Lucien - by J R Thornton (Paperback)

About the Book

"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 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 naèive 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.

Book Synopsis

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 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 naïve 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.

Review Quotes

"Thornton's well-oiled plot threatens to tip into melodrama. He saves the day with granular detail about life in the Ivy League life and keen observations on the elaborate yet empty gestures of Lucien's social circle. The result is a wild ride readers won't soon forget. " -- Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Fine art, forgery, young friendship, and the perils of greed--Lucien is a closely observed and finely crafted campus thriller." -- Nick McDonell, author of Quiet Street
"J.R. Thornton writes with precision and honesty about the fragile math of male friendship, where violence and love are pals, and vulnerability is the harbinger of rage. In a time when men are not supposed to feel anything, Lucien feels everything. It's an explosion of captivating, haunting, and utterly real emotion." -- Patrick Somerville, creator of Station Eleven and author of The Cradle
"Lucien is thrilling in every way--the propulsive narrative, the knife-sharp prose, the nuanced and multi-faceted characters, the unflinching exploration of class, ego, art, and authenticity. J.R. Thornton has married Succession with The Secret History, and the result is an utterly original and deeply affecting novel that lays bare the pressure and perils of privilege." -- Bret Anthony Johnston, author of We Burn Daylight
"An amazing piece of work, well written and clever but most of all, deeply honest and unvarnished." -- Fareed Zakaria, author of Age of Revolutions and host of CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPS, on Beautiful Country
"Simple but wonderful . . . authentic, pure and heartbreaking . . . (Thornton) is an exceptionally gifted young writer." -- Mo Yan, 2012 Nobel Laureate in Literature, on Beautiful Country
"Beautiful Country is, in a word, beautiful. A novel with morality at the center, but absurdity all around." -- Gary Shteyngart, author of Our Country Friends and Super Sad True Love Story, on Beautiful Country