Eleven Minutes in 5 hours, a review of Eleven Minutes

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Eleven Minutes in 5 hours

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2006-08-27 08:41 From: starryluvly (Australia)

a review of Eleven Minutes

Spoiler warning: key plot disclosed

I didn't get the Alchemist. Perhaps it was because I was a bit too young to comprehend it at the time. Or perhaps it was just the anti-philosophical side of me protesting. Who knows?

With that in mind, I approached this book with mixed feelings. Trepidation because of past experience. Yet I was determined to try to read another Paulo Coelho book because I've heard only good things about his works - I had to give it another try.

Coelho could have easily fallen into the trap of stereotyping prostitutes as being desperate for money - that they go into the trade simply because there is no other way of making money.

Maria is not like this. She's not forced into the circumstances she's in - she could make money by other means. She's the one who took that first step and went back for more. She is not a victim.

This is evident in other areas - the fact that she's even in Switzerland is because she wanted excitement. She learnt French so that she could express herself better. In almost everything she does, she peps herself up by reminding herself that she can always stop and turn back.

All this points to the strength of Maria's character - she doesn't merely exist. She lives life and seizes the moment.

Which is what makes her relationship with Ralf all the more poignant. He's been hurt before and sex is almost a taboo subject with him. She, on the other hand, is coming close to being desensitised from her daily exposure to sex. Through each other, they not only discover love but rediscover the intimacy of sex. It's heartening to watch it unfold as you turn the pages.

As much as I enjoyed this book, there is a reason why it only gets 4 stars instead of 5. Similar to the alchemist (or what I remember of it), the characters muse and philosophise over various topics. It's easy for the reader to get a little lost in what they're saying, especially when you're not expecting it. It's not so much Coelho's fault - it's more of personal taste talking here. I read to escapre and enjoy - not to try and figure out the meaning behind a character's monologue.

That said, this book enthralled me enough to get me to sit still for five hours straight so that I could finish it. And I still want to reread it.

By Paulo Coelho

Harper Perennial
ISBN: 0060589280
Release Date: 2005-04-01
Paperback
List Price: USD 13.95

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