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Brida

by Paulo Coelho (Goodreads Author)

3.38 · rating details · 10,458 ratings · 986 reviews

Una novela sobre la sorprendente historia de Brida O'Fern, una de las mas jovenes maestras en la Tradicion de las Hechiceras, donde la magia habla todas las lenguas del corazon del hombre

"Un texto anonimo dice que cada persona, en su existencia, puede tener dos actitudes: construir o plantar.

Los constructores pueden demorar anos en sus tareas, pero un dia termina

...more

Hardcover, 247 pages

Published April 1st 2008 by Rayo (first published January 1st 1990)

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May 31, 2011

Ebrahim Abdulla rated it

· review of another edition

حكمة الشمس , حكمة القمر , ليل الظلمة , الأسطورة الشخصية .. الكثير من المفردات التي لم تسمع فيها من قبل , ولا أعلم حقيقة وجودها .. لكن بشكل لا يمكن إنكاره ؛ قد تلامس هذه الكلمات حياتك !

تحكي الرواية قصة بريدا الباحثة عن أسرار الكون التي تتعلم من قبل اثنان من معلمي حكمة الشمس و القمر .

بعض المشاهد قد تشعرك بالملل , والبعض الآخر قد يلهمك , والبعض الآخر لا يمكن سوى أن ترفع القبعة تقديراً لخيال باولو ( مشهد لوني و تالبو , مشهد من الصعب نسيانه .. رائع ! )

رغم تشبع الرواية ب...moreحكمة الشمس , حكمة القمر , ليل الظلمة , الأسطورة الشخصية .. الكثير من المفردات التي لم تسمع فيها من قبل , ولا أعلم حقيقة وجودها .. لكن بشكل لا يمكن إنكاره ؛ قد تلامس هذه الكلمات حياتك !

تحكي الرواية قصة بريدا الباحثة عن أسرار الكون التي تتعلم من قبل اثنان من معلمي حكمة الشمس و القمر .

بعض المشاهد قد تشعرك بالملل , والبعض الآخر قد يلهمك , والبعض الآخر لا يمكن سوى أن ترفع القبعة تقديراً لخيال باولو ( مشهد لوني و تالبو , مشهد من الصعب نسيانه .. رائع ! )

رغم تشبع الرواية بأمور الصوفية المسيحية ( كعادة روايات باولو ) بيد أنه كثيراً ما تشعل كلمات هذا العجوز طريقي في نواحي من الحياة .

لا أعتقد بأنها أفضل كتابات باولو , وجدتني مللت بعض الشيء في النصف الثاني من الرواية , لكنها تبقى جيدة
ينصح بها لمعجبين برواياته الأخرى .

بعض الإقتباسات التي أعجبتني :

ما من شيء في العالم خاطئ تماماً , فحتى الساعة المعطلة تشير إلى الوقت الصحيح مرتين في اليوم..

كل ما يحققه المرء يظل ناقصا إذا فشل في إيجاد نصفه الآخر ..

لا تحاولي تفسير عواطفك , عيشي كل تجربة بجوارحكِ كلها , واحتفظي بما شعرتِ بأنه هبة من الله )

حين تجدين طريقك , عليكِ ألا تخافي . عليك التحلي بما يكفي من الشجاعة لارتكاب الأخطاء , الخيبة , الهزيمة , اليأس .. أدوات يستخدمها الله لإرشادنا إلى الطريق )

ملاحظة : يوجد العديد من الأخطاء في الترجمة التي ضايقتني حقيقة و أضطررت لإعادة قراءة الجمل مرارا لكي أصل للمعنى المقصود ولا أعرف كيف بهكذا أخطاء أن تقع , في النصف الثاني خصوصاَ .. مثل الخلط بين أسماء الشخصيات , رغم قلتها .(less)

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May 28, 2008

Dusty rated it

· review of another edition

Recommended to Dusty by: Alma Salinas

Shelves: read-in-2008

Coelho's Alchemist is one of my favorite books. I've read it twice, and both times its simple story and straightforward Universal Truths have stirred me. Brida tells a similar story about a youth who feels herself tugged onto a unique path toward greatness. But lightning has not struck twice.

