A poetic story that reflects the depth of love and life
Rarely does an adolescent love reach its full potential. What happens when, after eleven years, two lovers come together again? Pilar has become an independent and strong woman. Her childhood friend has become a handsome spiritual leader. She has learned to bury her feelings, while he has turned to religion as a refuge from his inner conflicts.
Together they embark on a journey that is initially fraught with difficulties, as blame and resentment resurface after years of being hidden. But by the River Piedra, in a small village in the French Pyrenees, they discuss many of life's big questions ad reevaluate their own special relationship.
...ContinuaThis book is not particularly well written. The story deals with how love changes the life of a young woman, allegedly for the best. Even though I do not like the emphasis that Coelho places on enthusiasm and 'finding one's true self', I appreciated some remarks about spirituality and the idea that the divine is a realm of thorough compassion and love. Overall, it's a pretty interesting novel.
If you want to get the gist quick, read p. 151: 'Follow your dreams, transform your life, take the path that leads to God. Perform your miracles. Cure. Make prophecies. Listen to your guardian angel. Transform yourself. Be a warrior, and be happy as you wage the good fight. Take risks'.
troppo perbenismo... che noia!
Each Coelho book has a central theme; an incline toward an emotional revelation the author himself hopes to reward you with at the peak. Without fail I have relished this aspect, and this time was no exception. By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept is listed as a book of forgiveness - a trait I try to practice religiously, but more often than not come up lacking - and the sole reason why I picked this one up.
A bit slow at first but picking up speed by the middle of the book, Coelho proves once again it's not the destination, but the journey that counts. Though the love story itself is nothing new, especially to dedicated readers of the author, it's the development that really is engrossing. I can't remember the last time I rooted so much for a couple, for fate. Despite the fact that it is heavily doused in religion, it's not enough to turn you off. In fact, between the poetic prose, the graceful construction and the brevity of the story I doubt you'll even notice.
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