This book is more a journey through life than a novel itself. Through the life of a special person, so special that she was able to change other people’s lives.

The main character is Sherine, a young girl born in Transylvania. Her adoptive parents call her Sherine, but in time she receives the name of Athena.

The way I see it the entire novel is a search. Sherine’s continuous search of her own soul and her struggle to Live! This is a story about living your life the way you want to and , most important, the way you feel it (dancing, traveling, learning and finding new things).

Always fighting with prejudices, Sherine is not afraid to stand out in a world where most of the people try to fit in. Unfortunately she will pay an enormous price for the ideas she has and for the life she is living.

I think Sherine is part of all of us. Not ordinary people, but the ones who are trying to give sense to life and to live by Soul and not by other human or social rules. This is what Coelho’s character is doing – making her own rules and living by them. Being young she is not afraid to tell the dreams she has (dreams that later unfortunately come true). Later, as the years go by she understands that life is more a spirit living than a human living. So she tries to cultivate her spirit and also to find herself. The music , the fascinating dancing, the penmanship are more ways to express and to live by spirit than normal activities to her.

If you want to learn more about life and the way of living it in a special manner I invite you to page through this novel.