In his new novel, Paulo Coelho, bestselling author of The Alchemist and Adultery, brings to life one of history’s most enigmatic women: Mata Hari. HER ONLY CRIME WAS TO BE AN INDEPENDENT WOMAN When Mata Hari arrived in Paris she was penniless. Within months she was the most celebrated woman in the city. As a dancer, she shocked and delighted audiences; as a courtesan, she bewitched the … audiences; as a courtesan, she bewitched the era’s richest and most powerful men.
But as paranoia consumed a country at war, Mata Hari’s lifestyle brought her under suspicion. In 1917, she was arrested in her hotel room on the Champs Elysees, and accused of espionage.
Told in Mata Hari’s voice through her final letter, The Spy is the unforgettable story of a woman who dared to defy convention and who paid the ultimate price.
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Mata Hari…was she a spy or wasn’t she? Did she serve as a double agent for Germany and France throughout World War I or did a malicious allegation with zero evidence destroy her life? In this re-imagining based on nonfiction accounts, author Paulo Coelho says no. Her only crime was her choice to be an independent woman, exposing the world to feminism for the very first time, and for that she lost her life by firing squad.
As Mata Hari waited for execution, one of her last requests was for a pen and paper to write letters. Over the past two decades, Germany, Holland, and the U.K.’s MI5 released their files on Mata Hari which provided tons of insight and information into her life. Mr. Coelho combined information from these letters, a researched timeline, along with creative liberties to write a first-person account of Mata Hari’s life starting from about age sixteen.
I loved Mr. Coelho’s summarized portrayal of this amazing woman. I wish this novel was longer because I wanted to know her much more. The Spy is the first book I have ever read by Paulo Coelho and I look forward to exploring his other work. But most importantly, I look forward to doing my own research about the amazing Mata Hari. If you enjoy stories about strong women who push the boundaries for our gender, then do some research for yourself…and consider checking out The Spy!
Based on real events
The true story of Mati Harri, which in itself is a sad story. The premise is that she actually did nothing wrong, not as far as what she was accused. She was a sad vain woman who got caught at the wrong time in the wrong place.
Very good!
I loved the combination of history and fiction in The Spy and how Paulo Coelho used her writings as a prompt. This story is timely and will resonate with the women of today.
Historical fiction meets Paulo Coelho.
interesting but not my favorite style of writing.
Fascinating, so different than what I’ve ever heard about Mata Hari before. As always, very well written.
Style was a bit confusing
Didn’t really keep my interest.
More like a flickering disjointed newsreel than a novel.
I really wanted to like this book but it is written so badly I finally gave up 20 pages from the end. It has however, an attention grabbing prologue that really gave me hope, to no avail…
He’s a great writer, but not at his best with this one. I’d suggest reading “Signed Mata Hari” instead to capture the actual essence of this compelling protagonist.
I had high hopes for this book but it made me totally dislike the main character. I would have felt sorry for her if she was not so totally narcissistic and delusional.
Thanks to Net Galley and Random House UK for sending me an ARC copy of this book that I voluntarily decided to review.
This novel (as it clearly states) caught my attention for two reasons. First and foremost, because it was about Mata Hari, a figure surrounded by mystery and allure, but one I didn’t know much about (other than having watched a movie many years back about her). The second was the writer. I’m forever seeing quotes penned by Paulo Coelho, but I haven’t read one of his books for many years and I thought this would allow me to rekindle my interest and catch up on his work.
The book is short and it does not purport to be a detailed biography. As it’s not uncommon on books that share the story of a character who died by execution, in this case, the story is told, in part, by Mata Hari (or rather, Margaretha Geertruida “Margreet” MacLeod nee Zelle) while she is in prison, awaiting her fate. In this case, she is writing a letter to the lawyer that was, it seems, forced upon her. In Coelho’s version of the story, written in the first person, Mata Hari (as she’s had so many identities she no longer seems sure who she really is) is very angry and convinced that she will be saved by the intercession of one of her many friends and nobody will get to read this letter. Perhaps that explains it, but, somehow, although I don’t know the historical figures, it seems doubtful that somebody whose life, according to her, depended on her skills for promoting herself and enchanting others, would be so unaware of the effect her words would have. She appears self-obsessed, uninformed, given to random likes and dislikes, and manipulative. She describes sad and even harrowing moments (her abuse by a teacher, her rushed marriage and the terrible relationship with her husband, and the moment when the wife of another military man commits suicide, that makes her determined to escape what seems her likely fate) but a lot of the letter seems to be a list of meetings, trips, men she meets and little more. She describes in more detail the events that got her to end up in prison, but she talks more about clothing and fashion, her love for Paris, and her art and performances (especially to denigrate those whom she says are pale imitators, like Nijinski) than she does about her daughter, for instance.
