This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and (if not signed in) for advertising. By using LibraryThing you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Your use of the site and services is subject to these policies and terms.
A new novel of temptation by the author of the international bestsellers The Alchemist and The Zahir. A community devoured by greed, cowardice, and fear. A man persecuted by his painful past. A woman searching for happiness. In one eventful week, each of them will face questions of life, death, and power, and each will choose their own path. Will they choose good or evil? In the remote village of Viscos, a stranger arrives, carrying with him a backpack containing a notebook and eleven gold bars. He comes searching for the answer to the question: Are human beings good or evil? In welcoming the mysterious foreigner, the whole village becomes an accomplice to his sophisticated plot, which will forever mark their lives. Paulo Coelho's stunning novel explores the timeless struggle between good and evil and brings to our everyday dilemmas fresh incentive: to master the fear that prevents us from following our dreams, from being different, and from truly living.… (more)
This had a good premise and got you thinking about what is Good and what is Evil.
"Good and Evil have the same face, it all depends on when they cross the path of each individual human being."
Whilst the idea was great, the book never got much better than that. The story just did not flow and the characters were not believable.
The town, the stranger and Miss Prym were not likeable at all.
The stranger, what was the point really - absoulte waste of time and resources. He ended up being far less interesting than I was hoping, same goes for the old lady Berta. And then the eventual showdown, the way everyone acted and then dissipated? Is there no one who actually thinks for themselves or talks to each other? That would not go down like that in my town - more than five people would convene to talk about it at least.
I don't want to give much away but the ending was a joke, I was left scratching my head thinking 'why' and 'really' and 'is that it?'
In the end it had some good ideas but didn't explore them and became rather repetitive.
This was very good. I liked it but didn’t love the ending so that’s why I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars. I love Coelho’s writing, simple but philosophical. It makes me become very introspective. ( )
Terzo di una trilogia, questo libro riguarda il potere. Sinceramente non è il libro di Coelho che preferisco, anche se ci sono spunti sempre interessanti e divertenti, come quando il diavolo è felice per la mancanza di luce al suo fianco, mentre si tratta solamente di un'astuzia del bene ber poter vincere. ( )
The premise is sound. A man comes in with a devilish proposition to find out if human nature is good or bad. Maybe it's just because I didn't care all that much for the devil, Miss Prym or Berta. It just didn't hit the target for me.
Because of the Alchemist, I'll keep trying Paul Coelho books. But I'm wondering if that's his best work and everything else is going to be diminishing returns.
The beginning may look like it's a religious philosophy but what it all speaks is about life. This is my first book being read, written by Paulo Coelho. And its a piece of wonderful story telling along with a message... "Everyone has a good and evil residing inside. It's all about control and choice. "( )
And a certain ruler asked him, saying, 'Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?' And Jesus said unto him, 'Why callest thou me good? None is good, save one, that is God.' Luke 18: 18-19
Dedication
Hail Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who turn to Thee for help. Amen.
First words
For almost fifteen years, old Berta had spent every day sitting outside her front door.
Quotations
Last words
"The old woman was right: there was no time to lose, though she hoped that her life would be very long indeed."
A new novel of temptation by the author of the international bestsellers The Alchemist and The Zahir. A community devoured by greed, cowardice, and fear. A man persecuted by his painful past. A woman searching for happiness. In one eventful week, each of them will face questions of life, death, and power, and each will choose their own path. Will they choose good or evil? In the remote village of Viscos, a stranger arrives, carrying with him a backpack containing a notebook and eleven gold bars. He comes searching for the answer to the question: Are human beings good or evil? In welcoming the mysterious foreigner, the whole village becomes an accomplice to his sophisticated plot, which will forever mark their lives. Paulo Coelho's stunning novel explores the timeless struggle between good and evil and brings to our everyday dilemmas fresh incentive: to master the fear that prevents us from following our dreams, from being different, and from truly living.
▾Library descriptions
No library descriptions found.
▾LibraryThing members' description
Book description
Een door tijd en wereld vergeten gehucht in de bergen wordt het toneel van een verontrustende veldslag wanneer zich daar een vreemdeling meldt. Hij is afkomstig uit een ver land en wil een antwoord op de vraag die hem obsedeert: is de mens in zijn diepste we-7.cn goed of slecht? De komst van dc/.c mysterieuze man heeft tot gevolg dat het dorp betrokken raakt bijeen listig spel, dat onuitwisbare sporen 7.al achterlaten. In De duivel ett het meisje wordt de integriteit van de dorpsbewonerszwaar op de proef gesteld. T';m(oCoelKo(i947) is een van de bekendste hedendaagse scli rijvers. Van zijn werk zijn wereldwijd circa vijftig miljoen exemplaren verkocht. Hel bekendst is De alchemist, waarvan ook in ons taalgebied al 150.000 exemplaren zijn verkocht. 'Coelho moei het visionaire vermogen van een f rofect gehad hebben. Hij raakt de huidige wereld- en waardecrisis midden in het hllft.- SÜ1IDEUTSCHF 7EITUNC * Een roman zoals ik die van Coelho gewend ben: liijdoetje nadenken, spreekt je geweten aan en blijft nog lang daar het hoofd spoken.
A community devoured by greed, cowardice, and fear. A man persecuted by the ghosts of his painful past. A young woman searching for happiness. In one eventful week, each will face questions of life, death, and power, and each will choose a path. Will they choose good or evil?
In the remote village of Viscos -- a village too small to be on any map, a place where time seems to stand still -- a stranger arrives, carrying with him a backpack containing a notebook and eleven gold bars. He comes searching for the answer to a question that torments him: Are human beings, in essence, good or evil? In welcoming the mysterious foreigner, the whole village becomes an accomplice to his sophisticated plot, which will forever mark their lives.
Paulo Coelho's stunning novel explores the timeless struggle between good and evil, and brings to our everyday dilemmas fresh perspective: incentive to master the fear that prevents us from following our dreams, from being different, from truly living.
The Devil and Miss Prym is a story charged with emotion, in which the integrity of being human meets a terrifying test.
)
)
)
Google Books — Loading...
(3.4)
Wikipedia in English (1)
1
"Good and Evil have the same face, it all depends on when they cross the path of each individual human being."
Whilst the idea was great, the book never got much better than that. The story just did not flow and the characters were not believable.
The town, the stranger and Miss Prym were not likeable at all.
The stranger, what was the point really - absoulte waste of time and resources. He ended up being far less interesting than I was hoping, same goes for the old lady Berta. And then the eventual showdown, the way everyone acted and then dissipated? Is there no one who actually thinks for themselves or talks to each other? That would not go down like that in my town - more than five people would convene to talk about it at least.
I don't want to give much away but the ending was a joke, I was left scratching my head thinking 'why' and 'really' and 'is that it?'
In the end it had some good ideas but didn't explore them and became rather repetitive.
(