This book is POPULAR where I work. Like, we can barely keep it on the shelf. I happened to have access to the audiobook, so I decided to see what all the fuss was about.

Theo of Golden by Allen Levi tells the story of, you guessed it, Theo. He’s a Portuguese man who has been living in New York for some time, but has decided to move to the small Southern town of Golden for a quieter life. Once there, he discovers that a local artist is displaying/selling portraits in a small coffee shop. Enchanted by the artworks, Theo embarks on a personal quest to purchase as many portraits as he can, and give them to their rightful owners. As he does so, he meets many people, whose lives all change after getting to know him. And as time goes on, the portrait of Golden as a whole comes into view.

The more I think about it, the more I can’t decide how I feel about this book. I am generally in favor of it, but with an asterisk. So wish me luck writing this review.

Basically, I don’t think I’m the target demographic for this book, based on the customers I’ve seen buying this. That said, I did still enjoy it, but to me, it’s not as profound or ground-breaking as it is for a lot of people. Not sure what that says about me, or the book’s fans, and I mean no disrespect to them at all. I’m glad they like such a wholesome story and have connected with these characters. Maybe I’m too jaded or something.

But to me, Theo of Golden is such a safe story. Yes, it’s very sweet and kind and quiet, and says a lot about how to be a supportive community. But it also doesn’t really take any risks or say anything that would be controversial. It has a technically diverse cast, yet without really representing anyone that its readers would find actually “different” from themselves (for example, there are no queer characters, and only a few people of color). There’s kind of a To Kill a Mockingbird-esque subplot about an immigrant at one point that is very compelling, sure, and lots of empathy shown to a homeless character. But for me, the book overall simply doesn’t push the envelope. It’s like Levi is afraid to be assertive with his book’s themes, like he’s afraid to offend anyone, for any reason. And I think given the current state of affairs in America, that’s not quite enough.

But then again, a gentle story about connecting with people on a human level is also vital to our world today. And I can’t deny that that’s what Theo is about. It’s about getting to know people you never considered talking to before, and taking an interest in their lives. It’s about making space for other experiences and other viewpoints. It’s about appreciating life and friendship and community. It’s a slow, contemplative tale, and that does have value in this high-stress, breakneck society we live in.

Plus, I really like the titular character. I didn’t realize just how much until a specific plot point toward the end of the story (if you’ve read the book, you can probably guess, but I’ll just say “the balcony part”). And it was then I realized “oh, wait, I love Theo. I didn’t realize how much until just now.” And the way the book resolves, the way certain plot threads and several minor characters’ lives are interwoven, is great. You finish the book with a bittersweet feeling, and that’s okay. Additionally, the Christian themes and sensibilities are not too preachy (except perhaps one scene toward the end), and for me, this book portrays how real Christians should behave (but so often do not, especially where I live). So for that, I have to give Levi some credit.

In the end, Theo of Golden was a complicated reading experience for me. It’s a simple story, and a slow-moving, character-driven book. Those aren’t bad things, of course. I just feel conflicted because it’s a book that’s almost insistently inoffensive, if that makes sense. It’s got great themes about kindness and togetherness, so I can’t really complain there; it’s just missing something for me. Maybe that’s a personal problem, who knows. I certainly didn’t dislike this book, and I don’t really have issues or critiques per se (like I did with A Man Called Ove, which I feel has a nearly identical reader demographic). In fact, I can recommend this to a lot of people at my work, either the physical book or the audio narrated by David Morse. Also, I’m 100% certain this will someday have a tv or movie adaptation.

Theo of Golden is available now!