Theo of Golden

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Synopsis

One spring morning, a stranger arrives in the small southern city of Golden. 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.

A story of giving and receiving, of seeing and being seen, Theo of Golden is a beautifully crafted novel about the power of creative generosity, the importance of wonder to a purposeful life, and the invisible threads of kindness that bind us to one another.

Synopsis source: The StoryGraph

Review

Genre(s): Literary Fiction, Christian, Contemporary
HB&W Rating: 5 stars
View on StoryGraph, Goodreads
Buy on Barnes & Noble, Amazon

This is one of those books that actually lives up to the hype. Theo of Golden is full of hope, kindness, love, and all the very best parts of humanity.

Through Theo and his “bestowal” conversations, the author shows us what it looks like to slow down and truly see a person, rather than simply look at them. Those conversations ripple outward, often leaving people changed in unexpected ways and blessed in even more ways, creating a beautiful, broader arc for the story.

I loved the small-town setting and the way everyone’s stories were interconnected. The mysterious reason for Theo’s presence in Golden wasn’t exactly much of a mystery, but honestly, I didn’t care because everything unfolded so beautifully.

I teared up multiple times while reading this, including once while listening to the audiobook on my morning run (terribly inconvenient for breathing ?). Speaking of the audiobook, it is fantastic. The narrator brought so much nuance to each character, and it was masterfully done.

But seriously, I loved this book so much. There is so much wisdom here—the kind that comes with age, experience, and reflection. I especially loved the way the author approaches Christianity through the lens of living your faith rather than simply talking about it. I will say, it did get a little preachy toward the end, which is usually a major turnoff for me. But somehow, it barely phased me here. It felt authentic to the story, almost like sitting down and talking with your grandpa while he passes along the things he’s learned over a lifetime.

Until next time,

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