Veronika Decides To Die

Paulo Coelho

WARNING: This is an extremely dangerous book. It could change your life. Paulo Coelho has...more

WARNING: This is an extremely dangerous book. It could change your life. Paulo Coelho has written only one real book and Veronika (1998) is it. The story is set in an asylum where the lead character finds herself, and a refrain is a redemptive analysis of madness, closely related to the notion popularized by Foucault - madness as a societal construct, and not something independently affirmable. This novel works because it does not moralize as much as The Alchemist, though it does make broad sweeping statements. The story is made more believable through powerful vignettes (like the statue of the Slovene poet France Preseren in Ljubljana), which work to give depth to the story. Even the moralization is couched in terms of observations that can be pure poetry:

"You say they create their own reality," said Veronika, "but what is reality?" "It's whatever the majority deems it to be. It's not necessarily the best or the most logical, but its the one that has become adapted to the deisires of society as a whole. You see this thing I've got around my neck?" "You mean your tie?" "Exactly. Your answer is the logical, coherent answer an absolutely normal person would give: it's a tie! A madman, however, would say that what I have round my neck is a ridiculous, useless bit of coloured cloth tied in a very complicated way, which makes it harder to get air into your lungs and difficult for you to turn your neck. I have to be careful when I'm anywhere near a fan, or I could be strangled by this bit of cloth. If a mad person were to ask me what this tie is for, I would have to say, absolutely nothing. The only abuseful function a tie serves is the sense of relief when you get home and take it off; you feel as if you've freed yourself from something, though quite what you don't know. If I were to ask a madman and a normal person what this is, the sane person would say: a tie. It doesn't matter who's correct, what matters is who's right." - p.79

And this next pithy line seems to have become my motto:

I want to continue being mad, living my life the way I dream it, and not the way other people want it to be. - p.31

Especially if you have been sausaged out of or are still stuck in the depravity of a schooling system mugging-unlearning culture, this is a great book to read. But do heed the warning. It can be dangerous. Especially if (heaven forbid!) you are reading this with one of these strangulating pieces of cloth around your neck. Extremely dangerous.    hide

Face it...we're all a little CRAZY (on certain days). The title of this book would normally be a...more

Face it...we're all a little CRAZY (on certain days). The title of this book would normally be a turn-off for me. I wouldn't even consider reading it if my very own daughter, Arianna, hadn't mentioned it so excitedly to her friend, Laura, last August 2004. I finally found a used copy and I'm very glad I read it now. Paulo Coelho simply adds so much to one's life in his profound words (and definitely read THE ALCHEMIST--if you haven't already!). 'No one should let themselves get used to anything'. Hey that last sentence is in this book! I'd highly recommend this book for any person who is psychologically 'in the know' and/or who has an inkling of minimal depression during the trials and tribulations of living a routine life. Everyone has an unusual story to tell--is another line in this book and the Eduard character is clearly semi-autobiographical to Paulo's own life. Another good reminder from this book is to make sure you get enough 'sunlight' in your life. It DOES make a difference!    hide

“Veronika seems to have every thing she could wish for. She is very young and pretty, has...more

“Veronika seems to have every thing she could wish for. She is very young and pretty, has plenty of attractive boy friends, goes steady job, a loving family. Yet she was not happy; something was lacking in her life. On the morning of November 11th, 1077 she decided to die.” “She had everything she wished for. Yet she was not happy; something was lacking in her life”. This sounds very familiar. Isn’t that the story of majority today? I bought the book to find why she decided to die, what she lack in her life. In other word what most of us lacks in our life? Book doesn’t give me proper answers. I don’t think even Veronica was clear about her reasons or what she lacks in her life. Do you wonder what life is all about? Do you feel empty, unhappy on a Sunday afternoon? Do you feel irritated when you have nothing to do and do you complain when you have work? Do you live a routine life? Do you feel something is missing? Read this book. You might find something useful.……I did.    hide

I have never really warmed to Coelho. Perhaps it is the translation that is lacking, but I have...more

I have never really warmed to Coelho. Perhaps it is the translation that is lacking, but I have always found his work rather clunky and stilted. And despite his apparently good intentions, some of his views seem rather sinister and his attitude slightly patronising. So this book - about a girl who fails to kill herself and then finds she has only days left to live - was one I could have done without. The message is there alright - live each day to the full, and don't repress your passions just because of what other people might think - but so many other books have said it in a more interesting and less clumsy way. I appreciate that Coelho's style is deliberately simplistic, and this is a trait that I usually enjoy. I continue to read his works because I found The Pilgrimage quite fascinating, but so far nothing else of his has shone for me. But as I said, perhaps it is the translation that is lacking. If you are looking for a piece of upliftng reading, try some Danny Wallace instead.   hide

A friend recommended me to read this book on an accidental occasion. He said that Paulo Coelho is a...more

A friend recommended me to read this book on an accidental occasion. He said that Paulo Coelho is a must read writer (or at least, what I had in mind when he shared his experience, I assumed). Anyway, Veronika Decides to Die tells a story about a 24 years old woman who committed suicide and failed. But somehow, her attempt did cause some problems, she was put to a mental hospital for one (Coelho, at his young age, was put to a mental hospital 3 times because he wanted to be an artist - he did describe one of the character based on this experience). For more less than a week, Veronika met new friends (who were not less interested) as she began to learn the value of life when she was faced to death, itself. In the end, ... well, I'm not going to spoil it for you, you have to read it. At first, I felt sorry for Veronika, but as I read the book further and further, I had this fear of seeing myself occasionally in her and I began to envy her, to finally find her own sanctuary, her out-of-mind ways out. Set in Slovenia - during the long winter, the book might not use big words to charm you, but it definitely set you back and make you think about your life and all that matter.   hide