- Paperback: 400 pages
- Publisher: HarperCollins (2 April 2009)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0007318685
- ISBN-13: 978-0007318681
- Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (59 customer reviews)
The Winner Stands Alone
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Product Description
Review
‘…this scintillating parable about shallowness, greed and celebrity worship from international bestseller Coelho (The Alchemist) unsparingly examines the Superclass, the elite's elite…Coelho's trademark mysticism and spiritual messages provide an extra boost to the thriller plot.’
Publisher's Weekly
Praise for Paulo Coelho:
‘An exceptional writer.' USA Today
‘His books have had a life-enhancing impact on millions of people.’ Times
‘One of the few to deserve the term “Publishing Phenomenon”.’ Independent on Sunday
‘Coelho’s writing is beautifully poetic but his message is what counts…he gives me hope and puts a smile on my face.’ Daily Express
‘The Alchemist is a beautiful book about magic, dreams and the treasures we seek elsewhere and then find on our doorstep.‘ Madonna
‘It’s like music, really, the way he writes, it’s so beautiful. It’s a gift that I envy above all others.’ Julia Roberts
Review
'!this scintillating parable about shallowness, greed and celebrity worship from international bestseller Coelho (The Alchemist) unsparingly examines the Superclass, the elite's elite!Coelho's trademark mysticism and spiritual messages provide an extra boost to the thriller plot.' Publisher's Weekly Praise for Paulo Coelho: 'An exceptional writer.' USA Today 'His books have had a life-enhancing impact on millions of people.' Times 'One of the few to deserve the term "Publishing Phenomenon".' Independent on Sunday 'Coelho's writing is beautifully poetic but his message is what counts!he gives me hope and puts a smile on my face.' Daily Express 'The Alchemist is a beautiful book about magic, dreams and the treasures we seek elsewhere and then find on our doorstep.' Madonna 'It's like music, really, the way he writes, it's so beautiful. It's a gift that I envy above all others.' Julia Roberts
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
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First of all, I should say that I was a big fan of 'The Alchemist'. It was such an inspiring book that really left you thinking the world wasn't quite as rooten and dark as you might have assumed. It also had so many layers to it that I found myself thinking about the different segments and messages buried in it.
This book however, is not quite up to that standard. TO me it felt a little contrived and a little bit cliched. Don;t get me wrong - ot was ok. But nothing more. If you've never read Coehlo before then buy the 'The Alchemist'. If you're already a fan then you're going to get this anyway so you may as well ignore me!
This book however, is not quite up to that standard. TO me it felt a little contrived and a little bit cliched. Don;t get me wrong - ot was ok. But nothing more. If you've never read Coehlo before then buy the 'The Alchemist'. If you're already a fan then you're going to get this anyway so you may as well ignore me!
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
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It really pains me to have to write this review and not be able to recommend the book, as I have read quite a few of Coelho's previous novels and absolutely loved them. However the usual poignancy of his other work is seriously lacking in The Winner Stands Alone.
The story follows Igor, a rich Russian businessman who is pining after the wife who left him for another man. He follows them to the Cannes Film Festival, where he embarks on a killing spree designed to win her back. The story is simple, the writing is simple. What doesn't work is the fact that it is billed as a satirical portrayal of the world of celebrity, but what it actually is is a contrived and scathing attack on celebrity culture, minus an empthatic plot or any believeable characters. I can understand and appreciate the author's opinion on a world desperate for more and more consumerism, but the execution was just not very cleverly done.
I think the thing that really ate me up while reading this was that in parts it didn't read like a story at all; rather it felt like I was reading some essay or article about why consumer and celebrity culture is so terrible. I'm not disagreeing with Coehlo's sentiments, but I just think he could have used the plot and characters to better effect to drive his point home, rather than rely on the somewhat preachy methods that he relies on more and more.
I think that people who completely agree with Coelho on this subject will probably get a lot more out of this novel than me. I'm neither strongly for or against it, but sadly this didn't sway me either way. It's the Coelho novel I am least likely to recommend to my friends.
The story follows Igor, a rich Russian businessman who is pining after the wife who left him for another man. He follows them to the Cannes Film Festival, where he embarks on a killing spree designed to win her back. The story is simple, the writing is simple. What doesn't work is the fact that it is billed as a satirical portrayal of the world of celebrity, but what it actually is is a contrived and scathing attack on celebrity culture, minus an empthatic plot or any believeable characters. I can understand and appreciate the author's opinion on a world desperate for more and more consumerism, but the execution was just not very cleverly done.
