Veronika Decides to Die: A Novel of Redemption

Paulo Coelho

The Brazilian author Paulo Coelho is acknowledged to be the world’s most read living author. Because I am a contrarian by nature (and some may even say an elitist snob) ordinarily I would avoid reading something so popular. Thanks to the advice of Tony I did not make this mistake. I have read and enjoyed a number of Coelho’s works. I particularly enjoyed Eleven Minutes, which I have reviewed earlier, and would urge everyone who has missed it to pick it up and read it. This month I read Veronika Decides to Die , which I rate as possibly the best of all of his novels.

All of his works have a kind of mythic quality to them. Often they treat deep and spiritual issues. Veronika is spiritual, earthy, and philosophical in the best ways. Coelho’s treatment of the nature of reality and the issues of sanity and insanity are both profound and simple at the same time. This creates fast moving and very enjoyable reading with very interesting characters. The setting, an insane asylum, brings together some fascinating and very enchanting people.

It turns out, perhaps, that the insane asylum is the only refuge for the truly sane. This book really flows. The characters are wonderful and the story seems to be a perfect length. I really loved this book and recommend it without any reservations at all.

Review by Len Oppenheim