Coelho’s most famous novel is The Alchemist and with The Zahir, an Islamic word for something that comes to totally dominate your thoughts, he continues to examine the spiritual side of humanity. The narrator a successful author, bearing a striking resemblance to Coelho, finds himself lost when his wife disappears for no apparent reason. The Zahir, at times feeling more biographical than fiction, will make you think and question – what you do with the answers you discover is up to you. As with all Coelho's novels, it's beautifully written, highly readable and very accessible.
It begins with a glimpse or a passing thought. It ends in obsession.One day a renowned author discovers that his wife, a war correspondent, has disappeared leaving no trace. Though time brings more success and new love, he remains mystified - and increasingly fascinated - by her absence. Was she kidnapped, blackmailed, or simply bored with their marriage? The unrest she causes is as strong as the attraction she exerts.His search for her - and for the truth of his own life - takes him from France to Spain, Croatia and, eventually, the bleakly beautiful landscape of Central Asia. More than that, it takes him from the safety of his world to a totally unknown path, searching for a new understanding of the nature of love and the power of destiny.With The Zahir, Paulo Coelho demonstrates not just his powerful and captivating storytelling, but also his extraordinary insight into what it is to be a human being in a world full of possibility.In Arabic Zahir means 'visible, present and unable to go unnoticed.' It refers to something or someone that ends up being the only thing we can think of. This state of 'possession' can be understood as saintliness or insanity, with a fine line between the two.
