I went into Theo of Golden thinking it was going to be a nice little story. Quiet. Charming. Something to read before bed while I half-watched TV. I was not prepared.
Here’s the premise if you missed our first book club pick: An 84-year-old Portuguese man named Theo arrives in a small southern town called Golden. He stumbles into a coffee shop and discovers 92 pencil portraits hanging on the walls, drawn by a local artist. People who live there, regulars, just everyday folks. And Theo takes it upon himself to find each person and give them their portrait.
What follows is one of the most quietly devastating and beautiful stories I’ve ever read.
