What is Counting Down with Theodore Brown about?
Theo has an ability to see how long a person will remain in his life by a number he sees when he looks in their eyes. He must learn how to deal with this gift/curse and overcome the all encompassing fears and worry they cause him.
Ultimately this YA novel is a beautiful love story with a twist, with a boy taking the chance to love a girl, with all the risk that might entail.
Plot summary of Counting Down with Theodore Brown (No Spoilers)
Theo is 19 and is studying Creative Writing at Community College. He has been told by his tutor to get some life experience to help flesh out his characters and writing itself.
He sets out (warily) to do just that, but has some hurdles to face along the way. He tells it like it is, with all the feelings he experiences from dark to light, hate to love.
He begins with how his gift affects him around about losing people close to him, then the reader follows him in his journey of first love and all it entails. This is all while he still sees numbers in loved one’s eyes.
Review
The intriguing premise attracted me to this book and the fact that the author is a fellow bookseller in Aotearoa New Zealand. I tried to imagine what it would be like facing the numbers in friend’s and loved one’s eyes and how I would possibly deal with that. This was especially true when Theo was young and didn’t know whether the number was a death sentence or not.
I enjoyed his personality, even when he was going through the hard stuff and was awful to his mum, as their mutual love soon shone through again. I also enjoyed meeting HeyJude, (Theo’s therapist) with his calm, wise advice, whether he believed Theo about the numbers or not.
Theo and Lil’s love of retro music and movies is fun, which also star in the novel’s Chapter Headings.
Counting Down with Theodore Brown is a beautiful love story with an intriguing twist. The end result is something we all should think more about.
Characters
Theo – 19 years old. He’s always been seen as a weirdo by others because he would avoid looking people directly in the eye at any cost. Discovering that wearing sun glasses helped what he was trying to avoid was a game changer, but didn’t change his weirdo status much.
He learnt what the numbers he saw in people’s eyes really meant the hard way, when he lost his father. They were very close and it affected him deeply, further moulding his character. Theo loves his mum and appreciates her support, even though she doesn’t believe what he sees.
He loves retro music and movies.
Theo is a sheltered teen with little life experience with girls or many friends. This makes his first romance all the more sweeter to experience along with him.
Theo meets his first love on an online game, and finally arranged to meet up in person.
Lil (Fly)
A talented artist, a straight talker and daughter of wealthy Mexican parents who don’t really understand her. They are tidy, driven and business minded. She is messy, fun-loving and also a talented gamer.
She shares Theo’s love of retro movies and music – especially Dolly Parton, which helps the early stages of their relationship. She also loves any movies with Jeff Goldblum starring in them.
Writing Style
Theo talks directly to the reader explaining his ability to see numbers in people’s eyes. eg. (I shit you not – this is my unfortunate truth).
FAQs
What age is it for?
12 – 18 years
Where & When is it set?
A small town called Fairview, Indiana, USA.
What is the Point of View / Tense of the novel?
First person / Past tense
Is there Violence?
No. There is bigotry and homophobia without physical violence.
What genre is Counting Down with Theodore Brown?
Coming of Age / Romance
Is there any sex in the novel?
Yes
Is there any swearing in the novel?
Yes
Themes
Family, Love, Loss, Becoming an adult
Is it part of a series?
No
Author
Daniel Devenney
Publisher
Allen & Unwin NZ
(2026, Allen & Unwin NZ, Aotearoa New Zealand Author, Humour, Love, Romance, Coming of Age, Growing Up, Grief, Loss, Therapy, Bigotry, Family, Gaming, Fear, Road Trip, Retro Music, Retro Movies)