A disclaimer first: I have never liked Paulo Coelho. I didn’t even like ‘The Alchemist’ that was so widely acclaimed. I think the Brazilian novelist’s writing really doesn’t deserve the hype it has received. The stories he has chosen to tell might feel relatable or even inspire some people but the messages in his brand of ‘self-help-lit’ aren’t anything new. Like a wise friend once said, you are supposed to leave Coelho behind in high school at best. I picked up ‘The Spy’ because I had forgotten to carry a book and needed to read something while waiting for an appointment.
Here, Coelho retells the story of Margaretha Geertruida, better known by the stage name Mata Hari, who went to trail for allegedly being a double agent for France and Germany during the 20th century. An exotic dancer and courtesan, she was ultimately executed by a firing squad in France. The story, which doesn’t follow a chronological order, is told in the form of letters between Mata Hari and her lawyer. At the beginning of the book, Mata Hari is positive that she will be pardoned but, as she awaits the verdict of her trail, she writes to her lawyer instructing him on all the things that need to be carried out if her request is denied.
If you aren’t familiar with Mata Hari’s story then The Spy can, in bits and pieces, read like a thriller and historical drama. But it isn’t Coelho’s narrative that grips you. It’s Mata Hari and her story. From being sexually exploited by the school principal and receiving jewelry and favors in exchange for sex to meeting Pablo Picasso and Amedeo Modigliani, Mata Hari makes for a fascinating subject. But, as an author, Coelho has failed to develop his character. He has sketched pre-war Paris better than Mata Hari. And he also drops bit and pieces of his pop philosophy that don’t really go with the story. What The Spy will do is leave you wanting to know more about Mata Hari and the internet can be a great resource for that.
As you delve deeper into Mata Hari’s story, you will realize that Coelho has barely scratched the surface. Historical fiction is a challenging genre requiring first a lot of research and then an ability to fictionalize events without distorting the facts. While Coelho gets the facts right, The Spy, which is a novella, doesn’t feel like a story he has spent considerable time thinking about and writing. It feels like a spur of the moment book at best and that’s unfortunate given how Mata Hari is a character with so much potential.
Genre: Historical Fiction
The Spy
Paulo Coelho
Translated into English by Zoë Perry
Published: 2016
Publisher: Penguin Books
Pages: 186, Paperback
