Eleven Minutes

It touches just the right cords without getting hedious or never once crosses the line while talking about most controversial topic. Kudos to the writer.

SYNOPSIS-This book is a box full full of paradoxes. It begins with "Once upon a time there was a prostitute named Maria..."  It follows the life of a young girl named Maria from her first heartbreak to her discovery of sacred sex;  a perfect blend of true love , spirituality and pleasure of the body.  Maria's life as she thinks is a series of mistake, her  pure innocence is shattered by bitternesses  in relationships in her childhood.  She seems adventure and denies to be a ordinary country girl from Brazil that she is . She believes  there's much more to life . She grabs her share of fortune and flys to  city of her dreams - Rio de jenerio ! Lured by an foreigner Roger, for money fame and adventure she lands up as a bar dancer in Europe.  But soon the need for money and prevailing circumstances takes her in to the profession of body trade - Prostitution. She enrolls herself in one of the most top pick up bars of Geneva, Switzerland. Every day there's more clients, she takes it strong, only as a profession and continues . Soon she's the favourite of all . The "Special client's too.  "I would like to believe that I am in love .with someone I don't know and who didn't figure in my plans at all. All these months of self control , of denying love ,have had  exactly the opposite results. I have let myself be swept away by the first person to treat me a little differently. "           - From Maria's diary. Then enters a handsome painter Ralf Hart and in no time Mr.Hart steels Maria's heart.  They get into a mysterious relationship.  Not of love , not of friendship but of something even more than that.  And then begins her quest for the meaning of love , does that pleasure she wants she gets?  Will Ralf Hart stay with her?  What will be Maria's next mistake ? CHARACTERSPaulo Coelho's books are mostly character driven. His lyricist side is shown by the words of his characters . The lead character or protagonist was weak , meare, clumsy in the beginning and grew up to be a confident , self satisfied woman . Maria who never got into proper relationships and always searched for love learnt to love without expecting a return , and learnt to love without conditions . Most importantly she learned to love herself . Maria's life was taken from a real life Prostitute. Apart from Maria there was one notable character . And that is Ralf Hart ! A successful 29 year old handsome painter with whom Maria secretly falls in love. Ralf was portrayed as a twice divorced melancholic man who has lost interest in everything except his passion for painting. The growth of the characters was quite appreciable.  The way the characters bloomed and discovered themselves caught me . I felt for the characters. And that's how characters should be.  They should touch your soul and imprint a mark on them.  A mark for the rest of your lifeWRITINGI loved the writing style of the book . The chapters are written from a 3rd person's point of view.  But after each chapter there's a note from Maria's diary where she pours her heart out and writes what she feels . Through these little segments the author connects the readers to his characters.  There are quotable words and phrases all around the book . Also as expected we get to see Coelho's lyricist style of writing.  The writing of the book makes it a treat of read and hooks you up untill the last page . OVERALLI liked this book alot.  And it's been a day I haven't started on a new book cause the book touched me so deep that I wanted to treasure the feeling of it . The reason behid me giving it a 4stars and not a complete 5starts is that , there are minor mistakes in the book . Like the confusion of places . If you are someone who is not familiar with different places it will be a little hard for you to grasp things . As there was many location changes in the book we expect to be transported to those exotic location with the words and feel the places (at least that's what I expect from a book) but the author failed in on that aspect. The places were not described vividly and I craved for details . The book is written apparently and focus is made on the development of characters so it lacked that narrative parts . There weren't much of an explanation to anything . And that's the reason I ended up giving it a 4star.Go ahead read it.. am sure u will like it ..If my review helped you in any way do mark it helpful.Also there's a full review on my blog - Indian Bibliophile .

I have heard about this book in Facebook. I purchased it and now I have started liking it. This is a great book you can purchase it without any hesitation. Just partisan drive once I think you might love it.

And Happily Completed....A Beautiful Plot Said Through Life Of A Prostitute With Beautiful Ending.Focusing And Speaking On Every Aspects And Relationships Of Male And Female, Revolving Around Choosing The Path, Erotic Scenes, Throws Light On Sexual Knowledge And Love, And Relationships.So Closely Related To Human Conditions And So Beautiful Taken Through...If You Are Really A Book Lover, Then Suggest You To Give A Try... You Will Love Reading And Feel Good The Way The Plot And Stories Is Written And The Way Aspects And Situations Are Highlighted.

I just love everything about this book there’s nothing to hate in this book if you’re a true reader.10/10 recommended

It tells the story of a young Brazilian girl named Maria who goes to Switzerland in search of adventure and love. Maria's journey leads her to become a prostitute, and the book explores her experiences in the world of love, intimacy, and desire. Throughout the story, Maria learns about the complexities of relationships and the meaning of love. Paulo Coelho delves into themes like passion, self-discovery, and the pursuit of happiness. The book takes readers on a thought-provoking journey that explores the depths of human emotions and desires. Overall, "Eleven Minutes" is a compelling and insightful read that offers a unique perspective on love and life.

It really explains the main protagonist's inner thoughts with a specificity and empathy which makes you relate to the character and put yourself in her shoes. Her troubles are heart wrenching and make you stay hooked.

I finished it really fast. Beautiful story of a young ambitious girl. Liked every bit of it. Always a paulo fan.

When I purchased this book it was by chance and knowing that I really enjoyed reading the alchemist, so I was certain I would possibly enjoy this- without realizing the content.I’m glad that I read through the whole book and would highly recommend it, as Coelho gives a completely different approach to a forbidden topic.

I really like this story. I used this novel like a tool on my way to learn english.Easy language, nice story, recommended.

Every man and woman should read this to get a glimpse into the human mind. It's not just the idea of sex... It's freedom.

I loved the way in which Maria chose to follow through with her decisions, didn’t let any man do anything she didn’t want to do. She was mistress of her own mind and body.

Cool!