Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5940 in Books
• Published on: 1999-09-06
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

Synopsis
The story of an independent young woman whose life is changed forever by a chance encounter with a childhood friend. A magical blend of compelling action, exotic locations and intriguing characters, told with Paulo's characteristic power and insight. Pilar is an independent and practical young woman who is feeling bored and frustrated by the daily grind of her university life. Looking for a deeper meaning to her existence, she happens to meet an old childhood friend, now a handsome, mesmerizing spiritual teacher -- and a rumoured miracle worker. As he leads her on a magical journey through the Fench Pyrenees, Pilar begins to realize that this chance encounter is going to transform her life forever. With Paulo's trademark blend of mysticism, magical realism and folklore, Pilar's story is a poignant and deeply inspiring tale

Customer Reviews

Great introduction, disappointing story
The introduction to the book is wonderfully written about the spiritual importance of love "True love is an act of total surrender" and "To love is to be in communion with the other and to discover in that other the spark of God." It really whetted my appetite for the main story. However I felt the main story never really engaged me and I almost didn't care if the two main characters ended up being together or not.

The main character is Pilar, a young Spanish woman who has settled for seeking the conventional life of study, job and finding a man to marry. She goes to hear her childhood sweetheart speak who has entered into the religious life after travelling the world. From there the two of them spend 5 days together. It is the story of Pilar's battle to overcome her self-control of life and yield to love and Mother God. Both characters struggle with their sense of religious calling as they experience Catholic charastmatic experiences.

There are some interesting moments in the story but generally I did not find anything very new and the characters were fairly superficial, it was hard to engage with them.

Not one of Paulo Coelho's better books. Although I still think the three page introduction made it worth buying.

Simple story in the shadow of the Alchemist
The story is simple, a girl gets a call from a child hood friend who is now in the seminary, to attend his lecture. She meets him and the bonding gets strengthened, then she comes to know that he has the ability to create miracles and cure people. But he is torn between his love for her and his responsibility towards fellow humans. By the time she decides to support him in his role, he gives up his ability to be with her. So she runs away from him and writes the story sitting in front of the river Piedra. Belief has it that anything thrown into the river Piedra turns into stone and she thinks she can cast away her sorrow.

It would have been better if the story ended there. However he comes back in search of her and promises to be with her and cure people too.

Coelho has a way with words and even his simple sentences are lyrical. But somehow the emotional bonding with characters necessary for a great story is missing in this. May be there is an allegory in the story that is beyond me. The way I understood is, it is the story of a man torn between his responsibility and his love.

That which we deny!!!
I've just read it after wanting more of Paulo Coelho since reading the Alchemist... I wasn't disappointed at all.

The trials and tribulation of Pilar was all too real for me. I've just recommended the book to someone who has been the object of my frustration for the last few years and hope that he will be inspired after reading the book and find the courage to make 'it' happen.

All too often we live as what we feel is expected of us and not discover the true essence of our being. We deny the rights of our feelings and lock away our inner most thought lest it overpowers the 'role we have to play', I know it all too well.

I certainly found some comfort in this book knowing that we hold the key to our destiny and unlocking it and facing our fears can change our course of life and living if only we learn to accept and find acceptance in our love.

I certainly will re-read it to indulge in the hidden wisdom of this marvellous spiritual author.