Golden, by Allen Levi (2023), 400 pages
Theo is an elderly Portuguese man
that seemingly appears out of nowhere in Golden, Georgia. He quickly charms the
locals and begins a quest to hand deliver portraits that are displayed in the
local coffee shop back to the subjects of those portraits. Through the process,
Theo gradually reveals a bit about himself while taking in the stories of the
people behind the art. A deep narrative is revealed and secrets
uncovered.
In some ways, this is a lovely
story of a long life, regrets, and renewed purpose. In other ways, it reads
like "Chicken Soup for the Soul". I listened to the book and, at some
points, had to stop because it just got too saccharine. I enjoyed the premise
of the novel, but the perfect, continually heartwarming endings of each story
put a damper on any sort of ability to connect with the characters. There is a
"surprise" at the end of the book. Careful readers, though, will not
be shocked.
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