Sarah E. Moffett

This is the second of Paulo Coelho’s works I’ve read, and at the moment I’m fighting the urge to drive to the bookstore and buy copies of all his other books. Previous to reading “Veronika Decides to Die,” I had read his most famous book, “The Alchemist,” and loved it. Naturally, I devoured this one as well. Paulo Coelho is a very awe inspiring author.

His stories are simple, gentle and full of insight. They’re the type of books that you read and never forget…the messages stay with you for years to come. In “Veronika Decides to Die,” we meet Veronika, who wants to commit suicide. Not because she’s led a tragic or traumatizing life in any way; but rather because she is bored with the mundaneness of her day to day living. Her attempt is not successful, and she wakes up in a mental hospital, where she meets people who change her, and the way she views life, forever.

The moral of the story is simple and real; its stresses the importance of living. Live like there will be no tomorrow. Don’t live in fear–in fear of whatever it is that limits you and holds you back from achieving a sincere happiness. Be it fear of rejection, failure, judgement or even death itself. Veronika realizes that only when she is able to let go of her fears, fears she hadn’t previously acknowledged or recognized, only then can she truly live.

I loved it. I love Paulo Coelho. I’m going to get copies of all his books and read them in the very near future.

~Guest Blogger Book of the Moment Reviewer.  Read her wide range of diverse weekly book reviews and candid, direct, auterizing self profile here.

[Sarah Moffett is on hiatus, Walden style.   Comments and such will be moderated upon return, provided she does not get “lost” in Western Europe.]

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