A Novel Of Obsession (The Zahir - Paulo Coelho)

Member Name: cazkins

Product:	The Zahir - Paulo Coelho
Date:	24/11/08 (87 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Well written which made it easy to read, thought provoking and interesting topic matter

Disadvantages: Probably wont suit all tastes

I had never heard of Paulo Coelho up until last year until I was given the book "The Alchemist". I'd heard of it before but didn't know much about it and after reading it I could see why Coelho and his work have been so influential and popular. I picked up The Zahir in the library; it's an independent fiction, so no prior reading is needed.

This particular version of The Zahir was published in 2006 though dates back slightly further and is 268 pages; a decent amount of reading material to keep you busy :o) It's sub-titled "A tale of obsession" which nicely captures the essence of the book.

If you don't know what Zahir means, as I didn't before reading it, Coelho explains the concepts and this makes for a good frame for the underlying messages of the book. In a similar fashion to The Alchemist, the storyline also acts like a fable; much of the ideas have been based on Coelho's personal thoughts and experiences and you can really feel a personal touch throughout. The story loosely follows a successful author who's wife suddenly and mysteriously disappears. She is a war correspondent, and through their talks we learn about both character's deep routed beliefs regarding the 'bigger issues' in life. From this, we're unsure whether to think she's left him and having an affair (as both partners seem to be doing anyway!), has been kidnapped, or has encountered trouble in her job as a war correspondent. The author is unsure what to do or what to think, though ends up on a long journey to discover what has happened. He encounters several characters along the way, and one in particular, who both directly and indirectly lead him to his wife and to consider his own life at the same time.

If you're one for exploring the meanings behind life and delving into the philosophies of love, then this book will be one for you to get your teeth into. If however you're not, I think you may find it a tad sickening with so much talk about metaphors, deep love and the constant questioning about life and fulfilment.

Regardless of the material, it's beautifully written in a way that captures your attention and makes you want to read more. I found myself starting to look at things Coelho's characters did and I guess you could say it broadened my perspectives a little and gave me things to think about. I found it interesting, with a different writing style to most modern books I seem to pick up lately so it made a nice change. Chapters are well divided making it easy reading which is good because the topic matter isn't necessarily 'easy going'.

Overall I would recommend this if you want something to stimulate your thoughts as it's an enjoyable book to indulge in. I don't think it would appeal to all though, so perhaps see if your local library has it in stock first :o)

Summary: Not as monumental as 'The Alchemist' was but a good read nonetheless :o)