I sat down with my second book this week, Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho. Let me point out that I have loved this man’s work, and I had hoped to read more of his stories after The Alchemist. It was one of the most recommended books on one of the lists I saw on Goodreads, which compelled me to buy it. Now that I’m done with it, I understand why it was so!
Plot
‘Eleven Minutes’ is the story of Maria, who, after being disillusioned by love at earlier stages in life, starts disbelieving in it. Her journeys take her from a small town in Brazil to Geneva, where she starts to work as a prostitute, having deep and insightful thoughts about herself and the world around herself all this while. She meets and falls in love with a painter, and her entire world turns upside down. She has to choose between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ in this path of love.
Review
I absolutely loved the book! The characterization and plot moved at a wonderful pace. The writing was simplistic, and conveyed emotions very effectively. I can say that, because at one point, I broke down into tears because of all the feelings Maria’s thoughts invoked. Maria and Ralf were deep thinking well rounded characters, which was a nice addition to the plot.
The book is not just about love and sex, but also about life, and difficulties thrown at us by life. It contains important life lessons taught by Maria, as she overcomes the trials and tribulations that come her way.
“I can choose either to be a victim of the world or an adventurer in search of treasure. It’s all a question of how I view my life.”
Paulo Coelho, Eleven Minutes
My favorite part of the book was definitely the ending, and those who have read the book know what I am talking about. I cannot say there were parts I didn’t like, because the book was perfect in every aspect. But as much as I liked the ending, it could have been less cheesier.
“Life always waits for some crisis to occur before revealing itself at its most brilliant.”
Paulo Coelho, Eleven Minutes
Did you like the book? Let me know in the comments below, or on Facebook and Twitter. Now I’m off to read Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.