This is a book of only 200 pages, yet it took me almost a month to read, and not only because I was grading hundreds of research papers at the same time. It discusses a 21-year-old Irish girl (B...moreCoelho's Alchemist is one of my favorite books. I've read it twice, and both times its simple story and straightforward Universal Truths have stirred me. Brida tells a similar story about a youth who feels herself tugged onto a unique path toward greatness. But lightning has not struck twice.

This is a book of only 200 pages, yet it took me almost a month to read, and not only because I was grading hundreds of research papers at the same time. It discusses a 21-year-old Irish girl (Brida) who is strangely drawn to a local forest-living Magus who describes his profession as Teacher of the Tradition of the Sun, whatever that is. Brida goes to him for "lessons," and he leaves her alone on a rock in the middle of the forest. This annoys her, so she finds herself a different teacher, this one a middle-aged woman named Wicca, who is a Teacher of the Tradition of the Moon, whatever that is, and through a variety of mystic gizmos and hallucinations, she informs Brida that she is a witch. Brida has been a witch in all her previous lives, will be a witch again in future lives. Being a witch is her Gift.

Now, for some reason, I've read several books about witches this year, but Brida is certainly the first in which the witches are devout God-loving Christians. I mean, the witches do typical Pagan witch things -- they bemoan their ancestors who were burned at stakes, they dance naked around bonfires in the forest, etc. -- but they also talk incessantly about God and His plan for witches, who are His Gardeners of the Universe. This intrigued me for a while, but I decided I was ready to move onto another book about the time Wicca informs Brida that the only way to truly connect with God was to have an intense orgasm. This Brida accomplishes twice, with two different Soul Mates, and both times in the public outdoors. Oh brother.

Perhaps you've noticed how many times I've capitalized non-proper nouns in this review. Perhaps you've been distracted by the same. If so, Brida certainly isn't a book for you. In every paragraph Coelho introduces some kind of Universal Truth (that phrase itself is capitalized in the novel) that we as readers are apparently intended to take to heart. Some of these are legitimate life lessons (everyone has a Gift, but only a lucky few seem able to discover and utilize it), while others are silly (God allowed Adam and Eve to fall from Grace because He needed the "Universe" to be set in motion). He does the same in The Alchemist, but the strength of that book is its focus. Here, there were so many Truths that I was at first overwhelmed, later confused, and ultimately so annoyed that I found myself skipping over them. (less)

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Aug 05, 2008

Chelsea rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: People who are obsessed with Wicca

Recommended to Chelsea by: Mary Cate

Ok, so this book came recommended to me by a freind, so I was pretty excited to read it. Once I got started, however, I was a bit disappointed (soory M.C.)

First off, the main charachter was niave and a bit juvenille. Everything that she thought of and said was almost infintile.

Secondly, She was supposed to be searching for a "Gift" and there was never really a solid confirmation as to what this gift was, even when she found it.

Thirdly, who ever he...more

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Jul 28, 2008

Namratha Kumar rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: journey-within

The only quotes that I liked and made sense in an otherwise rambling narrative:

"Nothing in the world is ever completely wrong. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day"
~ Brida's father (Pg.99)

"What is now proved was once only imagin'd"
~ William Blake (Pg.174)

"I learned that the search for God is a Dark Night, that Faith is a Dark Night. And that's hardly a...more

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Jan 24, 2011

Venus rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: literature

معناى حقيقى عشق در گلها نهفته است
كسى كه سعى كند صاحب گلى شود ، پژمردن زيبايى اش را هم می بيند . اما اگر به همين بسنده كند كه گلى را در دشتى بنگرد ، همواره با او مى ماند

