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The Winner Stands Alone by Paulo Coelho (Book Review- 3.5/5)

Paulo Coelho's thirteenth novel The Winner Stands Alone revolves around a Russian millionaire Igor who is hell bent to win his ex-wife Ewa back. The story is set in a 24-hours span during the much glamorous Cannes Film Festival. The story entwines mystery and fashion in a remarkable manner, bringing a psychopath in the world of the 'Superclass.'

 Coelho has dug the fashion world and its communities to the core and showed his readers the dark side of the world of glitz and power. The story begins with Igor landing in Cannes during the film festival to give his ex-wife Ewa, who left him and married an haute couture designer, the message that he will destroy other 'world' for her. The Russian businessman is a man of deep knowledge of weapons and contacts.

 Igor starts killing one by one and keeps informing Ewa that he has 'destroyed another world' for her. Thrill and suspense make the novel an absolute page turner. The struggles of aspiring actress Gabriela and the most popular fresh face of the modeling industry, Jasmine show that the world behind the shiny stages and expensive dresses are quite depressing. 

 Using his strongest power, Paulo Coelho takes the reader amidst the grand suppers and star-studded parties, making the reader walk in each character's shoes and connect something or the other with his/her life with the events going on in the book. At times, you feel like being right there on the red carpet, chugging down champagne at the grand supper, praising the big ass blue diamond the old botox-filled rich woman is flaunting even though you're extremely jealous deep down. The reader feels hopeful for the ambitious detective Savoy but stays scared about 'whose murder next?'

 The only two weak points in the book were the unclear character description of Ewa and the slightly abrupt ending. 

 Whether Ewa loved Hamid or did she just marry him to start a new life stays unclear in the entire novel. She appears to be a slightly annoying woman married to a very sensible and loving Arab designer. When the book ends, the reader wants to know what happened to Savoy's progress in the investigation, whether Igor was punished with what he deserved, and many such questions. But deep down the reader also knows that these questions will lead to another equally big story and that the actual story was of a lover-psychopath who wanted his wife back at any cost.

 Coelho's books have always reflected the deep essences of life, touching one emotion at a time. If you feel like reading something close to life, The Winner Stands Alone is a thumbs up.

 I give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.

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