Zahir: A Novel of Obsession

"Superabundant talent, stunning originality, an elegant way with words… The Zahir is something more."

— Los Angeles Times

The narrator of The Zahir is a bestselling novelist who lives in Paris and enjoys all the privileges money and celebrity bring. His wife of ten years, Esther, is a war correspondent who has disappeared along with a friend, Mikhail, who may or may not be her lover, sparking a journey of love and loss that will change his life forever.

Was Esther kidnapped, murdered, or did she simply escape a marriage that left her unfulfilled? The narrator doesn’t have any answers, but he has plenty of questions of his own. Then one day Mikhail finds the narrator and promises to reunite him with his wife. In his attempt to recapture a lost love, the narrator begins a path of self-discovery and finds something unexpected about himself.

A haunting and redemptive story about obsession, this work of philosophical fiction explores its potential to fulfill our dreams, and to destroy them.

“Likely to entrance even the most cynical of readers.” - Bloomberg.com

“Coelho is a novelist who writes in a universal language.” - New York Times

“Fans of Paulo Coelho will love this eloquent meditation on commitment--as will anyone who’s ever been in a relationship.” - Marie Claire

“If you read Coelho’s book The Alchemist, then you should definitely read this.... There’s really no one else like him.” - Vibe

“A fast-moving, captivating, both satirical and thoughtful novel about love and desire.” - Edmonton Journal (Alberta)

“An enlightening story of faith and the reclamation of pure love.” - Library Journal