The Witch of Portobello

I liked the Paulo Coelho book we read in book club - The Alchemist. I'm one who doesn't connect to organized religions so I think as a result. I find his books interesting as they are "spiritual" but don't seem to subscribe to a particular doctrine.

The Witch of Portobello didn't bowl me over like The Alchemist did - perhaps having read one of his books, I knew somewhat to expect - but I did enjoy it.

The theme of the book, in my understanding, was a comment on the loss of the feminine side of God and the disconnect that causes in modern religion. His premise suggests what we might call "pagan" religions were actually this feminine understanding of God and that female nurturing God respects and understands the bonds that all life has with nature and love, whereas the male understanding of God (ie: the major religions today) imposes more rules and organization to spirituality ("morality").

I found it an interesting and enriching read.