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Mar 23, 2009

Karen rated it

· review of another edition

I liked this little story, but I enjoyed "The Witch of Portobello" (my first Coelho read) more. However, I think people are looking for a bit too much out of this book. It's a good little tale, and I enjoyed a few of the lines from it/quotes. I think Señor Coelho is simply asking us to reflect. Not every book is a wirlwind, instead a book can be a bit like looking out over a still lake with time to think. As a goodreads friend Harley pointed out, in the prologue Señor Coelho gives the ...more

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Jul 14, 2008

Aparna rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: wow, inspirational-thought-provoking

"How will I know who my Soulmate is?" Indeed, we are all looking for something. Someone to love, someone who loves us, something that adds meaning to our life, our existence. Some sign, to know we are not alone. Some indication to know that our thoughts, feelings, memories, will not die with us when our physical body perishes.

Brida addresses all this and much more. The story is presented as a young woman's quest to find answers - to questions that mean the world to her. Qu...more"How will I know who my Soulmate is?" Indeed, we are all looking for something. Someone to love, someone who loves us, something that adds meaning to our life, our existence. Some sign, to know we are not alone. Some indication to know that our thoughts, feelings, memories, will not die with us when our physical body perishes.

Brida addresses all this and much more. The story is presented as a young woman's quest to find answers - to questions that mean the world to her. Questions, which if we introspect, come to us as well, albeit in different paraphrasing.

Its not the story in itself as much as its elements - the progression of the human soul, with all its elements (feelings, memories, experiences, people around us, thoughts, actions, choices) through time, is portrayed like a charcoal sketch - black and white, stark, with elements of the distinct unknown in various shades. The rituals and the steps culminating in a merry Sabbath party, the Tradition of the Sun and the Tradition of the moon, the four forms of expression of the self, and the ultimate epicenter of the book - The Gift (Yes, we all have one, even if we do not carry a 2 pronged dagger, or remember who we were in the 12th century).

There are no fancy characters and descriptions. Brida, Magus, Wicca and Lorens. There are vivid guest appearances, but the simplicity of the cast makes the book more profound. It does have a love story, even a love triangle (make that 2), the whole book is supported by a spine consisting of the Occult, and yet to me it was not a fantasy story.

This is definitely not a comparison, but if a certain JK Rowling makes the term "witch" seem innocent,cute and funny, the Coelho adds an ethereal beauty to the word.

I haven't been able to read any comments or feedback about the Portuguese version, but this translation does deserve an ovation.

Pick it up, if you believe in signs. Pick it up, if you think you are alone in finding that elusive something or someone that adds meaning to your life. Pick it up, if you simply want to believe that there is a bigger world waiting out for you when you die. that you are not alone in your journey through time, whether in your current physical body or out of it.

P.S: I also especially love the part where the women are standing naked, and do not feel ashamed of their bodies, irrespective of its flaws or perfections, because it is theirs as a facilitator to view this life through a physical form.

P.P.S. : One thing about this book, though, it has too many references to God. Being borderline Agnostic myself, it was slightly uncomfortable to digest, but it makes equal sense if viewed through a Spiritual perspective also, instead of a merely Relegious one.(less)

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Jun 07, 2009

Malcolm rated it

· review of another edition

This is a sweet little story. In some ways, it reminds me of the kinds of stories one finds in the Bible and the Zohar. Such stories aren't stories in terms of the classic ideas of plots, but serve to illustrate spiritual points. I see Brida in that way. The plot is a very thin scaffold on which to hang a series of philosophical and spiritual ideas. From the point of view of fiction, this is less than satisfactory. From the point of view of philosophy, the style is certainly one that's tried and...more

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Jun 20, 2008

Jackie rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: work-review-related-reading

I've never read anything by Paulo Coelho before, so I was rather surprised by the pagan spirituality of this little novel. It's the story of Brida, an Irish girl in training to become a witch. It is full of beautifully worded prose--I found myself making little tics and stars beside many paragraphs to go back and examine again (my apologies to those who get the ARC from me, lol). There is some seriously high minded spirituality folded into this simple book about a woman's quest to learn to us...more

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Oct 15, 2011

Angelica Watson (psst! amrutha) rated it

· review of another edition

My first Paulo - "The Alchemist" was very inspiring and motivating, but this book is very different.

