|
|
Kim
Rating:
Review
The subtitle on the cover of this book is that it’s "a novel of temptation" and boy, is it. A stranger comes to small town named Viscos one day, checks into the only hotel in town, and promptly goes into the nearby forest to bury 11 gold bars. On his way out of the woods, he meets Chantal Prym, an orphaned young woman who works in the town’s only barroom. The stranger offers her a proposition that causes Chantal much torment, as any serious moral issue would, but she’s a smart cookie, and far more cleaver than her fellow townspeople give her credit for. Even Berta, an old woman who everyone thinks is a witch is not so sure that Chantal is the best person to be dealing with the stranger, until her dead husband tells her so. This is my first introduction to the words of Mr. Coelho, who reminds me of Gabriel Garcia Marquez somewhat, though only in the tone of the book. I liked that the author took a fable and modernized it, since the lesson is one that bears repeating.
Best Line:
"So you see, Good and Evil have the same face; it all depends on when they cross the path of each individual human being."
Jennifer
Rating:
Review
This is a classic story about good versus evil, and if humans are innately one or the other. The story is told by Chantal, a young woman who is bored living in her remote village, Viscos, which is a beautiful paradise to visit, but never changes. A stranger arrives in the village, with an interesting proposal. The stranger is convinced that depending on the route the village people take, his proposal will prove to him whether humans are evil or good. Since an event happened that changed his world forever, he has been determined to find out the answer to his question. By the end of this story, he did find his answer, which satisfied him and gave him peace and understanding. His visit to the village left everything permanently changed with the residents there, too. This short story is meant to make one think about the age-old question of good versus evil in humans. It is written in a simple, succinct way that will definitely make you think about human nature, and how we make decisions. It will make you think about your own views on how humans can commit evil acts, or resist evil urges for the sake of goodness.
Best Line:
"People want to change everything, and at the same time, want it all to remain the same."
|
|
