It is also the 20th anniversary of Coelho's medieval pilgrimage route to Santiago in Brazil, which resulted in his book The Pilgrimage, describing his experiences and discovery that the extraordinary occurs in the lives of ordinary people. After a few years of getting the publishing world to recognize his writing, Coelho's books became a runaway success, globally.
The Witch of Portobello is the story of Athena, a woman born in Romania, raised in Beirut and living in London and Dubai. Her story is told by the many people who came in contact with her - journalist, husband, biological mother, adopted father and mother,actress, boss, landlord, historian, seamstress, restaurant owner, a Bedouin, numerologist and a priest. A rich perspective of views and perceptions.
Each chapter, therefore, is small and manageable, and kept my attention as I read the book. When my attention lagged it was my hurry to get through the book and reach the end (my weakness!).
The book is about Athena's search for herself, her restless and wandering self. Blessed with an intuitive attraction to the spiritual world, she studied about the saints, took to dancing and getting into trances and during this time speaking through the voice of Hagia Sofia, a prophetic voice - manifested through her by Mother, the Mother of the earth. She saw things that others did not see. She developed a following and began to be sought after in Portobello.
But, having a certain power also means that people are wary of you, afraid of you, and may want to get rid of you. It is this fear that drives people to close their hearts and minds an prevents them from finding themselves. This was also Athena's experience. The more she saw and learned about herself, the more she wanted. And, in this quest, she alienated and kept away those who loved her.
Athena's mother - who gave her up for adoption - was a gypsy, and when Athena finds her way to her, there is a poignant and yet distant reconciliation. Athena and her mother are both guarded, afraid to let their long lost love show. Athena leaves for her world, and her mother stays in hers. But, they have connected and are more at peace with themselves and each other.
Athena seemed to touch every life she encountered. And the Sufi trance like dances generated energy for herself and made a her more evolved person, bringing her closer in touch with herself. Yet, as I read the book, Athena, as a person, did not appeal to me. There was something distant and cold about her.
The Witch of Portobello, like every other book of Coelho's is about finding the courage to be to true to ourselves - even if we are unsure of who we are. Can this be done?
And, like his other works it takes us beyond the realm of the known into the unknown. It's an opportunity to explore this unknown, in order to understand the known. It is magical and gripping. It's ancient and contemporary. It's old fashioned and modern. It brings together the political and personal in a persuasive and appealing way.
No comments:
Post a Comment