Eleven Minutes (Portuguese: Onze Minutos) is a 2003 novel by Brazilian novelist Paulo Coelho that takes us through the experiences of a young Brazilian prostitute and her journey to self-realisation. Paulo Coelho de Souza is a Brazilian lyricist and novelist, best known for his novel The Alchemist. Though he was raised in a Catholic family, and claims to be a follower of that faith even now, but he is seen incompatible with catholic faith by its professors because of its New Age, pantheist and relativist contents.
Maria, a beautiful Brazilian girl goes to Europe to work as an exotic dancer but ends up becoming a prostitute. She wants to earn enough money to be able to buy a farm in Brazil, and live with her parents there. Maria then enlightens us about the crude realities of this world in a philosophical manner, she tears male tissues apart to dig deep and know their truths and realities.
The book is quite well written and maintains its rapid flow as it moves forward. Paulo Coelho has this special ability to keep the readers hooked. I finished his Alchemist in two days because it kept me curious throughout. Eleven minutes is no exception, it is quite like that book. His amazing flow of writing and skill of raising curiosity among readers is absolutely commendable.
But as the book reaches its climax curiosity dies as the book fails to deliver upon its promises. The author hasn't said anything new about the philosophy of life though this book gives such an impression at the beginning. And, that's the main element for which this book may be taken.
Another problem with the book is that the author in a quest to go deeper into its subject has revealed certain things that look discrete and unwanted. The intricate details about sexual intimacy or encounters aren't usually expected to be revealed at a level which Paulo Coelho has in this book.
Sadomasochism as described in the book may also spice up things for new readers but such things don't usually find a place in literary works. That may be why we categorize works of writers like Paulo Coelho under popular fiction banner. And, the author has tried to reveal everything that could well make this book popular among audience.
Maria, to whom eleven minutes belongs is intelligent and believes in learning through books. She is gifted with good intellect and reasoning through which she takes her decisions. Here, I think that the author has missed the trick. Why would Maria choose a profession like prostitution to know the realities of life? Perhaps she had alternate ways (intellectual paths) to satisfy her thirst for the reality of life. And, she might have easily succeeded in her persuasion towards the reality. Especially with the kind of intellect she is shown possessing.
Maria's diary would surely be the highlight of the book for me. Her classification of men into three categories: the Exterminator (in homage to a film she had enjoyed hugely), the Pretty Woman type(again named after a film) and lastly, the Godfather type (named after another film) and the last line from Maria's first note of the diary that appears in the book on page 16, “I see that those who touched my heart failed to arouse my body, and those who aroused my body failed to touch my heart.” These along with other notes of Maria are my favorites from the book.
The title of the book is totally justified and is in sync with the plot. Well, at the end, I would say that this book can be great for those who don't read many books. This book may generate their interest in book reading especially in those of Paulo Coelho. But if you do read books, then this is not for your book shelf.
The book though being an international bestseller will only get 3 stars from me.