I think the thing that really ate me up while reading this was that in parts it didn't read like a story at all; rather it felt like I was reading some essay or article about why consumer and celebrity culture is so terrible. I'm not disagreeing with Coehlo's sentiments, but I just think he could have used the plot and characters to better effect to drive his point home, rather than rely on the somewhat preachy methods that he relies on more and more.
I think that people who completely agree with Coelho on this subject will probably get a lot more out of this novel than me. I'm neither strongly for or against it, but sadly this didn't sway me either way. It's the Coelho novel I am least likely to recommend to my friends.
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Paulo Coleho The Winner Stands alone. I wont go deep into the plot as out of the 39 other comments on this particular book. I am in the agreement that the book instead of holding my interest did the opposite effect.
I have read probably every book so far this author has written and on the whole I have found each book contains a personal message for the indivdual. Each of us have our own favourite.
To me this book was dark after reading a the first few chapters I fell asleep and the strange thing was I had a realistic terrible nightmare. So real that I did not pick up the book again for a good couple of weeks.
I have always considered that Paulo writes a good story with usually a personal message behind it. I would hate to think that finally we are seeing a dark side to a great author who has always in the past portrade
the God presence and Angelic side to the universe.
This book wont be added to my collection and in future rather than just buying a copy I will be looking at it a little closer.
Again its up to you to make your own mind up but if you like a good story that gives a positive message then perhaps this one is best left for those who enjoy a work of this type.
I have read probably every book so far this author has written and on the whole I have found each book contains a personal message for the indivdual. Each of us have our own favourite.
To me this book was dark after reading a the first few chapters I fell asleep and the strange thing was I had a realistic terrible nightmare. So real that I did not pick up the book again for a good couple of weeks.
I have always considered that Paulo writes a good story with usually a personal message behind it. I would hate to think that finally we are seeing a dark side to a great author who has always in the past portrade
the God presence and Angelic side to the universe.
This book wont be added to my collection and in future rather than just buying a copy I will be looking at it a little closer.
Again its up to you to make your own mind up but if you like a good story that gives a positive message then perhaps this one is best left for those who enjoy a work of this type.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
winner or loser
dissapointed with Paulo's book winner stands alone...not his usual good standard...found it boring ,nothing to keep your interest..pity , enjoyed all the others
Published 5 months ago by neil
Birthday present
I bought it for my sister couple years ago and I think she was happy to read it! LOVE ordering books on amazon. I save so much money now!
Published 9 months ago by Kostas
OK
I believed this is a novel like The Alchemist... but unfortunately it is not so... I couldn't read more than 2 chapters...
Published 9 months ago by ja
Light reading for a PC book
Paulo Coelho has a gift for weaving a fantastic tale and semmingly placing it in a world we think we recognise, but always it is tantalisingly a dimension out of reach. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Mick Read
A distant shadow of The Alchemist in quality and significance
This is Paulo Coelho's twelfth novel and the sixth that I personally have read. I became a semi-fan after his excellent Eleven Minutes in 2003 but he seems to have gone off the... Read more
Published 18 months ago by OEJ
An absorbing narrative
There is nothing bloated about Paulo Coelho's The Winner Stands Alone. Yet, this narrative manages to finely describe disturbing accounts of an unstable man pursuing the love of... Read more
Published 24 months ago by M. Kharbat
What's not to like?
I don't understand the reviewers who are disappointed in this book. I've read three or four of PC's books but haven't finished all of these. So you see I'm not a huge fan. Read more
Published on 12 May 2010 by James Lizard
Coelho's worst to date
Compared to his earlier work this is extremely poor and often insults the intelligence by going out of its way to explain the obvious. Read more
Published on 17 April 2010 by Mr. S. Maher
Disappointed
I love Paulo Coehlo's books and have read every single one of them. But this one left me a bit flat. Read more
Published on 21 Feb 2010 by Leah Armstrong
Does not shine
After the wonderful "The Alchemist" I found this to be a highly unsatisfying read.
This story about the muddied world of millionaires and their obsessive character just... Read more
This story about the muddied world of millionaires and their obsessive character just... Read more
Published on 19 Feb 2010 by Clever Spud
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