When eighteen-year-old aspiring artist Louisa sees an exhibition containing her favorite painting by the artist C. Jat being held, she sneaks in, only to be chased into an alley by security guards. There, she collides with an apparent homeless man, and together, they spray-paint a wall with their art. Only then does she realize that the man is her idol, C. Jat. This is the start of a cross-country journey with the artist's friend Ted and her quest to find the meaning of the painting.
Told from the present day and twenty-five years earlier through the trials of a group of fourteen-year-old friends, the story of the painting and the friendships depicted in it emerges. Louisa, now serendipitously the owner of the painting, feels burdened by the enormity of the painting's value and its historic beginnings. Her life is now intertwined with those of the artist and his friends.
This story is about love, trust, and the powerful bonds of friendship. Told with wit and compassion, the novel is heartwarming and sometimes gut-wrenching but never dull. I read the book in record time, unable to part with the characters and their lives. It was only toward the end that I slowed down, not wanting the book to end. This is another out-of-the-park homerun from Backman.
5/5 stars.
Thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is May 6, 2025.
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