by Allen Levi
Atria, 2025. 387 pages. Fiction
One spring morning, a stranger arrives in the small southern city of Golden, Alabama. No one knows where he has come from, or why. His name is Theo. And he asks a lot more questions than he answers. Theo visits the local coffeehouse, where ninety-two pencil portraits hang on the walls, portraits of the people of Golden done by a local artist. He begins purchasing them, one at a time, and putting them back in the hands of their "rightful owners." With each exchange, a story is told, a friendship born, and a life altered.
Theo of Golden has caused quite a sensation lately. The book was self-published by the author in 2023, but it created enough interest that it was published by a large publisher in 2025. Of course, I had to see what the buzz was about!
Curious readers might want to know that this is considered general Christian fiction. This can be mostly seen in the use of symbolism in the character of Theo. For me, the quiet pace and beautiful writing made the reading experience a soothing one. I also loved that Theo slowly built a strong foundation of lifelong and sometimes unexpected friends through his acts of service. If you're looking for a well-written book about the power of kindness, art, generosity, and friendship, this is a great one to pick up!
If you like Theo of Golden you might also like:
by Virginia Evans
Crown, 2025. 285 pages. Fiction
Throughout her life Sybil Van Antwerp has used letters to make sense of the world and her place in it. In her 70s, Sybil expects her world to go on as it always has. A mother, a grandmother, a wife, a divorcee, and a distinguished lawyer, she has lived a full life. But when letters from someone in her past force her to examine one of the most painful periods of her life, she realizes one letter she has been writing over the years needs to be read and that she cannot move forward until she finds it in her heart to offer forgiveness.
by Ashley Ream
Dutton, 2025. 403 pages. Fiction
When fourteen-year-old July arrives in the isolated island town of Ebey's End, her uncanny ability to sense what people need begins quietly transforming the community, forcing its residents—and herself—to confront unexpected truths about their lives.
by Paulo Coelho
Harper San Francisco, c1993. 177 pages. Fiction
A man tells an unnamed being the story of his life, which serves as a fable about undauntingly following one's dreams, listening to one's heart, and reading life's omens.
MB
No comments:
Post a Comment