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3.3 AVERAGE
3.3 AVERAGE
I think I was more interested in the story after reading the interview with author included at the end of my copy, haha. I didn't connect much with the characters, but the philosophy and travel aspect of it was interesting!
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
2.6 stars
Okay, dear dear Paulo Coelho. Where do I start?
This is how this book briefly was written.
Careful, this review contains spoilers!
Just so you guys and girls know, this is the seventh book I read by the dude in here, so I am talking based on previous experience, not prejudgment, ok?
Paulo in this extravagant novel is searching for his wife who decided to leave no trace of her whereabouts to him because she felt unhappy. Unhappy because he doesn't understand her, because he is always too busy because bla bla bla bla bla.
I think in his mind, Coelho created the impossible kind of woman. I would never suspect that a woman would be ok with her husband having affairs all the time and when he says that he doesn't want her anymore, she puts her foot down and says NO, you do want me.
blakh.
Annd then when he finds out that she left him, and that now, in the end of the book, she's pregnant, he's cool with it. He's very cool. no. There's NO guy out there like that no matter how good he is.
okay, now I want to talk about the dudes EXCELLENT (not) philosophy.
After 7 books, I finally would express my dismay!!! WOHOU. The picture below will explain what I am feeling right now.
His philosophy is very shallow and cheesy.
I am not going to start lecturing people on MY philosophy. No. I am not here to do that. But I want to say that sometimes some things are more important than personal happiness and that NO ONE is happy except the ignorant. So I am happy with my unhappiness, thank you very much, Coelho.
I hate his philosophy and his style of writing (ok, I know. I am reading the translation BUT) is very annoying, disturbing, and it feels like he took extra doses of drugs while writing all of his books. It is sooo calm, and it is SOOO ANNOYING. Argh. okay.
This is me only.
oh, and, the whole talk about God and the bible scriptures... it is just bleurgh. Dude... no, just no. i respect your religious beliefs BUT NO. He puts his religiousness in a very cheesy concept.
And he goes on and on talking about the energy of love and how it would save our lives. Dude, I know that shit, I really do. but your cheesy kind of writing style is making me hate the hell out of love and promote violence. Your books are dull, very dull, and boring. I know I know I shouldn't read them if I don't like them but curiosity gets the best of me. I try to read any book I set my eyes upon no matter how good and bad it is.
besides, I think esther is a bitch.
oh
and I hate how he promotes for his other books IN HIS BOOKS. DONE IT THOUSANDS OF TIMES. DUDE, HOW MUCH REALLY DO YOU WANT TO SELL YOUR BOOKS? GREEDY LITTLE BASTARD.
The only thing I liked about this book is his obsession with his wife. Nice idea. LOVED IT. It is very new, especially since people rarely admit about their obsessions.
Okay, dear dear Paulo Coelho. Where do I start?
This is how this book briefly was written.
Careful, this review contains spoilers!
Spoiler
Just so you guys and girls know, this is the seventh book I read by the dude in here, so I am talking based on previous experience, not prejudgment, ok?
Paulo in this extravagant novel is searching for his wife who decided to leave no trace of her whereabouts to him because she felt unhappy. Unhappy because he doesn't understand her, because he is always too busy because bla bla bla bla bla.
I think in his mind, Coelho created the impossible kind of woman. I would never suspect that a woman would be ok with her husband having affairs all the time and when he says that he doesn't want her anymore, she puts her foot down and says NO, you do want me.
blakh.
Annd then when he finds out that she left him, and that now, in the end of the book, she's pregnant, he's cool with it. He's very cool. no. There's NO guy out there like that no matter how good he is.
okay, now I want to talk about the dudes EXCELLENT (not) philosophy.
After 7 books, I finally would express my dismay!!! WOHOU. The picture below will explain what I am feeling right now.
His philosophy is very shallow and cheesy.
I am not going to start lecturing people on MY philosophy. No. I am not here to do that. But I want to say that sometimes some things are more important than personal happiness and that NO ONE is happy except the ignorant. So I am happy with my unhappiness, thank you very much, Coelho.
I hate his philosophy and his style of writing (ok, I know. I am reading the translation BUT) is very annoying, disturbing, and it feels like he took extra doses of drugs while writing all of his books. It is sooo calm, and it is SOOO ANNOYING. Argh. okay.
This is me only.
oh, and, the whole talk about God and the bible scriptures... it is just bleurgh. Dude... no, just no. i respect your religious beliefs BUT NO. He puts his religiousness in a very cheesy concept.
And he goes on and on talking about the energy of love and how it would save our lives. Dude, I know that shit, I really do. but your cheesy kind of writing style is making me hate the hell out of love and promote violence. Your books are dull, very dull, and boring. I know I know I shouldn't read them if I don't like them but curiosity gets the best of me. I try to read any book I set my eyes upon no matter how good and bad it is.
besides, I think esther is a bitch.
oh
and I hate how he promotes for his other books IN HIS BOOKS. DONE IT THOUSANDS OF TIMES. DUDE, HOW MUCH REALLY DO YOU WANT TO SELL YOUR BOOKS? GREEDY LITTLE BASTARD.
