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The Spy by Paulo Coelho (Book Reviews- 3.5/5)

The Alchemist author Paulo Coelho's latest book 'The Spy' is based on the adventurous life of the famous accused secret agent of the late 1800s, Mata Hari. Written in the format of a pair of exchanged letters, the novel throws light on the early life of the exotic Dutch dancer, and her side of explanation for the convinced espionage.

 The story begins with the execution process of Margaretha Zelle - stage name Mata Hari - by the French government. The absence of fear from the dancer's face and body language reflects her boldness since the very beginning. The story moves forward in the form of a letter by Mata Hari to her attorney, Maitre Clunet. The letter encapsulates her entire life journey; from a little girl in Holland to being deceitfully married to finally becoming the desire of scores of men around the world.

 The 208-page novel has been published by Penguin Random House in a hardcover format, which is pretty handy and kind of cute too, The bestselling author has included a few brilliant quotes in the drama fiction, including:

 "They're tulip seeds, the symbol of our country. But, more than that, they represent a truth you must learn. These seeds will always be tulips, even if at the moment you cannot tell them apart from other flowers. They will never turn into roses or sunflowers, no matter how much they might desire to. And if they try to deny their own existence, they will live life bitter and die."
&

"When we don't know where life is taking us, we are never lost."

 There are moments when the reader feels pity for Mata Hari and simultaneously bewildered by her boldness and beauty. She is pretty much in depression, right from separating from her parents, ill-fated marriage, and abandoning her baby daughter, and tries to cover the void with seductive dance and expensive haute couture dresses. The reader feels very connected with the lead character at many points, and Coelho makes sure the reader finds her/himself lost completely in the story, like all of his books.

 The Spy brings with it the touching story of Mata Hari, but since the plot is based on a real incident, the book somehow lacks the freshness of Paulo Coelho's stories. The Spy isn't very successful at bringing out the peculiarity of Coelho's writing, unlike his other writings The Alchemist & Adultery. The book somehow doesn't appear to be a 100% Paulo Coehlo creation to the reader.

 I give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Book details:  

Title: The Spy
Author: Paulo Coelho
Category: Contemporary Fiction

Find the book: Amazon | Goodreads | Flipkart 


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