First off, the story-line is brilliant - searching for a Soul-mate.
But, as the books progresses, it tends to go off track in certain places.
When Brida falls into her first trance, somehow she stops caring about finding her soulmate and for a time, The Magus is forgotten and then again the story goes back to him. It all seems very vaguely connected.

As ...more

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Jun 03, 2008

Aart rated it

· review of another edition

Brida is a tale of love, passion, mystery, and spirituality from a master storyteller. Coelho wrote Brida right after The Alchemist, and it launched his career as an international novelist. It has never been published in English—until now. Brida will be in stores June 24th, but you can read a Sneak Peek excerpt by clicking here now:

http://browseinside.harpercollins.com/in...

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Oct 29, 2011

Mira rated it

· review of another edition

Recommended to Mira by: Asma

Shelves: 2011, latin-america, magical-realism, paulo-coelho, philosophy, spiritual

The only expression that could describe my impression after reading this book is “complete disappointment”. From the very first pages, Magic is presented to the reader as the book’s main theme. However, I didn’t feel the least bit of magic in the story. Many issues are dealt with in Brida all at once, that the point was muffled and the novel lost its sparkle. Surprisingly, Coelho here seems confused, struggling to find a particular message to convey. It’s true that I enjoy Coelho’s writings, a...more

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Aug 05, 2011

Kristin rated it

· review of another edition

It broke my heart into a jillion pieces. I feel like crying. Love is when you'll be able to understand that at some point, you were never meant to be together. That, sometimes, even if you're just in time, it isn't still sufficient. It isn'r selfish. It allows you to grow and to go in search of your path, in search of your soul. It does not hinder you to become the person you wanted to be. It doesn't require you to give up all the important things you have just because...

Of all the Paulo Coelho ...more

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Oct 25, 2010

Joyzi rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Fans of Lolo(grandpa) Coelho

Recommended to Joyzi by: My classmates

Shelves: religion, borrowed, disappointing-books, adult, reviewed, author-latin-american, philosophy, inspirational, contemporary-fiction

My friends love Brida and obviously they are Coelho fans so when I've heard that Brida was so good I was really excited to read it. My friend really like it because of the witchcraft and my friends who've read it they talked about the soulmates and how would you find your soulmate and if they believe in the "light in the shoulder sign" or the "love at first sight" and actually two of them were saying that Paulo Coelho was right in that matter because they actually seen it in ...more

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Sep 15, 2009

Will rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: religion-and-sprituality

My first exposure to Coelho was many years ago. I read The Alchemist at a time in my life when I was experiencing some major changes and I found very real comfort and guidance there. I enjoyed several more of his novels but after a time there seemed to be a repetitiveness to them that left me unsatisfied.

Brida is yet another enlightenment quest story from Coelho. I enjoyed it for a while, but well before reaching the end, I found that I was getting bored. It seemed like I was readin...more

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Aug 26, 2008

Jamie rated it

· review of another edition

Apparently there are lots of other covers for this book, all of them more fun than the hard cover I purchased. This, despite being in another language, is the cover I have. I like the other two English versions I see better. Oh well.

I love how simplistic and concise Coehlo's books are. The word choice is always even, and, though they are "spiritual" and therefore, it suprises me that I allow myself to not only LOVE them, but really...use them out of context, in life and...moreApparently there are lots of other covers for this book, all of them more fun than the hard cover I purchased. This, despite being in another language, is the cover I have. I like the other two English versions I see better. Oh well.

