Review of Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

I feel Grinch-like panning this widely beloved story, but for me the sweetness was cloying; the tale slowed to a snail's pace as Allen explored every thought, possibility, and detail; and the twist felt jarring and was revealed too late to carry emotional weight.

Theo, an elderly stranger, appears in the small town of Golden, Georgia, recognizing and appreciating locals' gifts and making them feel seen, sometimes for the first time.

He admires the various portraits of locals decorating the coffee shop's walls, soon buying those that intrigue him and gifting to them to their subjects, welcoming the strangers' life stories and his connections with them.

Significant page time was spent on matters that I found draining and that seemed to slow the story interminably. Theo worries at great length about whether those he is approaching will be suspicious or receptive to his offerings. Yet after so much buildup, his prompt assessment of each stranger's inner worth is taken as touching and true the vast majority of the time. Oddly, the characters often don't know their worth until a wise elderly stranger identifies it, at which point their lives are improved immeasurably.

Theo's true identity is a secret, yet is shared off page with a powerful local consultant, a mover and shaker who puzzlingly exists within this small community and is conveniently perfect for knowing yet preserving Theo's cover and for serving as his high-level bag man.

The good Theo does within the community is laudable: he is the most generous, the most giving, and the most quickly and intensely involved participant in their lives that anyone in need could hope for. His financial resources are endless, and it was satisfying to watch him throw money at issues and resolve much of the crush of them. One bad actor ruins the seamless run of meaningful connections, and the character is so purely evil and destructive, he is allowed no gray areas or complex motivation, and he ultimately upends the circumstances around the Most Kind Actions and Most Generous Impact Ever.

Extra layers to the story are revealed too late for me to feel anything about them; his identity and past were rich but we learn only key elements, and without the benefit of significant portions of Theo's explanatory perspective. In an unsatisfying denouement, his connection to and interest in the town are revealed only after it is possible to explore the potentially complex and intriguing interpersonal implications raised by them.

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This book was originally self-published, then picked up by Atria Books for even more widespread success.

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