Paulo Coelho - Veronica Decides To Die

Knowing hat Paulo Coelho is a brilliant writer and seeing this new addition to our local library collection I picked up the book immediately. I read this book in less than 24 hours and the only reason it took me so long was because I was tired and needed some sleep, otherwise I would have read through the night.

Contrary to it's title it's an ode to life. So emotional, so painful at times and still so full of life, entering the darkest and strangest corners of human nature.

The robotic actions in the beginning of the book introduces us to the main character of the book, Veronika, a girl who is fed up with her life for no real reason. She has a decent job, she's attractive and has plenty of boyfriends, but because she never really lived her life, she is fed up with it.

As she swallows each pill, she is more and more assured that she made the right choice and she is finally happy. Only to wake up a few days later in a mental institution to find out that even though they saved her life, her heart is damaged too much and she will die anyway in just a few days. We along with Veronika have to go through these few days, rediscovering life and how much there is to it. Veronika not only changes her life, or the little what's left of it, but also has an immense effect on her inmates. The last thing you'd expect in such a story is love, but it's there too. The love is so pure and so basic and human, that is shakes you to the core.

Yes human nature may not be beautiful to start with, but as we humans develop as individuals and start creating our own true personality it becomes clear, that there is plenty of beauty to be found. This is a great read for anyone, who is depressed or is heading towards depression as long as they read the book to the end. Otherwise, the sadness and the monotony of the beginning of the book, while presenting our sad and monotonous character Veronika may drive them into depressive mood even further.

This book had a great affect towards my change of attitude in recent days that I will post about later. A great read throughout and greatly needed at this point of my life.