Over two decades ago I was an exchange student to Brazil for a year between graduating high school and starting college. Consequently, I love all things Brazilian. Recently I read a write-up on "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho and put it on my list of books to read - hoping to find a copy in Portuguese. Before I had left Brazil and on subsequent trips I stocked up on paperbacks at the corner newsstand so that by reading in Portuguese I could keep up my language skills. Most of the books, though, were translations of English titles. So, the idea that there might actually be a Brazilian author worth translating was incredible. Soon after, I was at a local discount store (Garden Ridge Pottery) and saw this title for $1.99 and quickly snapped it up.

The book is easy reading with tentacles of new age religious teaching running through it in a similar fashion of "The Celestine Prophecy". If you can get past the concept that the Holy Mother is the feminine face of God and that therefore it is proper to refer to God as a she you should be okay.

The book sets us up with an explanation of the lore that if you cast your troubles into the Rio Piedra (Rock River) they will sink down and be taken from you. And so it is on this river bank that we meet Pilar, following just such a tradition. She then begins a flashback to tell us just how she got to that point.

In spite of the Brazilian roots of the author, the story is set in Spain. Pilar didn't know of life outside her small town until a childhood friend invites her to see him at a seminar in a larger town. Does the guy have a name? I didn't recall it and couldn't find it skimming through the book. It's not used often if at all. But, for Pilar, this is the guy, that one true love, that got away. Sure she'd eventually marry a man in her town and be happy enough - but a little piece of her would always imagine and long for 'him".

And the good news is that "he" feels the same about her. So she sets off for the seminar in hopes of rekindling their spark. Once she learns he's entered a monastery the outlook seems bleak. But he invites her to spend the upcoming religious/national holiday week with him and she accepts, figuring it'll be mor exciting than her small town and give her something to talk about and a memory to cling to when she goes home.

Along the way Pilar rediscovers her spirituality. But, will they rediscover their love? About half way through I decided that, based on the title, they obviously did not. But, I kept reading just in case they did and she was crying for some other reason.

This book is an unusual combination of a romantic story that also makes you think a bit. And speaking of thinking, you should think about reading it for yourself. It's been over a week since I finished it and the characters and the lessons still re-occur to me on a daily basis.

PROS: Quick read, easy to follow, engaging
CONS: I'd like a bit more description on the setting - or maybe a map
OVERALL: A nice way to spend a Saturday