Summary:
(excerpted from wikipedia: spoiler)

As the book begins, Athena is dead. How she ended up that way creates the intrigue sustaining the book. The child, Sherine Khalil renames herself Athena. As a child, she shows a strong religious vocation and reports seeing angels and saints, which both impresses and worries her parents.

She grows into a woman in search of answers to many questions that arise within a person. She has a contented life but her mind is not at ease. So she sets out to find answers to the classical question of "Who am I?" through many experiences. In her quest, she opens her heart to intoxicating powers and becomes a controversial spiritual leader in London.

The witch of portobello knows all. But the best way of knowing the meaning of life is by learning from one's student. A teacher can only make us aware of our capabilities but finding the right path is up to the student. There are many ways to achieve happiness by being close to the Mother.

Words from me:
The story was confusing at first. I don't understand who's who, and the characters main roles. But as I read on, it gets interesting. The main character Athena was such a daze that I'm just simply amazed at her personality. If people were like her... what would the world be? The whole book was a good read, but not priority. It was intriguing, yes... but it did not get me going whatsoever like The Alchemist, The 5th Mountain or Eleven Minutes. Although... I would give a great credit for the different style P.Cuelho used in this book. Made it more interesting to read.