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Not Coelho's best.
“I have enjoyed Paulo Coelho's books thus far. I did not particularly like The Zahir. I appreciated the (small amount) of growth that the lead character went through but there seemed to be some major contradictions. The lead character was obsessed with finding his wife because he loved her so much...yet kept having an affair with another woman who he claimed to love as well. Maybe it is just the culture I was raised in and I have to remember that this was written by an author who was raised in South America but I do not want to believe that a man or woman who is so passionately in love with someone would continue to have an affair with another person claiming to love them too. It doesn't add up... I did not feel as though the lead character was being truthful to the reader or maybe even to himself. I thought the character Mikhail was interesting though. Definitely not my favorite Coelho book. Do not let this steer you away from him though...The Alchemist, Brida, and By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept are all beautifully written.”
An amazon user wrote this on 2009-11-11. -
1 of 2 members found this review helpful.
Nothing to Get Obsessed Over
“Well known for his mystical and enchanting storylines, Paulo Coelho, no doubt, knows how to turn a phrase. Many of the lines here in THE ZAHIR ring true in the reader's ear, with the deeper meaning of exploring oneself in an inner journey facilitated by the softness of the words. The book, though, would have been better with less of the words overall. Coelho meanders a bit too much here, risking putting off the reader who may wish that, whatever path Coelho wants to take us down, he sure could get there a lot more expeditiously. (Yes, I know that that basically undermines what Coelho is about, but I stick by it anyway).
An amazon user wrote this on 2009-08-07.
Our main character, an unnamed author, sets off, like the characters in many of Coelho's books, on a journey. This one is, on the surface, to find his wife who abandoned him unexpectedly and who has now turned into the zahir, an object of intense and unremitting obsession that consumes a person. The deeper pilgrimage is to find (experience, unleash?) The true nature and power of love. While the first journey is external, the second, and more important journey, is the one which the author must take within himself.
For both journeys, the author is guided by a strange young Kazakh going by the name of Mikhail. He know where the author's zahir is but guides the author through the more important journey of understanding love. Only then will the time be right for the reunion.
Yes, it sounds sappy, and to a large extent it is, often overshadowing any larger, overarching meaning to be gleaned in THE ZAHIR. More problematic, however, is that the characters often come off as exceptionally shallow and superficial. The author, the main character who is supposed to be having some epiphany, has been married two or three times before marrying his current wife, the zahir. He admits to numerous affairs throughout, but downplays them on an emotional level. While on his search he becomes involved with a woman who falls deeply in love with him, he knows this, yet does not discourage her, breaking her heart at the end. It was simply difficult to view this character as being the conduit to enlighten me about much.
His current wife, when she re-enters the show, is pregnant with another man's child and admits to having fallen in love after, not before, but after leaving her husband because she thought he needed to find himself. Wow, if these are the characters we are to emotionally connect with, what are the emotionally immature ones like?
Also, that the main character bears an uncanny resemblance to Paulo Coelho himself, one is constantly thrown a bit off guard by what this character admits. Maybe Coelho meant that, though. Alas, I do not know. Anyway, this book is about Coelho in one way or another. That alone will get many to read it.” -
The Zahir will change your life!
“The Zahir was the 2nd book I read from this author. The first book was amazing and insightful. This one really makes you look at your life in a different way and the ending itself was so unexpected! A book about healing, love, forgiveness, self reflection..I bought a copy to have in my library forever!”
An amazon user wrote this on 2009-07-08. -
Another Paulo Coelho added to my collection
“Wonderful transaction. I was very happy with the condition of the book. I would recommend this seller.
An amazon user wrote this on 2009-06-17.
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A novel of obsession
“I hadn't read a Paulo Coelho book for a while and this book has reminded me what I love about his writing. I am definitely intending to read more of his work. I love the way the prose pulls you in and keeps you interested. There are many inspirational and spiritual passages in the novel which seem to be written with the intention of giving hope and direction to the reader.
An amazon user wrote this on 2009-06-08.
The book is about an internationally acclaimed author whose wife has disappeared. She is a War correspondent and, therefore, the husband does not know whether she left him, or whether she was kidnapped or something far worse. One day a man appears at one of the author's book signings with a message from the wife to say that she is okay. The husband then becomes increasingly obsessed with idea of finding her. She becomes his 'Zahir' which is defined as something which, once seen or touched, can not be forgotten. We follow the husband in his journey to find his wife, and also in his own personal spiritual journey along the way.
It is described as a novel of 'obsession' and, in my view, Paulo has done a great job in writing the book in such a way that the reader has almost a compulsion to read on to find out what happens - almost as if the book becomes an obsession.
The book isn't perfect, so I can't give it five stars. I did find it a bit confusing in places, as there are often long conversations in the book between characters (sometimes multiple characters) without reference as to who is the speaker. Also, the lack of quotation marks at the beginning of new paragraphs when a character was making a speech or talking over a few paragraphs, was a bit annoying and also confusing.
Finally, I was quite disappointed with the ending; for me it was too predictable and a bit contrived.
But on the whole I enjoyed this book, and would definitely recommend it. ”
