By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept: A Novel of Forgiveness Paperback – August 3, 2021

I am moved beyond words. Before, during, and after, my thoughts have become transformed by the words of this great writer. There's never been a more prolific writer that exposes the depths of the human soul provoking the reader to look within and connect with the characters who reveal the frailties we each experience in a life.

All of Coelho's stories use the symbolism of a journey. Each ends up being a journey from brokenness to greater wholeness. Each tale ends up describing a deep fundamental change in the life of his characters that inspires readers to look at their own lives and set out on their own journeys.This tale combines both a spiritual journey and the quest for love. There are many sub-themes that are beautifuly worked into this tapestry; the relationship between erotic love and divine love...the need to dream and to follow one's dreams, the fear of seeing your loved one hurt by your dreams, the feminine face of God as a necessary element of our relationship with God...This story draws heavily on Coelho's Catholic heritage--Brazil being a most Catholic of countries. For those who share in this heritage it adds to the story, drawing on images and experiences that are easy to relate to and understand. For those who do not share this heritage, Coelho does not make that lack an obstacle to entering into the story. The story is complete in itself and will entertain you, nourish you and get you reflecting.The book is very much in the style of The Alchemist, in that it is clearly a fable for our instruction. For me it had something of an otherworldly quality, rather than the more gritty feeling of Valkyries or even Pilgrimage. Yet, all the events described were concrete--even more so than Pilgrimage. I think the otherworldly quality comes from the sense of love that pervades the tale like a soft mist. Afterall, love is something of a divine madness, the intersection of the otherworldly with our very worldly lives. Perhaps, Coelho meant to capture that quality in his telling of this tale. If so, he has done an admirable job of it.

An inspiring read even for those who are not Catholic. I say this because there is a lot of Catholicism in this book, but it is written not necessarily in support or non-support of Catholicism, but more about the feminine side of God, spirituality, the Virgin Mary, higher force, whatever name you want to put to the softer side of spirituality. The real delight of this book is its viewpoint of love- Love is always a good thing. I found myself agreeing with this sentiment the more I read the book. My favorite part was where the main character reasons that if one is going to fall in love, one may as well fall far because if there is going to be pain, it doesn't matter whether one falls from the third floor or the tenth floor, it hurts the same. This book is written as a love story but is an intelligent read, not a sappy romance.

I'm in a book club so when it comes to ordering the book of the month. Amazon is my go to book store. I absolutely love ordering through Amazon and there's several reasons why. 1. I always find it here and know for sure I will not be disappointed when looking for a specific book. 2. I get options. Yay!! I either can get a hardcover which most of the time I do. I have an option of getting it on Audible. Double yay and I'll tell you why. I'm a mother of 6 kids. Yep...doesn't give me much time to read so audio books are a must for me. I also have an option of getting it on kindle. So if I can't really wait for the actual book. I'll definitely get it on Kindle. The list of options goes on and I love it. When it was time to order this book. Boom! I saw it, ordered it and received it a few days later. How awesome is that!! This book is great and I found out as I was reading it (in my head) that it's even better when you read it out loud. Try it! You'll love it and makes the book more interesting. The book is a perfect size, not too big nor too small and definitely not bulky. Looking forward to purchasing more books through Amazon!

This is a story about discovering yourself and using someone you've spent time with in your past. An old friend/ love finds a woman who is on a set path but has never truly lived life on her own because of youth and seeking education. She finds religion and love though this man only for him to leave her.Personally I think the man is someone I'd never stay with, because his religion was about all his beliefs in a very overzealous fashion. This poor woman had no room to take it all in and was put in a position to believe her own life and friends had no value until she meet this man. I would of enjoyed the story more if she would of taken the time to step away, finish her schooling and travel on her own to find herself.

I will agree with a fellow reviewer and say that "By the River Piedra..." is heavy on religious themes. The theme with "The Other" is not my favorite. I guess it's reasonable to believe that "The Other" is the antagonist, or perhaps there is no true villain.There are many love stories in the world. We'll say Romeo & Juliet is the cliche. This story, in my opinion, surpasses any love story I have ever heard. It's a modern day fairy tale (like most of Paulo's stories). If the reader believes in that force known as love, then they will find themselves entranced by this story. Throughout the tale, one will begin to see themselves as both lovers. Every moment is beautiful, even the saddest. It's a subtle, soothing tale for the heart.As for the title of the review...Pay close attention as you read. If you find yourself very immersed in the story, you won't realize it until the end. It's kinda funny though.

I have a book collection. I love this author very much. Excellent book to read.