I love how simplistic and concise Coehlo's books are. The word choice is always even, and, though they are "spiritual" and therefore, it suprises me that I allow myself to not only LOVE them, but really...use them out of context, in life and recommend them to others, not to mention underline passages and sort of use it as a alternative religious text.

I finished The Witch of Portobello and found Bride was out shortly after and tore through it while I was at home visiting my mother for a week. I left it with her, despite the fact that she giggled when I read portions to her.

I suppose I ought to do some deep-rooted invistigation in to what this sort of writing means to me. I am sure the strong, sure-footed (because, though Cohelo's characters are searching, they are much more sure of them selves and special, with a spiritual "gift" which gets them started in the first place) and looking for something "bigger" and more meaningful than most people. What woman doesn't like that? What woman doesn't FEEL like that?

Not to mention the fact that I've always liked the notion of witches. Secretly. I grew up with a friend who's mother divorced and went a little nuts, became a self-proclaimed follower of "the goddess" and Wicca and bought a silver Toyota Rav 4 and covered it with stickers that said things like, "I'm a woman, I'm right--" for this reason, I have never outwardly felt comfortable admitting witches and nature and stuff appeal to me....

But Cohelo's witches are more on the path of transendentalism and self awareness. And, while some of the asides which take place in his books are really a bit "out there," even the most unlikely have some sort of merrit. Truthfully: if this is the only life we have, what's wrong with finding meaning and symbolism all over the place? If it keeps you getting up in the morning, I see only good in that. Symbolism means a lot to me. It's one of those priviate joys. Cohelo just gives that priviate joy a little umph.

Brida's overall predicament is this: the search for true love. She wants to find her soulmate. The ideas presented are hardly novel or revolutionary, but they are comforting. Cohelo takes all the random points of light in your life and gives them a focal point--independently they are little slashes of light that make you smile for a bit, but together they can light up a room.

Brida must decide to follow the moon or the sun, and endures "the dark night," a symbol for the unknown, and depending on yourself, and faith, to get you through it. Brida takes it upon herself to find spiritual guidance and role models, and, with integrity fully intact, she gets through some very difficult choices, using history, personal discovery, nature and all the relationships and love in her life to guide her.

With the same intensity, coupled with a very sparce, almost allegorical story line, Cohelo creates another truly winning story about a really wonderful person. Real or pretend, I like reading and knowing them. Good book. Makes you feel like a good yoga class.(less)

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Sep 10, 2008

Chanelle rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Sarah, so you can explain it to me

Can somebody please tell me what this book was about?! I consider myself a pretty savvy reader, but I didn't get this at all. I loved the Alchemist and this has much of the same philosophical insights and phrases you want to savor . . . ("Nothing is wrong all the time, even a stopped clock is right twice a day"). But I couldn't tell you what the meaning of this book was. Girl is on spiritual path to find her Gift. Meets the Magus in the forest who is her soul mate but they don't e...more

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Dec 27, 2010

Rob Jeremiah Nuguid rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: owned

Brida is a rambling narrative with a few rhetorical and sensible dialogues - a genuine trademark of Paulo Coelho's books. It is rather lengthy and boring, especially in the initial pages. Any undetermined reader is likely to close the book for good on the grounds that the general ennui caused by this material is enough to put their time into oblivion. Needless to say, it is a bad book for first-time readers. However, hardcore philosophers (or even the pseudo-ones) may have the "resources"...more

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Oct 20, 2008

Yaya rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: my-books, paulo-coelho

You just know that you've found your soulmate when you look into their eyes..you just know.

Brida actually is a typical girl who wanted to find her true love..

Brida is just like the rest of us who thought that the person claims to love us isn't the one meant for us...

Brida is maybe acted out of love when she found her soulmate but chose not to be with him..

