Reviews - Brida: A Novel | The StoryGraph

On a personal front I have loved this book.
The spiritual journey of the protagonist with mysticism and to quench her knowledge of the greater mysteries of life brings her to meet love in metamorphic forms as well
This Irish young girl s journey will lead you to question your ideas on soulmate and also how we should never chose one source to complete us in our wants of love and life! Her quest to find a similar soul as hers in a variant body will leave you as confused as her between her teacher (whom she is learning to be a witch from) and her lover, in who both she sees the 'light'.
You will learn that although some loves touch us deeply will not last this lifetime and may get back to you in some other but imprint an everlasting effect for now!
Its a beautiful book if you can comprehend it and Wicca and Magnus will tell you to dance to the tunes of the world but keep your heart open to love.

4/5 Stars

book_click_deo's review against another edition

4.0

abhishek02's review against another edition

4.0

emotional lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Review of Brida by Paulo Coelho

Author: Paulo Coelho
Genre: Fiction, Spirituality, Romance

Overview

Brida is one of Paulo Coelho's most enchanting novels, blending spirituality, mysticism, and self-discovery into a story of love and destiny. The book, inspired by real-life experiences, narrates the journey of Brida, a young Irish woman who embarks on a quest to uncover deeper truths about life, the world, and herself. Through her interactions with two pivotal spiritual guides—the Magus and Wicca—Brida learns about love, fear, magic, and her purpose in life.

Plot Summary

The novel opens with Brida meeting the Magus, a wise man who introduces her to the “Tradition of the Sun,” which focuses on solitary spiritual enlightenment. Brida's curiosity about the mystical realm and her desire to connect with the universe on a deeper level leads her to Wicca, a teacher of the “Tradition of the Moon,” which embraces relationships, rituals, and feminine wisdom.

As Brida explores these two paths, she learns about Soulmates, reincarnation, and the importance of balancing love and spiritual growth. The story intricately weaves her internal struggles, her romantic relationship with her boyfriend, and her quest to find her place in the universe.

Themes

1. Spiritual Quest:

The book explores the universal longing for self-discovery and spiritual fulfillment. Brida's journey reflects the inner quest many individuals face in understanding their role in the larger scheme of things.

2. Soulmates and Destiny:

Coelho delves deeply into the concept of Soulmates, suggesting that our souls are eternally connected to specific individuals across lifetimes. Brida's journey resonates with readers who believe in destiny and spiritual bonds.

3. Love and Fear:

The interplay between love and fear is a recurring theme. Brida learns that fear often hinders one's ability to truly love and connect with others, and overcoming it is essential for spiritual growth.

4. Balance Between Tradition and Modernity:

Through the two spiritual paths—Sun (masculine, logic, solitude) and Moon (feminine, intuition, relationships)—the novel portrays the need to balance these opposing energies to achieve fulfillment.

Strengths of the Book

Inspiring and Thought-Provoking: Coelho's writing encourages readers to introspect and question their own spiritual beliefs and life purpose.
Poetic and Lyrical Writing Style: The prose is rich, evocative, and layered with symbolism, making it a pleasure to read.
Relatable Themes: The exploration of love, fear, and self-discovery resonates with readers on a deeply personal level.
Mystical and Magical Atmosphere: The descriptions of rituals, spiritual lessons, and mystical insights immerse the reader in Brida’s world.

Criticisms

Simplistic Character Development: While the themes are profound, some readers may find Brida's character and her relationships underdeveloped.
Predictable Storyline: Readers familiar with Coelho's style may find the spiritual journey formula repetitive compared to his earlier works like The Alchemist.
Philosophical Overload: For some, the book might feel heavy-handed with philosophical musings, detracting from the narrative flow.

Notable Quotes

“When you find your path, you must not be afraid. You need to have sufficient courage to make mistakes. Disappointment, defeat, and despair are the tools God uses to show us the way.”
“Nothing in the world is ever completely wrong. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.”
“Don’t try to be useful. Try to be yourself: that is enough, and that makes all the difference.”

Conclusion

Brida is a captivating blend of spirituality, mysticism, and romance that appeals to readers who enjoy exploring profound questions about life, love, and destiny. While it may not match the universal acclaim of Coelho’s The Alchemist, it offers a unique perspective on the eternal quest for self-discovery and spiritual connection.

Rating: 4/5
Recommended for readers interested in mystical fiction and introspective journeys.

cailleach09's review against another edition

4.0

I enjoyed reading this more than "The Witch of Portobello" (being the only other Coelho book I've read). Brida's transformation to "witch" is much more compelling than Athena's journey (I think I just found willing-to-learn Brida much more accessible than the lofty Athena). Paul Coelho still continues to fascinate me with his ability to mesh faiths - Jesus Christ, for example, appears quite a bit for a novel about the paths of witchcraft. One of my only nitpicks is that this book is more meditation than novel. Perhaps "fable" or "tale" would be more appropriate. And for a story that takes place in Ireland, there weren't nearly enough details to support this. Even the mere mention of "Ireland" needs better description (although I find the name quite evocative for personal reasons). :)

tanja_alina_berg's review against another edition

2.0

This is a story about psychic mumbo-jumbo. The witch Brida, who must learn to find her path in life and love, and how to make the right choices. Paolo Coelho is usually pretty good at describing the path of awakening without getting completely lost in hocus-pocus, but he did not succeed this time.

kundanc's review against another edition

0.25

dark fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Appropriation, Epistemicide. Re-writing of Indigenous history. Christian propaganda. Disgusting novel!

Content Warnings

Review of Brida by Paulo Coelho. By Kundan Chhabra Tldr: this is waste of 6 hours of your precious life and valuable time, especially if you are on a journey of actively decolonizing from Abrahamic Supremacy. It's a book full of cultural Appropriation and Epistemicide of multiple cultures + crap full of Abrahamic Supremacist propaganda, misinformation and manipulation. Here's my review proper. I am writing most of this review in the following format: simply giving you a list of who it's for and who it's not for. WHO IT'S FOR: 1. For New Age Christians who still want to be Christian but in a new bottle that gives them absolution from Christian guilt-tripping and also guilt for all the harm caused by Christianity but don't want to actually give up Christian Supremacy. 2. Imperialists who love to appropriate multiple cultures and commit Epistemicide. 3. Naive people who buy into the Abrahamic Supremacist New Age propaganda about "twin flames", "soulmates", etc. 4. Unethical people who enjoy the erasure of Global Indigenous People and revisionist history that harms the most marginalized people on Earth. Who It's Not for: 1. Ethical people who are actively decolonizing from both Imperialism and Abrahamic Supremacy. 2. People who would rather read nuanced stories rather than easy stories that erase entire cultures and completely rewrites their history, replacing them with overly simplistic false propaganda. Example of revisionist history in the book: when he says that Tarot was turned into a game because the Christianized "god" wanted to make it easy to learn. Not only does the book erase Romani culture by turning one of their core practices into a mere plot device, but this line in the book is false revisionist history that contributes to their continued oppression today. For example, Italy and the Czech Republic are still kidnapping Romani children including even newborn babies away from their mothers and trafficking them into Christian foster homes. Yes I use that language on purpose because it's indeed essentially legal state-sanctioned kidnapping and trafficking. And no, the Romani people turned Tarot into a game to hide from constant oppression, ok? "God" didn't do it. Romani people did it. Enough with the Epistemicide! But even as a story in its own right, it's boring and unoriginal. Just a waste of 6 hours of my life! 🤢

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