Winners Stand Alone—a book by Paulo Coelho that widens your world!
Do Winners Really Stand Alone or do they Leave Everyone For their Obsession to WIN?
Winners Stand Alone is a book by the revered storyteller Paulo Coelho. The book was published in 2008, which somehow finds it's way into your hands and will definitely leave you numb and distant from what Paulo Coelho usually feels like—inspiring and ingratiating.
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PLOT -
The plot revolves around the Main Character Igor Malev, a Psychotic Russian millionaire, who is on a killing spree as he wanders around Cannes. He is murdering different unknown people to grab attention of his ex-wife Ewa, who herself is now married to her new loving husband 'Hamid Hussain' a self-made name in the middle eastern fashion industry.
His idea is to 'destroy a world.'
RATINGS -
MY REVIEW -
Let's talk about the Storyline first. The theme of destroying a world is intresting but, what stands out is the way Paulo has upped his storytelling. He introduces a character just as they meet Igor, readers are told every minutiae of their lives and then, the moment the readers feel a connection Igor kills them, in the name of destroying a world. Blaming Ewa.
The reason why, Ewa left the man she once loved so dearly seems plausible, in her shoes, that seems the best she can do.
The reader would definitely feel sympathy for her, but at the same time her fear of Igor would make you want to smash your hand on the table next to you. All she had to do is muster up some courage and speak, but then—storyline.
The book perfectly accounts how empty a life of luxury is at its core, while shinning brightly in an outsider's eyes, it shadows the darkness inside. Jasmine, a Rwandan Model is one of my favorite characters of the novel, she is hardworking, is just about to make her mark in the industry, trying to attain that 'it' factor to enter the superficial world of glamour, yet she is morally upright.
Now, back to the psychotic, narcissistic Igor, who justifies himself as prudent killer, because of his past. But it would definitely make the readers understand that what corrupted him was never his past but the powers that his present brought him. Definitely a character you can hate with all might.
(P.s. i appreciate his murdering skill though; his medical knowledge was crazy)
After all this likes, what i didn't like was, that there is always a lesson or something to look within oneself after you finish Coelho, such as in the Alchemist, Maktub or The Eleven minutes, which was left behind in the storytelling. By far, I found this book very different from what I have always read of him.
Another thing i didn't like, which might not be agreeable to all, is his minute details on useless information, like airplane mode in phones, some gibberish here some gibberish there, it made me lose the plot several times.
Though the end, the end tried to signify the title of the book—winners stand alone, but was he truly a winner? Or did his loose his own world while he kept destroying the world of others?
That is for the readers to ponder upon.
For me he lost the moment he killed the first victim. Her world might not be a fantasy of many but, he killed even the bit of humanism that I expected from him. The world is all about the choices a human makes to stay human or turn into a beast.
TAKE AWAYS
The book is a great one-time read. I would definitely suggest it to people who are trying to see something new out of Coelho.
Is this for empathetic people? —Yes! Just don't take up stories to your heart.
Is this for over-empaths— May be not!
Definitely for those who like darker philosophical themes
AUTHOR'S DECONSTRUCT
Coelho's writing generally constructs more upon his distinct ability for layered character introspection that makes the readers live the brief expression he puts forward withing the story. His philosophical writing generally drives you into a deeply reflective mode where thoughts dwell upon human desire, morality, reality and destiny.
His profound style of slipping lessons withing the storyline, which focuses on even the minor is certainly plausible. He builds a world within the pages.
Though, in this book, his ability to put forwards morals within those pages might have been subdued by his tendency to enter into the details of each character—their history, situations, past and even future aspirations. A fine experiment, but his abilities could be maximized by focusing on his standpoints.
Must reads by the author -
The Alchemist
Ratings - 4.1 ⭐
Theme: Fate, destiny, souls, treasure, Intuition
Published - 1993(English)
The Fifth Mountain
Ratings - 4.5 ⭐
Themes - Spirituality, sufferings, philosophical, destiny and inner sufferings
Published - 1988(English)
Maktub
Ratings - 4⭐
Theme- Destiny, spiritual wisdom and healing
Published - 1994(English)
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