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Paulo coelho, one of the worlds best loved storytellers, is back with a riveting new novel set in london this is the story of athena, or sherine, to give her the name she was baptised with her life is pieced together through a series of recorded interviews with those people who knew her well or hardly at all – parents, colleagues, teachers, friends, acquaintances, her ex-husband the novel unravels athenas mysterious beginnings, via an orphanage in romania, to a childhood in beirut when war breaks out, her adoptive family move with her to london, where a dramatic turn of events occurs… athena, who has been dubbed the witch of portobello for her seeming powers of prophecy, disappears dramatically, leaving those who knew her to solve the mystery of her life and abrupt departure like the alchemist, the witch of portobello is the kind of story that will transform the way readers think about love, passion, joy and sacrifice
The mysterious disappearance of Athena, a woman known as the Witch of Portobello, forces those who knew her to confront the enigma of her life and the unconventional path she walked. Athena, born Sherine in Romania and raised in Beirut and London, seeks to reconcile her spiritual awakening with the rigid expectations of society. Her narrative is constructed through a polyphonic framework of interviews, where parents, colleagues, and former lovers offer conflicting perspectives on her character. These witnesses struggle to define her motives, leaving the reader to navigate the tension between her perceived prophetic powers and the mundane realities of her existence.
The narrative structure of this work invites readers to engage with the protagonist through a mosaic of subjective viewpoints rather than a singular, objective lens. The reliance on multiple testimonies creates a sense of distance that mirrors the mystery surrounding Athena's true nature. The text functions as a philosophical inquiry into the boundaries of belief and the societal reaction to individuals who defy conventional norms. By presenting these disparate accounts, the author encourages an analytical approach to the construction of identity and the way personal legends are shaped by the perceptions of others.
Page Count:
352
Publication Date:
2007-01-01
Publisher:
HARPER COLLINS UK
ISBN-10:
0007257449
ISBN-13:
9780007257447
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