Who wouldn't go that far to search for the one they love? That far..as in plunging herself int...more

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Apr 03, 2009

Cait rated it

· review of another edition

Paulo Coelho came highly recommended, so I'm going to give him another chance, but this book really didn't live up to my expectations. It's supposed to be spiritually enlightening, but I just found it annoying. For starters, the main character is too much of a Mary-Sue. She's beautiful, we're she's presented as critical (though we don't notice much of this), she has a gift, everyone thinks she's oh-so special. Although this book often states that a spiritual search is for everyone, at the same t...more

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Nov 17, 2008

Monica Ruliandri rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: romance, spirituality, borrow-from-friends

Kok aku susah banget ya bikin review untuk buku ini?

Mungkin karena temanya tentang soulmate.
Aku masih kurang sreg & paham tentang soulmate ini.
Menurutku, soulmate ga bisa ditemukan dalam pandangan pertama.
Menurutku itu adalah first love.
Soulmate itu bisa kita katakan kalau sudah teruji oleh waktu-senang-sedih.
Tapi karena itulah tokohnya adalah seorang witch, jadi wajar aja buatnya kalau bisa menemukan soulmate pada pandangan pertama.

Tumben ni...more

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Jan 29, 2012

Moudi rated it

· review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This is the third book I read by Coelho. I found the characters very flat and uninteresting. I couldn't like or understand them, or at any point relate to them. A question that I couldn't find an answer for is why does Brida want to learn about magic anyways? Also, at the end of the novel, as far as I got it, Brida didn't end up being with the Magus. Why did he push her away if she is his soul mate and if the idea of soul mates was being over-mentioned and stressed throughout the book! Another t...moreThis is the third book I read by Coelho. I found the characters very flat and uninteresting. I couldn't like or understand them, or at any point relate to them. A question that I couldn't find an answer for is why does Brida want to learn about magic anyways? Also, at the end of the novel, as far as I got it, Brida didn't end up being with the Magus. Why did he push her away if she is his soul mate and if the idea of soul mates was being over-mentioned and stressed throughout the book! Another thing is that since the first pages showed the magus referring to Brida as his soul mate, every part of the novel in which they got closer was totally predictable and tasteless.
I liked Few ideas in the book. One of them is Dark Night, and how it is up to us to expect snakes and scorpions or a guiding protecting force. I also liked the idea of the bridge between the visible and the invisible, and the part that was about not being afraid of doing mistakes and sipping of every cup of life to experience things and make options. Although I liked these Thoughts, I was yawning of boredom because they were repeated over and over and over again. Every novel carries multiple lessons behind it. The more hidden the lessons are, the more interesting the lines get. This didn't happen in "Brida" because the messages were laid out without giving the reader the chance to infer what's behind the words. A final thing that I didn't like was how the idea of soul mates was shallowly presented. Soul mate does not refer to a significant other ONLY! Friends, sisters, coworkers, or any other person that we relate to and find comfort with could be a soul mate. Also, soul mates couldn't be found in life by something as simple as a sign on their shoulders. Life is mostly around the unpredictable. We might have a wrong first impression about some people and they end up being so precious and close to our hearts. I simply do not recommend this novel because it is boring and does not engage the reader in any way.
(less)

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Jan 19, 2012

Vinegar rated it

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Brida follows the journey of a young woman as she learns to identify herself as a witch and explore Craft spirituality (enveloped in some sort of Christian mysticism and philosophy). Here's one more "spiritual awakening" title that doesn't offer anything beneficial either to Witches or the general public or those seeking to understand the Craft, but seems only to create more confusion as to what witchcraft truly is. (Witches as God's true guardians? I don't think so. In fact, that w...more

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Nov 11, 2011

hanan al-herbish al-herbish rated it

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جمالية الرواية تكمن في الافكار الفريدة ... فالكاتب العبقري باولو يمزج الاحداث بوقائع تاريخية مهمة

خصوصاً

تحدث عن احد الطوائف المسيحية " الكاثارية " والمعتقدات الدينية التي يؤمن بها أفراد هذه الجماعة

وكما جرت عليه العادة...قدم الكثير من الأفكار والمعاني الفلسفية الرائقة

لأهم ماقد يواجهه الانسان في حياته من مشكلات ...

