Book Review 1 : Winner Stands Alone

Book : Winner Stands Alone
Year Published : April, 2009
Author : Paulo Coelho
Genre : Dark Humanity / Thriller
Pages : 359
Link for e book : http://www.megaupload.com/?d=KYOBDTJ8

I have always been a huge huge fan of Paulo Coelho. And “Winner Stands Alone” is the 7th book I have read from him; It is also the most recent one.

I went into this book with a lot of expectations. Like a true Paulo fan, I expected this novel to transport me into a world that would answer one of the many philosophical questions and way of life that my heart always asks. I expected it to answer questions that Paulo has always answered for me over the years !

But instead, this book takes me to Cannes film festival !

Yupp, you heard it right ! In this book, Paulo transports you into the world of glitz and glamour. Into the world of super class. Into the world of models and aspiring actresses. Into the world of Man’s love for his wife ! Into the world of Evil that a failed love can bring on. Into the world where ends justify the means ! And into the world which challenges the extent of evil to which a man can go to regain his love.

Basic Plot :
Igor considers his wife Ewa as the person he loves and lives for. An ex military man who goes onto become one of the most successfull businessmen of his country, Igor looses himself to work and eventually his wife to another successfull man Hamid. This puts Igor on a killing spree to get his wife back. The killing spree happens in Cannes film festival and it brings on us the kind of life celebrities of our times live ! The life of models, fashion designers and aspiring actresses are described at lovely pace and great detail.Whether Igor gets his wife back through those killings, Whether sanity would prevail and Whether Evil be defeated forms the crux of the story.


Rating points :

As a book : 6/10

As a paulo book : 5/10

As entertainment value : 6/10

As knowledge value : 6.5/10

As a book for beginner : 3/10

Pluses :

The pace of narration

The plot and its description

Minuses :

Un paulo type novel for a paulo coelho fan :)
A little dragging sometimes

Overall recommend :
Go for it, if you have about 5 hours free time on a lovely Sunday afternoon ! You wouldn’t be disappointed.

A Dedication To His Memories !

I must have been around 12 years old. And on one lovely evening, my grandpa called me and asked, “ Sai, one of my wishes is that you must read atleast 6 good books an year. Six books of your choice, your interest and your love. Will you promise me to do that ? ”,

“Yes thatha.. I promise you :)”, I remember saying.

Little did I realize then, that my life was about to change with that quality ! Ever since that day, some of the most beautiful nights of my life were spent in the lovely world that my grandpa had asked me to go into. From the simple, down to earth, Indian world of R.K.Narayan to the complex, philosophical world of Paulo Coelho, I had traveled like a nomad. And through my travels i had experienced love through those books, friendship through those books, people through those books, inspiration through those books, evil through those books and god through those books !

And as I continue to travel and experience, I also now sit down to write this blog. A blog I dedicate to the person who first put me in touch with them - my grandfather. A blog that’d share my feelings and musings on all the books that had influenced me. A blog which would share what each experience had taught me. A blog that would review and rate each book from my perspective. And finally, a blog that I hope would inspire atleast one person to experience what my grandpa had asked me to experience years back.

It’s a dedication to his memories and my love !

Miss you Grandpa !