I didn't finish this book... I feel kind of bad about that, because I usually always do finish a book once I start it, but the writing style and topic got on my nerves. It's about Athena and...well, it goes through people's interviews/written memoirs about her after her death. So we never know anything from the "primary source," if you will. The "voices" of a variety of characters sound all the same - a father, her ex-husband, her teacher, a journalist, her student, a man who taught her calligraphy, her mother, her biological mother - despite their different upbringings and ages and roles. Apparently she's in a quest to get in touch with the female face of God/Mother/etc. It got a little too preachy at points, relegated to the not-finished pile. I have to say, though, the only reason it's not a 1-star rating is because there are some insightful lines/quotes in the book.

This book came to me by pure intuition. I seen it on a stand in the bookstore and something told me that I should read this book. I didn't even read the back! Thankfully I trusted my instinct, as this book has turned out to be the BEST read of my life. Athena was a character that I could relate to. This truly shows the virtues & vices of good and evil and how a powerful person can leave such a mark on the people around them. I look at the world differently because of the strength and power of Athena that Paulo Coelho created.

This was my first Paulo Coelho book, and I was not left disappointed! It has an interesting style, written from the point of view of each key player in the protagonist, Athena's, life. You get a different view of Athena from each person, her ex-husband, her mother, her teacher. With each one you get a new and different perspective which keeps things fresh. A person might judge this book by it's title and assume its about something "occult-ish", I certainly did and let it be known that it's nothing like that. This is a beautifully written novel about a woman searching for her true self, and her full potential. The feminine aspects of God, something that has and is constantly ignored or belittled, is explored by both Athena and Coelho. So if your looking for something to reflect on, and a great conversation started, this is a great choice!

Paulo Coelho of international fame for his book The Alchemist has here in The Witch of Portobello has woven a very unique and compelling tale. Part of what draws the reader in is the story itself and part is the very unique way it is written. Rather than a straight forward narrative, or a dialogue or even a series of letters this is a unique narrative technique. It is written as a series of first person accounts of individuals interactions with our unusual heroine Athena aka the Witch of Portobello. These stories, taped interviews and letters have been compiled by a narrator we do not know until the end of the story. He has decided to let Athena's story be told as other's tell it, through their own words, and with all of their emotions, anger, support, respect or disgust. What we learn from these accounts is not only is Athena a bit of an enigma, from these accounts we could almost assume that almost every person encountered a different Athena, an Athena of the making in their own mind. The way the 'biography' is written it allows us to draw our own conclusions, rather than a traditionally researched biography that is colored by the lenses that cloud the vision of the biographer. Much as each of us look at the world through a series of lenses of our experiences, and cultural biases. Athena is a young woman who tries to fill the spaces, the silences in her life. The more she tries to fill them the more dissatisfied she becomes. Until she learns that it is the silences between the notes that make the music so powerful. When she learns to embrace the silence, the spaces, she finds a power an energy. She becomes a spiritual leader, some see her as a saint and some see her as a sinner. She is both revered and feared. A saint and a demon. The compiled documents help us to see Athena for who she was. So join our unknown biographer as we trace the life of a murdered young woman and journey around the world and into an unseen spiritual world. This book is better than some of Coelho's more recent offerings, and the narrative tool will draw you in and keep you turning the pages. A warning though the book deals with earth religions and has some new age ceremonies in it, therefore it will not be for all readers. (First Published in Imprint 2007-05-18 in the 'Book Review Column.)