لعل ابرز مالفت انتباهي من هذه الأفكار هو مسألة " الاختيار " واليقين المطلق ,

المتمثل في " ...more

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Nov 04, 2011

Ladygorekitten rated it

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Büyü ve enerji mevzusu ne zaman bu kadar ayaklara düştü?

Coelho, gençlikte sevilen yazardır ve maalesef gençlikte kalmaya mahkumdur. İnsan okumaya başladığında bir heves, bir güç, bir sebepsiz özgüven hisseder ki zaten buna ergenlik diyoruz. Coelho'nun insana aşıladığı ve maksimum aşılayabileceği şey de ergenliktir. Üzgünüm.

Brida'yla bu ergenlik ve popülerlikten pay alma mottosunun zirvesine oynamış. Büyüler, karanlık güçler denemiş ama etkileyici bile olamamış. Etkileyic...more

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Jun 08, 2011

Abdurrahman Alblowi rated it

· review of another edition

تتحدث الرواية عن فتاة آيرلندية ..تحلم بتعلم السحر
فتذهب إلى رجل يعيش فالغابة -يسمى المجوسي- ومن أول لقاء له بها
يعرف أنها "توأم روحه" نظرا لمعرفته بــ"حكمة الشمس" والتي تجعله يرى بريقا
خاصا يشع من عيني "توأم روحه" إذا ما التقى به

تلتقي بــ"ويكا" -والتي ستصبح معلمتها- معلمة "حكمة القمر" والتي كانت تربطها بالمجوسي علاقة غريبة حيث أنهما وقعا في الحب رغم معرفتهما بأنهما لم يُخلقا لبعض أي ليسوا "توائم"

...more

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Jun 07, 2011

Stephanie rated it

· review of another edition

I love Paulo Coelho, I really do...but this, I wanted to throw against the wall. Not necessarily because it was a bad story, but because it - ugh, let me start over with this. There is a disclaimer in this edition that states something to the effect of "do not try this at home." While I appreciate the concern, it gives me some doubts as to how fictional he THINKS it is. Let me tell you that there is ZERO evidence of any kind of Goddess cult surviving for centuries blah blah. It's balon...more

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Apr 19, 2010

Sabrina rated it

· review of another edition

So I have just finished reading my first novel by Paulo Coelho. I guess for an avid reader I should probably have read Coelho before and am unsure why I have never been attracted to his books. I guess one of the best things of being part of a local library is introducing yourself to books of 'old' i.e not the recent international best sellers put on show in your average bookshop. Yes these are available in your local library by the way but there is usually a long line of people that you have to ...moreSo I have just finished reading my first novel by Paulo Coelho. I guess for an avid reader I should probably have read Coelho before and am unsure why I have never been attracted to his books. I guess one of the best things of being part of a local library is introducing yourself to books of 'old' i.e not the recent international best sellers put on show in your average bookshop. Yes these are available in your local library by the way but there is usually a long line of people that you have to work through before you can access them! Also being in New Zealand this past year I have found lots more time to read and enjoy books than I have had in the past.

I have mixed feelings about Coelho's book and yet I am intrigued to read more works by the author and boy there sure are many. I always am intrigued by best-sellers and books which win awards...I guess I want to know what the hype is about and why the review experts like it so much. It was not until I had reached the end of the book that I managed to read a small autobiography of Coelho that maybe explained a bit about the book itself, that is it appears as a reflection on his own life and experiences of things literary and spiritual.

'Brida' kind of left me hanging though and wanting a lot more from the story line. Yet I guess 'Brida' is a book not about the story, which is about a young girl in Ireland who goes on a search of herself, but I think about the meaning of things as it really could be a story set anywhere in any time. Sometimes I felt like maybe I should be taking notes. It is also the story of witchcraft so if that bothers you I would suggest you might want to stay away, though it is maybe more spiritual than scary, a kind of coming of age I guess. It was not until I had reached the end of the book that I managed to read a small autobiography of Coelho that maybe explained a bit about the book itself, that is, it appears as a reflection on his own life and experiences of things literary and spiritual.

