An old man named Theo shows up in Golden, unwilling to give his surname or purpose for relocating to the South from New York City. Searching for a good cup of joe, he stumbles upon The Chalice. A coffee shop that adorns its walls with portraits of their guests, done by local artist Asher Glissen. An admirer of the craft, Theo decides to track down the muses and bestow their pictures. Having meaningful heart to hearts with those who show up. His benevolent behavior and life altering conversations creates a ragtag family for him. Theo’s identity remained enshrouded in mystery to the residents and readers alike, until a traumatic event unspools it all.
Complaining about the religious undertones of the novel is idiotic, you clearly missed the point of the story and it shows. At first I was irritated, suspicious even, of Theo’s good guy act. Upon self reflection I realized my reaction had everything to do with my worldview, not his actions. It said everything about my distrust of others based on personal experiences. Removing my trauma from the narrative I shifted my perspective, growing attached to him. If more people behaved as such I wouldn’t’ve been rubbed the wrong way, initially.
At 86 Theo knows he doesn’t have much time left. He’s focused on what matters before exiting this earthly plane. Sage and wealthy, he knows money doesn’t amount to much in the end. The soul is all it comes down to. That’s the meaning of the religious theme. More people need to understand this and act accordingly. There is an afterlife and the material world disintegrates, down to the body, rendering it worthless. Love, time, gratitude, how we make each other feel, are all that matters when it’s said and done. The reader sees how Theo got to this epiphany at the end of the book. High key I cried then wept during the final chapters (the court case, the violent incident, true love- being blessed to feel its power). For that I will not forgive Allen Levi. The elites who don’t understand what awaits them upon dying, and those who claim beliefs their actions don’t align with, need to read this more than anyone. A reminder of the importance of spiritual alignment, it was an honor. Via: Simon & Schuster
