Book review : Adultery

Book: Adultery

Author: Paulo Coelho

Publisher: Random House

Price: 299 INR

ISBN: 9788184006094

Blurb:  Linda is in her thirties and is facing a crisis mentally and emotionally. She begins to question the void that was growing in her, the mundane, predictable days of her life. Although her life seemed perfect in everybody’s eyes – a contented marriage, adorable children and a successful career - she feels a keen sense of emptiness and displeasure. But it all drastically changes when she meets a prosperous politician who happens to be her high-school boyfriend from years ago. As Linda revives the passion that was absent in her life, she would have to make a life-altering choice.

My rating: 4/5

My review:  

Being a huge fan of Paulo Coelho, I always expect a lot from his books and I am thankfully never disappointed. However while reading this book, I felt that it is not a book for all. Only those people who are able to introspect while reading, who understand the profound meaning in books and people who are patient should try this book. 

The story starts with the lady, Linda who is strangely unhappy with her more than perfect life. She feels she is slipping gradually into the abyss of depression for no specific reason.  Her husband loves her and she also loves her husband. They have two children and Linda has a lucrative job of a journalist in a leading tabloid of Geneva. Yet she feels her life is dull and captivated in the shackles of monotony. 

In the course of her job, she goes to interview a politician who happens to be her high school boyfriend. When the politician tells her how unhappy he is in his married life, Linda feels that she can see her reflection in him. They indulge in adultery.

However the book is not only about adultery. It is about how fickle a human mind can be. It explains beautifully how an angel and a monster both dwells in a human mind. It is upto you whether the angel/demon will dominate the other. 

A person has to get lost totally in order to discover oneself. The book narrates the tale of Linda's self-discovery after running through pebbles and inferno, commiting deeds she could never imagine in her nightmare.

The narration is wonderful. Readers can feel that they can hear the protagonist talking infront of them. The last few pages of the book is sure to enlighten the readers. The place where Linda goes for paragliding enchants me completely as she feels her soul getting enlightened. The readers may also feel totally lost, just like the protagonist while leafing through the pages of the book. That is perhaps a flaw of the book and so I said that only people who are patient enough should read the book.

It will compel you to introspect and some words of the book wil surely stay with you after you have completed it. . This is actually a book of self-discovery. I really liked it,

You can get the book  here