The Witch of Portobello: A Novel (P.S.) by Paulo Coelho (Epub)

Description

How do we find the courage to always be true to ourselves—even if we are unsure of who we are?

That is the central question of international bestselling author Paulo Coelho’s profound new work, The Witch of Portobello. It is the story of a mysterious woman named Athena, told by the many who knew her well—or hardly at all. Like The Alchemist, The Witch of Portobello is the kind of story that will transform the way readers think about love, passion, joy, and sacrifice.

User’s Reviews

From Publishers Weekly Multimillion-seller Coelho (The Devil and Miss Prym, etc.) returns with another uncanny fusion of philosophy, religious miracle and moral parable. The Portobello of the title is London’s Portobello Road, where Sherine Khalil, aka Athena, finds the worship meeting she’s leading—where she becomes an omniscient goddess named Hagia Sophia—disrupted by a Protestant protest. Framed as a set of interviews conducted with those who knew Athena, who is dead as the book opens, the story recounts her birth in Transylvania to a Gypsy mother, her adoption by wealthy Lebanese Christians; her short, early marriage to a man she meets at a London college (one of the interviewees); her son Viorel’s birth; and her stint selling real estate in Dubai. Back in London in the book’s second half, Athena learns to harness the powers that have been present but inchoate within her, and the story picks up as she acquires a “teacher” (Deidre O’Neill, aka Edda, another interviewee), then disciples (also interviewed), and speeds toward a spectacular end. Coelho veers between his signature criticism of modern life and the hydra-headed alternative that Athena taps into. Athena’s earliest years don’t end up having much plot, but the second half’s intrigue sustains the book. (May) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. –This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Review “It’s time for American readers to set out on a journey of discovery that will lead them to the works of the exceptional writer.”– “USA Today” –This text refers to the audioCD edition. From Booklist Best-selling fabulist Coelho continues to transform his trademark combination of mysticism and storytelling into spellbinding examinations of the human soul. In this deceptively simple novel, a bereaved lover attempts to chronicle, dissect, and comprehend the often-twisted path followed by Athena, otherwise known as the Witch of Portobello Road. An orphaned Romanian gypsy, adopted as an infant by adoring Lebanese parents, Athena recognized and struggled with the power of her magical gifts at an early age. Spurred on by truths and passions inaccessible to most of her contemporaries, she traipsed around Europe and the Middle East in search of acceptance, enlightenment, and a truer path. Developing a cultlike following, she became the object of a modern-day witch hunt that seemingly culminated in tragedy. Unable to construct a typically straightforward chronicle of her life, her would-be biographer relies on the divergent recollections and reflections of the people who knew–or thought they knew–her best. Narrated from multiple points of view, the portrait of Athena that emerges is as provocative and spiritually complex as one would expect from the author of The Alchemist (1993) and The Devil and Miss Prym (2006). Margaret FlanaganCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved –This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Reviews from Amazon users, collected at the time the book is getting published on UniedVRG. It can be related to shiping or paper quality instead of the book content:

⭐ This is one of my favorites. Those who have been on the spiritual path know Coelho’s books have a lot to do with humanity, spiritual growth and philosophy. It doesn’t matter where the story happened or how the setting looked like. A desert is a desert; we don’t need more description to help us see the background.Coelho’s books lead us to examine our mind and our heart. All his stories can happen in anyone. Sometimes a story touches the deepest weakness of human being to the extent that almost unbearable. But he can always find the light in human which echoes in our life.

⭐ Not sure why so many people on here wrote bad reviews… This is hands down my favorite Coehlo book, hell, this is my favorite book ever actually.I first read this book in 2014, bought it again 6 years later. Shortly after, purchased two more to gift to my Mother and my best friend.Tip: Read to understand not just to read and get it over with.If you get confused, go back and re read the part that confused you.Honestly, this book has hidden answers to life.

⭐ The Witch in question is the protagonist of the piece, but we never meet her first hand. In the beginning we are told that she was murdered. We don’t know why or by whom. Each chapter is a narrative told by her friends, family, and acquaintances. They describe their relationships with her and how they were impacted by having known her. Born in Transylvania to a Romany gypsy mother and a “foreign” father after a brief affair, our heroine is given up for adoption immediately after birth. She is adopted by a Lebanese couple, the Kahlils, and they bring her to their home when Beirut had a reputation for being a glittering, vibrant city.They name her Shirine and raise her in their Roman Catholic faith. When war breaks out in Beirut they immigrate to London and become well established. Shirine grows up and marries and has a son. The marriage ends in divorce. When she is denied communion she leaves the Catholic Church, and this is the beginning of her journey to becoming Athena, the Witch of Portobello.Through various relationships she develops her own philosophy and belief system which is a mix of gypsy superstition, mid-eastern dervish, and wiccan beliefs. She becomes well known for her teachings and develops a cult following which leads to her downfall.The story does reach a surprising and satisfying conclusion.If your tastes tend toward the esoteric and arcane then by all means help yourself.For my taste it is less of a straight forward story and more of a philosophical treatise.

⭐ I’ve now read 2 books by Paulo Coelho which is a sufficient quantity to know that he is a second rate author. The Witch of Portobello is a disorganized, stream of consciousness, sometimes interesting, often boring book. Also, the fact that the author portrays the story as non-fiction in the beginning when it’s actually fiction pissed me off! I don’t know why people like these books but I guess you like what you like.

⭐ Very slow. Easy to put down. I enjoy a novel that I find difficult to put down. A story that brings me into a visual and compelling reality in the first chapter. This book didn’t. I also found the spiritual aspect of this story to be very basic. We’ve all read those books that you can’t wait to get back to and read the next few chapters. I just didn’t feel that way about this book.

⭐ I’m torn between I like it and I love it. I’d give it a 4.5 star rating if I could. Lots of concepts that have helped me to think about experiences in my life and lots of experiences that mirror my life; so of course, I’m thrilled someone has the ability and gift to figure a way to piece together a story that describes real life phenomena that is not often experienced or understood in the western world. The experiences of the main character, however, are a bit too over the top for me. Maybe bc I’ve not witnessed or experienced this kind of thing before (easy wealth, easy child rearing, easy fame, easy ability to access mana; all too easy)? Idk, I didn’t totally buy it and was frustrated. Something didn’t sit right with me. I guess I feel mysticism is mystical enough not to have to be overly mystified w exaggeration. Another way to say it: I wanted more demystification of the world of mysticism. I think it’s time.

⭐ I am a fan of Coelho’s novels. I have read Veronica decides to die, Adultery, and Eleven minutes. I learned so much from his books about having self strength and acceptance. The witch of portobello is different and harder to grasp.I do not recommend you to read this one if you’ve never read for Coelho. Unless you are a fan of a unique sort of witches! I didn’t enjoy it or learn much from it. It took so much effort to read it, but I couldn’t give up half way cuz it’s not what I do.

⭐ This book is very interesting and different. The choice of words used and significance reference are over powering. I’ve leanered from this book new things and see things in a different prospective.

⭐ 5 Star service and I received the book pretty quickly. Exactly as described and in excellent condition as well.The Author is 5 Stars and his books changed my life.

⭐ I found this book to be a great question. What is your interpretation. And I feel that we will all have a different answer according to where we are in the moment of our lives that we read this. For me it caused me to look at my beliefs. To what serves me and what doesn’t.I feel that Athena was free of any beliefs and therefore could live her life completely free from suffering and inner conflicts. For me, this feels like an impossible goal.One in which i will continue to contemplate.

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