“O Mary, conceived without
sin,
Pray for us who turn to you.
Amen.”
One of the most
influential Brazilian author in the world, Paulo Coelho, has once again awed me
with his latest work, Aleph. As a fan of his writings (because the way he
streches my knowledge and how he has taken my understanding of the world to
another different level), I can assure you that Aleph won’t disappoint. If one
must conclude Aleph in a single sentence, one must seriously face trouble.
Because this book somehow means more than just mere words. I remembered when a
friend of mine once asked me what Aleph was about, and I didn’t quite have the
right word. Now, as I leaf through the pages again, I can say, dear readers,
that this book is about rebirth and rediscovery. It is also a story about love
and forgiveness.
In Aleph, Paulo
Coelho shares the story and experience of himself, meeting his long-lost lover
(I say lost because the woman is his lover from over 500 years ago) names
Hilal. No, please don’t think this book is some kind of fantasy in any forms.
If you have read one of Paulo’s book, any of them, I’m certain you’re aware
that spirituality is always the main premise. This one is also no different.
It’s told that Paulo was facing a dead-end in his spiritual growth, a crisis of
faith. So he decided to take a journey, to travel through Europe, Africa, and
Asia by train – The Trans Siberian Railway. Through this journey he found a way
to re-connect with the world he once lost. And through this journey, he also
found the opportunity to meet the woman he loved from his previous life; a highly
spirited young woman with a high level of confidence and faith, 30 years
younger than he. His encounter with her triggers the start of a long voyage
where he finds answers to the questions he seeks and makes peace with his past.
A voyage where he rewrites his own destiniy and be transformed once again. A
voyage that enables him to experience Aleph with Hilal.
I shall end the
synopsis of Aleph in that previous paragraph, before you get more confused. The
concept ‘Aleph’, as Paulo himself
said, is NOW. The present moment, holding all the past and the future
consequences. But you’ll reach a further understanding of it as you read the
book itself, and I think it’s unfair if I lay it down to you much deeper here.
Besides, I’ve come to an understanding that everyone ultimately earns their own
definition of Aleph through this book. It might be different than mine, but
it’s of the same substance. Though Paulo is a catholic and his book presents so
many rituals or teachings that are hard for common people like me to understand,
it is a book that’s universal to everyone with any form of faith.
But I must warn
you, Aleph is not the book you wanna read if you solely dig chick-flick and
easy romance or fantasy. I admit it will be hard for Paulo’s first-time reader
to understand the book, but please don’t back off. I strongly suggest reading
Aleph if you want a totally different reading experience. And hopefully it will
enlighten your life like it has enlightened mine. J
I started this
review with the prayer Paulo always writes in every beginning of his book. It
will only be proper if I also end my portion of story with another sentences
you will find only in Aleph. The one that for me, is simply beautiful.
“I free myself from hatred through forgiveness and love. I understand that suffering, when it cannot be avoided, is here to help me on my way to glory. I understand that everything is connected, that all roads meet, and that all rivers flow into the same sea.”
PS: if you’ve never read Paulo Coelho’s book
before, and you wanna start with something ‘easier’ and more ‘understandable’,
try The Alchemist. It is a masterpiece. His best of the best selling book.
By: Devita
No comments:
Post a Comment