The only thing I liked about this book is his obsession with his wife. Nice idea. LOVED IT. It is very new, especially since people rarely admit about their obsessions.
Lovely book. Helped me explore the recesses of my relationships.
First, I want to make it clear that I don't care that Coelho writes his stories around strings of quotable cliches. I don't care. He may not be the Giorgio Armani of literature, but he is certainly the artisan who creates the pretty fabrics.
I didn't really understand the mission of the main character. I guess the bottom line is that I'm too selfish to share someone I love with anyone else lest the love for me should be overshadowed. Isn't that the greatest fear of anyone that loves someone else? That the love is temporary? That anyone is replaceable? That the journey of life may contain countless opportunities to love many people, not just one? Is that not the most terrifying feeling? To think to oneself "I may love you now, but I can't guarantee that I will after spending day after innumerable day with you..." It's the risk we take that allows us that brief joy of being loved wholly by someone, even if it's only for a little while.
How sad and happy, all at once.
I didn't really understand the mission of the main character. I guess the bottom line is that I'm too selfish to share someone I love with anyone else lest the love for me should be overshadowed. Isn't that the greatest fear of anyone that loves someone else? That the love is temporary? That anyone is replaceable? That the journey of life may contain countless opportunities to love many people, not just one? Is that not the most terrifying feeling? To think to oneself "I may love you now, but I can't guarantee that I will after spending day after innumerable day with you..." It's the risk we take that allows us that brief joy of being loved wholly by someone, even if it's only for a little while.
How sad and happy, all at once.
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It's started with a plot of finding your love and how one can get so attached to a person he truly loves but it ended with a spiritual notes. Some plots and quotes in books are good but I can't find it too much intresting it was a decent book to read and it was little heavy but the examples and quotes are good. Overall I loved the experience of the book and just want to read the quotes not the entire book lol....
Oh my god, this book! I had such high hopes because I've heard such awesome things concerning this book but I was let down so much by it.
I actually HATE this book so much. I could not stand the characters, the plot or even the "deep philosophy" that Paulo was supposed to provide here.
All I read in this was "me me me me me me me me me" Like what the hell is going on!? Then there's his wife's friend Mikhail that never SHUTS UP!!!! I know that the philosophy was presented here in the form of Mikhail's speech but still.
This book forced me to do something that I NEVER even thought I would do to a book before and which is skip pages!!! NOT SKIM BUT SKIP!!!! I couldn't even skim anymore but I was determined to finish it because I had already bought it and I don't like to have unfinished books on my shelf.
The end is what REALLY irked me. He meets up with his wife and then BAM like nothing happened they got back together! Like WHAT!?! NO!
I wish I'd never bought this book.
I actually HATE this book so much. I could not stand the characters, the plot or even the "deep philosophy" that Paulo was supposed to provide here.
All I read in this was "me me me me me me me me me" Like what the hell is going on!? Then there's his wife's friend Mikhail that never SHUTS UP!!!! I know that the philosophy was presented here in the form of Mikhail's speech but still.
This book forced me to do something that I NEVER even thought I would do to a book before and which is skip pages!!! NOT SKIM BUT SKIP!!!! I couldn't even skim anymore but I was determined to finish it because I had already bought it and I don't like to have unfinished books on my shelf.
The end is what REALLY irked me. He meets up with his wife and then BAM like nothing happened they got back together! Like WHAT!?! NO!
I wish I'd never bought this book.
The first time I picked a Paulo Coelho book, the hype associated with it was mind-boggling. Every other bookseller was displaying it as their most priced book ever. And without much hassle, the book sold a lot of copies. It was 'The Alchemist'. The 38,000 word tale was enough to tell you what your heart already knew. 5 years later, I am sitting in my bedroom, with my copy of 'The Zahir', wondering how this author peels off the first layer of your skin. The process is just to ensure a rise in awareness of being in presence of things that make you see yourself in a wholly different way. Stinging and sympathising, partly with the author and partly with the bits of the protaganist that live inside mr, I learned that being stripped of that skin -the acomotador- is the best thing that could happen.
Zahir is something or someone that comes into your life, fills up the spaces in your heart and mind, and then simply refuses to leave. It becomes an obsession. The author's journey in the book is pretty similar to Santiago's quest in 'The Alchemist'. Both of them are in search of their treasure. But there is a bigger picture here: Things will change in the most twisted way possible but when the time is right, you will find what you are looking for. Till then keep building the bridge of faith.
Zahir is something or someone that comes into your life, fills up the spaces in your heart and mind, and then simply refuses to leave. It becomes an obsession. The author's journey in the book is pretty similar to Santiago's quest in 'The Alchemist'. Both of them are in search of their treasure. But there is a bigger picture here: Things will change in the most twisted way possible but when the time is right, you will find what you are looking for. Till then keep building the bridge of faith.