Books : Brida

Rating: - Breathtaking
Have not read Coelho before and this book blew me away! I really loved his theme on intuition and the many insightful ideas for such a light, charming little book.

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Rating: - "I want to learn about magic."
I have long been a fan of Coelho's work and have long waited for BRIDA to be published in English, so as soon as this was available I grabbed it. Having now finished it the question of whether it was worth the wait is an inevitable one.

BRIDA is the story of a young Irish woman, Brida, who wishes to learn about magic. At the very beginning of the novel, she meets a Magus from the Tradition of the Sun who teaches her about the Dark Night and who recognises that she does have a gift - he is just not completely sure what that gift is. Yet this marks the beginning of Brida's spiritual journey - to find out what her gift is and what her path shall ultimately be.
This path then leads her to Wicca, a woman who commands respect and stirs emotions within Brida that she does not always understand. Wicca takes Brida on as a student, teaching her the Tradition of the Moon.
So, BRIDA is basically the story of one woman's spiritual journey of self-discovery. Along the way she learns how to listen to the hidden music of the world and how she would be able to recognise her Soulmate. Brida also discovers that, as for anyone embarking upon a journey of self-discovery, the things that she experiences and learns have an effect upon not just her but those who are close to her. This, as Coelho tries to empart, is the nature of such a journey - once you have found the right path, to see it to the end and fulfill your destiny is not always an easy ride.

For fans of Coelho's work, BRIDA should be an enjoyable read. For those who have never encountered his work before, BRIDA may be somewhat of a disappointment. As with much of Coelho's work, the reader gets out what they are willing to put into their reading experience. By this I mean you have to be sympathetic to the essence of his work - I would imagine that there would be some people who cannot relate to this book at all, and so they may not take very much away from it. However, if you are open to spirituality in all of its dimensions and are looking for a book that touches upon this area, BRIDA shall be very rewarding for you.