Lucien: A Novel
by J. R. Thornton
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"A gifted yet financially disadvantaged artist falls victim to the manipulative control of his wealthy, enigmatic Harvard roommate in this incendiary novel from the author of Beautiful Country-a piercing exploration of class, ambition, identity, and the perilous cost of reinvention in the tradition of Patricia Highsmith and Donna Tartt. The son of working-class Czech immigrants, Christopher "Atlas" Novotny is a talented painter who arrives at Harvard on a full scholarship. Raised amid show more hardship, he is unprepared for the privileged world introduced to him by his freshman roommate, Lucien Orsini-Conti. Born to wealthy European diplomats, Lucien plays the part of the confident, sophisticated bon vivant. Where Lucien is bold and brash, Atlas is timid and introverted. Growing up a lonely outsider, Atlas is insecure, impressionable, and in awe of his brilliant roommate. But is Lucien all that he seems? Sensing a willing disciple, Lucien introduces Atlas to a glittering new world of lavish parties and elite social clubs. When Atlas struggles to afford his new lifestyle, Lucien offers a solution, convincing the nav?e artist to become a forger, passing off fakes to galleries and dealers. But Lucien's charismatic facade conceals something darker and more sinister. As Lucien's behavior grows increasingly unstable, Atlas is forced into escalating risks with devastating consequences. Drawing inspiration from the true crime stories of Christian Gerhartsreiter (a.k.a. "Clark Rockefeller") and Adam Wheeler, Lucien is as darkly seductive and addictively readable as The Secret History, The Incendiaries, Creation Lake, and The Talented Mr. Ripley"-- Provided by publisher. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
Thanks to Net Galley and Harper Perennial for the opportunity to read this in advance.
If you like stories like The Secret History, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Yellowface, even Saltburn, this one may be right up your alley. It’s a YA, dark academia, psych fiction mashup peppered with a peek into some unique insider-y subcultures (Harvard, frats/secret Ivy League societies, art gallery/auctions).
The backdrop:
Chris is the son of Czech immigrants, a talented artist who’s reached a small level of acclaim. He’s an incoming Harvard freshman on scholarship, a social-fish-out-of-water who finds himself randomly paired with an old-money European roommate, Lucien. At first meeting, Lucien pronounces that Chris is too common a name and show more reinvents him as ‘Atlas.’
Lucien takes ‘Atlas’ under his social wing and raises his on-campus status which opens the door to exclusive invitations, clubs, and events that Atlas would never unlock on his own. In exchange for access and validation from these rich-kids-of-Ivy-League-Instagram types, Atlas willingly and eagerly follows Lucien’s lead down some highly questionable paths culminating in art forgery.
As is common in these types of stories, Atlas/Chris has no identity other than what is projected onto him by others. This is not a knock, it’s a necessary ingredient to bake this type of cake. Readers quickly see through Lucien, but ‘Atlas’ refuses to, despite considerable evidence to the contrary.
It is sometimes hard (at least for me) to identify or empathize with a character who is such a noodle-spined social climber. Atlas is, until he finally isn’t, but at considerable cost. This reads as more adult than YA, but is focused on 18-19 YO characters and a cautionary/coming of age gone wrong tale.
This is well-written, easy to read, and kept me turning pages. You know it’s not going to go well for ‘Atlas/Chris’ and it doesn’t - but there is a satisfying resolution. Along the way, bits about Harvard and the art world feel like a peek behind carefully manicured classist facades in an insider-y way.
There is prevalent recreational drug use and alcohol (blackout drinking) throughout this story, so be aware if that’s an area of sensitivity.
Definitely worth a whirl if this is the kind of story that appeals to you. show less
If you like stories like The Secret History, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Yellowface, even Saltburn, this one may be right up your alley. It’s a YA, dark academia, psych fiction mashup peppered with a peek into some unique insider-y subcultures (Harvard, frats/secret Ivy League societies, art gallery/auctions).
The backdrop:
Chris is the son of Czech immigrants, a talented artist who’s reached a small level of acclaim. He’s an incoming Harvard freshman on scholarship, a social-fish-out-of-water who finds himself randomly paired with an old-money European roommate, Lucien. At first meeting, Lucien pronounces that Chris is too common a name and show more reinvents him as ‘Atlas.’
Lucien takes ‘Atlas’ under his social wing and raises his on-campus status which opens the door to exclusive invitations, clubs, and events that Atlas would never unlock on his own. In exchange for access and validation from these rich-kids-of-Ivy-League-Instagram types, Atlas willingly and eagerly follows Lucien’s lead down some highly questionable paths culminating in art forgery.
As is common in these types of stories, Atlas/Chris has no identity other than what is projected onto him by others. This is not a knock, it’s a necessary ingredient to bake this type of cake. Readers quickly see through Lucien, but ‘Atlas’ refuses to, despite considerable evidence to the contrary.
It is sometimes hard (at least for me) to identify or empathize with a character who is such a noodle-spined social climber. Atlas is, until he finally isn’t, but at considerable cost. This reads as more adult than YA, but is focused on 18-19 YO characters and a cautionary/coming of age gone wrong tale.
This is well-written, easy to read, and kept me turning pages. You know it’s not going to go well for ‘Atlas/Chris’ and it doesn’t - but there is a satisfying resolution. Along the way, bits about Harvard and the art world feel like a peek behind carefully manicured classist facades in an insider-y way.
There is prevalent recreational drug use and alcohol (blackout drinking) throughout this story, so be aware if that’s an area of sensitivity.
Definitely worth a whirl if this is the kind of story that appeals to you. show less
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