Paulo Coelho of international fame for his book The Alchemist has here in The Witch of Portobello has woven a very unique and compelling tale. Part of what draws the reader in is the story itself and part is the very unique way it is written. Rather than a straight forward narrative, or a dialogue or even a series of letters this is a unique narrative technique. It is written as a series of first person accounts of individuals interactions with our unusual heroine Athena aka the Witch of Portobello. These stories, taped interviews and letters have been compiled by a narrator we do not know until the end of the story. He has decided to let Athena's story be told as other's tell it, through their own words, and with all of their emotions, anger, support, respect or disgust. What we learn from these accounts is not only is Athena a bit of an enigma, from these accounts we could almost assume that almost every person encountered a different Athena, an Athena of the making in their own mind. The way the 'biography' is written it allows us to draw our own conclusions, rather than a traditionally researched biography that is colored by the lenses that cloud the vision of the biographer. Much as each of us look at the world through a series of lenses of our experiences, and cultural biases. Athena is a young woman who tries to fill the spaces, the silences in her life. The more she tries to fill them the more dissatisfied she becomes. Until she learns that it is the silences between the notes that make the music so powerful. When she learns to embrace the silence, the spaces, she finds a power an energy. She becomes a spiritual leader, some see her as a saint and some see her as a sinner. She is both revered and feared. A saint and a demon. The compiled documents help us to see Athena for who she was. So join our unknown biographer as we trace the life of a murdered young woman and journey around the world and into an unseen spiritual world. This book is better than some of Coelho's more recent offerings, and the narrative tool will draw you in and keep you turning the pages. A warning though the book deals with earth religions and has some new age ceremonies in it, therefore it will not be for all readers. (First Published in Imprint 2007-05-18 in the 'Book Review Column.)

Paulo Coelho of international fame for his book The Alchemist has here in The Witch of Portobello has woven a very unique and compelling tale. Part of what draws the reader in is the story itself and part is the very unique way it is written. Rather than a straight forward narrative, or a dialogue or even a series of letters this is a unique narrative technique. It is written as a series of first person accounts of individuals interactions with our unusual heroine Athena aka the Witch of Portobello. These stories, taped interviews and letters have been compiled by a narrator we do not know until the end of the story. He has decided to let Athena's story be told as other's tell it, through their own words, and with all of their emotions, anger, support, respect or disgust. What we learn from these accounts is not only is Athena a bit of an enigma, from these accounts we could almost assume that almost every person encountered a different Athena, an Athena of the making in their own mind. The way the 'biography' is written it allows us to draw our own conclusions, rather than a traditionally researched biography that is colored by the lenses that cloud the vision of the biographer. Much as each of us look at the world through a series of lenses of our experiences, and cultural biases. Athena is a young woman who tries to fill the spaces, the silences in her life. The more she tries to fill them the more dissatisfied she becomes. Until she learns that it is the silences between the notes that make the music so powerful. When she learns to embrace the silence, the spaces, she finds a power an energy. She becomes a spiritual leader, some see her as a saint and some see her as a sinner. She is both revered and feared. A saint and a demon. The compiled documents help us to see Athena for who she was. So join our unknown biographer as we trace the life of a murdered young woman and journey around the world and into an unseen spiritual world. This book is better than some of Coelho's more recent offerings, and the narrative tool will draw you in and keep you turning the pages. A warning though the book deals with earth religions and has some new age ceremonies in it, therefore it will not be for all readers. (First Published in Imprint 2007-05-18 in the 'Book Review Column.)

As someone who has an interest in the philosophy of religion, spirituality, and the persecution of those within our society who dare to break the mold, I was captivated by the premise of this book. As I began to read, I was immediately immersed in the story of Athena, a mysterious woman who embarked on a journey to find the missing pieces within her life. Unfortunately, as I delved deeper and deeper into the book, I found that I was often bored. Athena's story was told through interviews of those who had known her. Coelho almost pulled this off, but in the end he fell short. Most of the interviews were interesting enough, but there were a (significant) few that seemed to drag on forever. Furthermore, I didn't feel much of a connection with any of the characters. I'm not sure that I really understand who Athena is, even now. In short, this was a good book, but not one that I will remember years from now.

Fans of Paulo Coelho should not be disapointed with his latest work. Like Santiago in the Alchemist the Witch of Portobello seeks her own connection to the soul of the world. Using rythmic dance, drumming and other ancient tribal ritual Athena is described as a woman of the 22nd century living in the 21st who pays a huge price for her vision of a new and better world. Like so many of us she is caught in a world that she knows is conterproductive to her spiritual growth. Like so many she is misunderstood, judged and condemned by even her closest followers and friends. Paulo Coelho continues to challenge his readers to think and to reflect and to learn from this wonderful parable.