So following my read-a-thon of Paulo Coelho's The Deluxe Collection, I just finished reading my fourth book from the book set, which is The Valkyries.

I have known the term Valkyries from the Mythology lessons in my high school days. It is part of Norse mythology and I recognize them as similar to gods and goddesses. They are allegedly supernatural beings in Norse myth. 

I didn't want to preempt my expectation of this book because of its predecessor. I read The Zahir before The Valkyries, and to tell you the truth I do not like some ideas from the book, but I will never recommend The Zahir not to be read. I enjoyed reading it, I love the whole journey that comes along with the book. 

Going back to the book at hand, The Valkyries is a book of faith. Paulo, the writer himself, is also the main protagonist of the novel along with her wife, Chris. Most of the details are based on the author's personal experience with little ingredients of fiction to smoothly lay down the idea of the story.

The experience of reading this book confronted me with my very own stake in faith. Have I believed enough? Have I truly surrendered everything to the LORD? Have I sincerely accepted His forgiveness through Jesus Christ? Do angels really exist? Have I talked to my angel or have I even seen one?  Provoking thoughts that will make you hold on to this book at the very end.

Paulo and Chris are on a mission to see and be able to talk to their angels. It was originally only Paulo's desire to see and be able to converse to his angel, but his wife, Chris, was drawn gradually to the whole journey and conspiracy of meeting an angel. 

Desert has always played a significant role in Coelho's works. Just like in this novel, it is a supernatural place where supernatural things can happen. It is a double-edged sword, it has its danger and beauty. One of the magnificent creation of God where angels would likely appear, where miracles most probably transpire. It is a sacred place of mystery and conspiracy.

The Valkyries in the story are women who travel and dwell in the desert. They are women of liberty. Wild and free are how others perceive them, lesbians, even. But they are not. They live a life of purpose. Others might never understand it, but there are great fulfillment and freedom in living out your purpose without submitting to what the current society calls normal. Others might even say they are insane.

There is a world beyond what we can see right now. The spiritual world is closer than we think. Its parallel existence to our current reality is more than authentic than we could ever imagine. There is a physical and spiritual war. What's persistently transpiring now beyond what our eyes can see is the spiritual war. Our soul can see it, yet it is corrupted by the sin of this world. We should receive the gift of free salvation through Jesus Christ, our LORD, accept Him, surrender our life, and be renewed in the power of the Holy Spirit, and all these are possible because God loves us. Because of love everything is possible, because of love, you and I will be freed from the corruption of this world and be able to come out victorious in this so-called spiritual war. 

~Psalms 91:11-12