Oi Yin's comments (member since Mar 10, 2008)

Oi Yin's comments from the GoodReviews: The Official Book Review Contest group.

One of the Classics I'd love to revisit would be John Steinbeck's "Grapes of Wrath"...or Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle".

In terms of new fiction, perhaps Atonement...I've seen the movie and am rather disappointed I didn't get a chance to read the book beforehand. I've hear that the book is much better...as is generally the case. :-)

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/81672...

Paulo Coehlo of The Alchemist fame brings us back to introspection and self-exploration in The Witch of Portobello. This time, Coehlo uses the third person perspective of the major players in the protagonist's life to recount her story. An interesting approach to understanding a character through the eyes of others. It brings to light just how much, or little of oneself, an individual allows loved ones to see.

Athena, the protagonist of the novel, is the adopted Romanian daughter of a gypsy. From the beginning she exhibits gifts that cannot be understood by those who love her. She feels trapped by the routines of her daily life. Even though she had the love of her parents, son and several men and success in her career, she still felt a void. She attempts to fill all the empty hours with dance, with calligraphy, with the care of her son, and with reaching out to others with her knowledge. She constantly seeks out teachers who may impart further knowledge about attaining the connection she thirsts for. Throughout her journey, there were numerous instances where she could have taken fame or money rather than continue on her search. Instead, she remained true to herself, rejecting those obstacles in her unwavering desire for that intangible mission. Her journey was riddled with disapproval, sacrifice, loss and solitary suffering. Right to very end, the reader is left with the mystery of who Athena was and what she sought. It allows the reader to imagine what the mission she sought to fulfill was.

The allure of Coehlo's books lies in their ability to reach a wide audience. Any reader can easily identify with the dilemmas faced by his characters. Each theme presented serves to enrich our approach to living in one way or another. In this novel, Athena embodies the courage we all wish we had to follow our desires, whatever they may be. The most interesting quality of Athena's search is its ambiguity. Even without a direction, she is constantly moving forward. She teaches the reader that it truly is the journey that is the driving force, even when the destination is unclear.

Despite an overall tone of dissatisfaction, the novel leaves the reader with a sense of hope and renewal. Even in the face of tragedy, we learn the lesson that Coehlo wishes us to take away. By embracing the silences, we will find ourselves closest to that which we seek. For some it may be a closeness to a divine being; for others it may be finding themselves. So the moral of the story is to have the courage to truly embrace ourselves.