Brida : Paulo Coelho

I did something very indulgent for myself(yep, that's a rare thing too, get the drums out).  I spent the entire Thursday night reading a Book in ONE Sitting.  I started somewhere around 10 pm and stayed up till about 3 am. reading the book. Yes, I know that's crazy, but well, its done now(giggling).
This is a story about an Irish Girl, Brida who goes on a quest(a common theme to the Novels by Coelho, I have read so far) to find knowledge and consequently her destiny(glad its a fiction, and not a manual).  In her search, a Lady and Mage who practice Wicca, come into her life and Brida learns about Trust and Faith and the dance of harmony. With what she learns and had already learned, with who she has and who she wants, she learns the Delicate balance of life.
I liked the gradual flow of the story, from the Unsure Brida in the beginning to The Confident Brida at the end.  The weaving of the spiritual ideas, myth and folklore is done well. Brida knows she possess a gift(I believe each of us have a something very special that is a part of us if we stopped long enough to pay attention to it) and she chooses the path to develop that gift.  I like the portrayal of the male characters  in the story - cause they somehow have an acceptance of who the woman is instead of the expectation of what she should be. 
I notice that most of what I read and enjoy is somehow related to what I know as a concept but have been in doubt when I have tried to explain it.  Most stuff that my heart says it knows, I find difficult to explain and somehow in the explaining I tend to doubt.  I guess it has to do with my Hindu roots. The idea of Reincarnation and our hunt for "soul mates" is also neatly tucked into the story and it made me wonder about the idea that permeates through the different cultures, knowing that Paula Coelho is from Brazil.   At one point in the Book I felt like I was reading about the Samurai when he says this about the warriors - "They know they could die at any moment, and that's why, for them life is one long celebration."  I read in the Book about Bushido, the Code of the Samurai - "Live with the knowledge that you could die any moment- this way you will be ready to do your duty in the NOW."  And I did remember it and thought, how similar a warrior's thoughts no matter where they are and then realized well one is fiction while other is a philosophy.
I haven't Studied much about Wicca or Paganism or Druids...but from what I have read, I know that it is very rooted in moving/staying in harmony with Nature - the seasons, the sun, moon, trees and animals. This book doesn't deal with these Subjects as say an Academician/practitioner would do but it does mention the elements of Traditions within Paganism. It also leans on quotes  and stories from the Bible. All of them weaved together to a degree where you will wonder if you are actually reading about those religions or the author's Pick of what he wants in that moment, for the story. The key is to remember that the book is a Fiction.
Like The Zahir and the Alchemist, this story searches for answers to the eternal questions of - who we are? what is our purpose? why the rituals? what is important? Is our Destiny pre-ordained or is it a choice? Is reincarnation a possibility? Do soul mates exist? What does Love entail?   Its a good book to enjoy the evening.