The Witch of Portobello is another amazing novel from Paulo Coelho.  The novel is a story of finding and loving oneself.  bAout being true to who you are and not letting others bring you down.  Paulo approaches this story in an interesting way with "intervews" with people who knew the main character Athena.  We learn about her through the stories and memories of those she came in contact with.  We do not know who the narrator is or his relationship to Athena until the very end of the story.

Athena is a young woman who struggles to find herself and embarks on a journey to fill in the "blank spaces" of her life.  The more answers she gets, the more she learns the more dissatisfied she becomes.  Through dance she learns to become one with herself and learns to go against the grain.  Athena learns to embrace the "blank spaces" which opens the door to a power and energy she never knew.  This causes her to become a spiritual leader, viewed as both a saint and a sinner.   

The story of Athena and her journey causes the readers to contemplate their own lives and what their "blank spaces" could mean.   There are spiritual aspects to the novel: some points it talks of God in a Christian sense, then it talks of the gypsy tradition of spirituality as well as earth sirituality.  All of which helps Athena learn to embrace her identity and embrace love.  The Witch of Portobello is one of those books that comes along that makes you think and wonder.

Recommended: Yes