Levi: Theo of Golden

4 Stars

Beautiful. Truly a meditation on the beauty of life, the importance of relationships, investing in people, and recognizing the complexity of being human.

Theo is such a lovable character. His past is heartbreaking, yet he creates such a beautiful world for himself and the people around him. I especially loved the variety of friendships he forms with people from different generations and walks of life. I also really enjoyed the focus on the fine arts and how art can connect us without the story ever feeling preachy about its importance.

The writing is gorgeous, and there are so many lines I want to go back and collect. “Be fully invested in the art of living”is one that will stay with me.

This was definitely a slow burn for me. The plot moves slowly, and the story is contemplative and meditative, so it took me longer to read than most books. But I found it incredibly worthwhile. I also loved the underlying mystery woven throughout: Why is Theo in Golden, and what is he really doing there?

Simone and Ellen’s story absolutely gutted me, especially seeing what happened to Theo after what had been his best day ever. There are so many larger questions and life lessons here to sit with, and I particularly appreciated the legal conflicts and the thoughtful reflection they offered. The overall twist was big, and I didn’t see it coming.

I was initially hesitant about this being categorized as Christian literature because I didn’t want to feel preached at. Thankfully, that wasn’t my experience at all. I’d much rather describe this as good human literature—a story about how we live, how we love, and how we choose to invest in one another.

My one lingering qualm, and one I’m still processing, is that so much of this beautiful encouragement of art and community is made possible by wealth. That reality is very different from life for most people. I don’t think this takes away from the meaning of the story, though. If anything, it made me think about the responsibility that comes with having wealth: what if, instead of hoarding it, more people used their resources to create opportunities, beauty, and better lives for others?

A beautiful, thoughtful, contemplative read that I highly recommend.