THEO

The twisted tale of sexualized, attractive and perennially unlucky Theo, from his various arrests to finding fame and riches, all while making and losing love.

Theo’s journey starts with him married, with two children, to the delicate Chu hua, seemingly fulfilling his role as a blissful family man. All’s well until a fateful night out with wayward former-friend Wessley. The night ends in disaster for young Theo; however, not being one to admit to defeat, he moves on from the heartbreak to work in the family business, taking a job with his uncle, Christian, at a multimillion dollar corporation. Through the ensuing years, Theo simultaneously tries to win back his wife while engaging in orgies with other men. The conflicting behavior continues with Theo ardently pursuing his estranged Chu Hua, then having a sex-fueled romp with Chunhua, a flight attendant who later becomes his second wife. Theo’s journey leads him to a long visit with his parents, the famed performers Cordelia and T’Sang. There, Theo discovers his talent for performing, as well as a taste for the fame and fortune that go with it. Readers learn of still more orgies, past relationships with men and Theo’s burgeoning relationship with Chunhua. Through his many encounters with his past, some well-deserved retribution and a reunion with a long-lost family member, Theo learns about himself and the man he wants to be. While he can be a likable character, his contradictory behavior and capricious missteps can at times be trying for the reader’s patience. What’s more trying, though, is the author’s fleeting command of the English language; the text includes many punctuation and grammar mistakes. While Theo’s struggle with his own sexuality is forefront in the story, it’s told in such a disjointed way that the reader can barely build any real sympathy for him. Although the story is infused with numerous sex scenes, they lack a reasonable buildup; the result feels like an inferior take on a grocery-store romance novella.

An engaging story that’s gone flaccid.