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A Novel
by J.R. Thornton
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.
"There's something special about Lucien Orsini-Conti, the charismatic enigma at the heart of this addictive thriller...A wild ride readers won't soon forget. " —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Although the book opens with a mystery—what happened to Lucien?—readers should expect more of a coming-of-age campus novel than a thriller. Its themes, though they skew a bit dark, are simple and emotionally moving...Chris's coming-of-age and exploration of class differences amidst mystery will appeal to...dark academia readers." —Booklist
"The perils of hero-worship have rarely been demonstrated with such intensity and style." —The London Times
"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
"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
This information about Lucien was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Born in London, J. R. Thornton graduated from Harvard College in 2014 where he studied history, English, and Chinese. An internationally ranked junior tennis player, he competed for Harvard and on the professional circuit. He was a member of the inaugural class of Schwarzman Scholars, obtaining an M.A. from Tsinghua University in Beijing. He now lives in Italy, working for AC Milan.Lucien is his second novel.
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