I leave and now head into 'By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept'(less)

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Dec 28, 2009

Deepak rated it

· review of another edition

A beautiful young woman looking for her soulmate - that's what Paulo Coelho's 'Brida' talks about. The former looking to discover herself through two different traditions - the Tradition of the Sun and the Tradition of the Moon.

As expected, Coelho presents his readers with his extraordinary manner of giving form to ideas. He manages to include names from the world we know, for instance, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles and several poets as well. The book is divided roughly into two pa...more

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Jan 19, 2011

Angee Andino rated it

· review of another edition

Paulo Coelho never ceases to put down on paper every little thing I've ever needed to read about life. Every time I read his writing, I always take a sense of peace and better understanding with me.

I was given Brida this Christmas by my best friend, the person over whose shoulder I never fail to see a light, and needless to say, I was thrilled to find a Coelho book that I had not read. I rushed home the next day, picked a quiet corner of the house, and prepared myself to devour the ...more

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About Paulo Coelho

The Brazilian author PAULO COELHO was born in 1947 in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Before dedicating his life completely to literature, he worked as theatre director and actor, lyricist and journalist. In 1986, PAULO COELHO did the pilgrimage to Saint James of Compostella, an experience later to be documented in his book The Pilgrimage. In the following year, COELHO published The Alchemist. Slow in...moreThe Brazilian author PAULO COELHO was born in 1947 in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Before dedicating his life completely to literature, he worked as theatre director and actor, lyricist and journalist. In 1986, PAULO COELHO did the pilgrimage to Saint James of Compostella, an experience later to be documented in his book The Pilgrimage. In the following year, COELHO published The Alchemist. Slow initial sales convinced his first publisher to drop the novel, but it went on to become one of the best selling Brazilian books of all time. Other titles include Brida (1990), The Valkyries (1992), By the river Piedra I sat Down and Wept (1994), the collection of his best columns published in the Brazilian newspaper Folha de São Paulo entitle Maktub (1994), the compilation of texts Phrases (1995), The Fifth Mountain (1996), Manual of a Warrior of Light (1997), Veronika decides to die (1998), The Devil and Miss Prym (2000), the compilation of traditional tales in Stories for parents, children and grandchildren (2001), Eleven Minutes (2003), The Zahir (2005), The Witch of Portobello (2006) and Winner Stands Alone (to be released in 2009). During the months of March, April, May and June 2006, Paulo Coelho traveled to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his pilgrimage to Saint James of Compostella in 1986. He also held surprise book signings - announced one day in advance - in some cities along the way, to have a chance to meet his readers. In ninety days of pilgrimage the author traveled around the globe and took the famous Transiberrian train that took him to Vladivostok. During this experience Paulo Coelho launched his blog Walking the Path - The Pilgrimage in order to share with his readers his impressions. Since this first blog Paulo Coelho has expanded his presence in the internet with his daily blogs in Wordpress, Myspace & Facebook. He is equally present in media sharing sites such as Youtube and Flickr, offering on a regular basis not only texts but also videos and pictures to his readers. From this intensive interest and use of the Internet sprang his bold new project: The Experimental Witch where he invites his readers to adapt to the screen his book The Witch of Portobello. Indeed Paulo Coelho is a firm believer of Internet as a new media and is the first Best-selling author to actively support online free distribution of his work. (less)

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Quotes from Brida

“When you find your path, you must not be afraid. You need to have sufficient courage to make mistakes. Disappointment, defeat, and despair are the tools God uses to show us the way.” — 682 people liked it

“Nothing in the world is ever completely wrong. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.” — 631 people liked it

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