Book Review: By the River
Piedra I Sat Down and Wept
Author: Paulo Coelho
“Love like rain, can nourish
from above, drenching couples with a soaking joy. But sometimes under the angry
heat of life, love dries on the surface and must nourish from below, tending to
its roots keeping itself alive.”
Whenever you read a Paulo Coelho book, you seem to open a
door to mysticism that takes your soul for a spiritual ride. Coelho has the
dexterity of making the simplest of stories into magical tales. The Alchemist
author has written some brilliant books and "By the River Piedra I Sat
Down and Wept" is one such.
“We will only understand the
miracle of life fully when we allow the unexpected to happen.”
Pilar, the narrator, fell in love when she was just a girl of
seventeen. Her lover, at that time, had left to explore the world. Pilar led a
life of eleven years where she developed a charisma of never expecting anything
from any men. Her hollow life created a darker side of herself whom she called
as The Other. One day she gets a message from her childhood sweetheart and she,
unexpectedly, feels drawn towards him. He is grown into a handsome man, a
spiritual leader who has embark on a mission to redefine the very understanding
of religion. Together they set out on a journey in the French countryside where
she discovers the true side of her lover and her reason for existence. Her love
for him and his duty towards his spiritual mission takes them into a journey
which is nothing short of a spiritual enlightening tale.
“Love doesn't need to be
discussed; it has its own voice and speaks for itself.”
By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept is a tale about a
journey symbolizing the route towards one's self-discovery. Coelho once again
describes that there are no rules when the question comes to love, there are
absolutely no rules when the question comes to worshiping God. Coelho's parable
reflects the fascination with the feminine side of God, the Virgin Mary. The
emotions described as Pilar was trying to find her way through the stigmatic
inner conflict has awakened in her is touching and inspirational. She comes to
understand what it is she wants from life, as well as to see religion in a new
light. A story rich in so aspect in a poetic manner that reflects the depth of
love and life.
“Life takes us by surprise
and orders us to move toward the unknown -even when we don't want to and when
we think we don't need to.”
The narrative is excellent, short and wonderful. The entire
book is an enjoyable love story that may also be seen as a metaphysical
allegory. This novel, like all the novels he has written, is something that
gives the reader a sense of much-needed faith in humankind.
A brilliant three stars for
By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept
★★★
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