{"product_id":"lucien-a-novel-by-j-r-thornton","title":"Lucien: A Novel by J.R. Thornton","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eA 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 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold a-text-italic\"\u003eBeautiful Country—\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003ea piercing exploration of class, ambition, identity, and the perilous cost of reinvention in the tradition of Patricia Highsmith and Donna Tartt.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBorn 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?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSensing 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBut 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDrawing inspiration from the true crime stories of Christian Gerhartsreiter (a.k.a. “Clark Rockefeller”) and Adam Wheeler, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eLucien\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is as darkly seductive and addictively readable as \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eThe Secret History, The Incendiaries\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eCreation Lake,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eThe Talented Mr. Ripley.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREVIEWS\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"Who doesn't love a story about an outsider gaining access to some hall of privilege and having their illusions shattered?\" ⎯\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold a-text-italic\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eNew York Magazine\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“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. ” — \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold a-text-italic\"\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003e, starred review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eLucien\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e fits neatly into the genre of campus novel, alongside such classics as Curtis Sittenfeld’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003ePrep\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, Donna Tartt’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eThe Secret History\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (especially) and John Knowles’ \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eA Separate Peace\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. . . . Thornton captures the college scene with witty ease.\" ⎯\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold a-text-italic\"\u003eMinneapolis Star Tribune\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DETAILS\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePaperback\u003cbr\u003ePublisher: Harper Perennial\u003cbr\u003eISBN: \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e978-0063458437\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePages: 320\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Page \u0026 Turner","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44980479033552,"sku":null,"price":1150.0,"currency_code":"PHP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0568\/8000\/5328\/files\/71g7OpDICwL._SL1500.jpg?v=1775634850","url":"https:\/\/pageandturner.ph\/products\/lucien-a-novel-by-j-r-thornton","provider":"Page \u0026 Turner","version":"1.0","type":"link"}