The thesis of the book (and there seems to be one) is hinted at in her own letter, but more clearly stated in the last part of the book, a letter written by his lawyer, that is his attempt at apologising for his inability to do much for her. He insists that although there was no serious evidence to link her to any espionage activities, they used her as a scapegoat to hide men’s mistakes, divert public attention from the real guilty parties, and distract them from the disasters of war. A woman who dared to flaunt her nakedness, her lack of morals, and her independence had to be punished. This is an attractive thesis and it sounds plausible (and probably has more than a grain of truth), but although Coelho reminds us at the end that this is not a biography and he it is not exhaustive or true in its detail, the gaps and the information not included lessen her, rather than making her more interesting. To me she appeared superficial, and, although it is possible that she was, it seems doubtful that such a woman would have got that far (although fame and talent have a long history of not necessarily going hand in hand).
The style of writing is fluid and creates very distinct voices in the different parts, and the part written by the lawyer was more philosophical in nature, offering interpretations and lessons learned, that hat the effect of imposing a male meaning on a woman (that seems to be the opposite of the intended effect). The style of this segment seems more in keeping with Coelho’s usual writing and it is more lyrical. There is a clear voice coming through in the letter Mata Hari (the novel’s Mata Hari) writes too, but as mentioned, is not a particularly likeable one.
After finishing the book I checked some facts, and they paint a fairly different story, as things were quite hard for Margreet, rather than the walk in the park suggested by the novel. She seems to have been a woman who was a victim of circumstances early in life, who tried to do the best by her daughter and managed to find a way of being in control of her life, even if it meant manipulating others. Descriptions of her death and her final gesture (refusing to have her eyes covered and blowing the shooting squad a kiss) suggest that this strong and daredevil woman was more like the figure suggested by her full biography than the one that comes across in the book.
In sum, this is an intriguing book, it’s well-written, and it will make people curious to learn more about Mata Hari, but it is only one version of this fascinating woman and historical figure.
I checked this book out as an audio book, to listen to as I drive. I just finished listening to it, and even in translation from the Portuguese Paulo Coelho wrote in, this book is gorgeous writing. The story is based on the true story of the spy Mata Hari. Fascinating. On the audio version, the male/female actors had French accents, as much of it takes place in France. The voices brought this story to life! It’s only 3 CDs, so I don’t know a page count, but I don’t think it would be a long read. Definite recommend, especially if you get the audio version. Twice I drove the long way just so I could keep listening for an extra few minutes.
Believe it or not, I might be one of the few people on the planet who have not yet read “The Alchemist”. It is certainly on my list, and I’ve heard many people list it as their favorite book and has changed their life. Due to this and a little knowledge of Mata Hari (just recalling she was an exotic dancer found to be a spy during World War I), when I saw “The Spy” at the bookstore, I picked it up. Besides the cover is captivating, with an old black and white head shot of Mata Hari overlaid on a sparkly background of blue, fading to green, then pink. It caught my eye, and between the author and the subject matter, I couldn’t pass it up. I think this is another case of my having too high of expectations.
I wasn’t disappointed by the story of Mata Hari. Unlikely, tragic, and intriguing, there is a great deal to take away from the story. But honestly, it was the facts and the true events that fascinated me, not Coelho’s writing or approach. There were aspects that didn’t feel right with Mata Hari as the storyteller, for example, she loses a child. It gets one or two lines then is dismissed. Based on the rest of the sympathetic portrayal, this seem out of character. Which events get detailed verses which are summarized and quickly passed seems random or maybe based on the detail of historical information. Anyways, big picture, I was disappointed with Coelho storytelling. As a pure story, it never pulled me in, and as a historical account, it felt lacking and spotty. Still, the lady, her life and cultural impacts were fascinating.
Mata Hari was a woman who did anything to pull her life out of poverty and failure. She was used by men, but also manipulated them to become famous and live lavishly. But I don’t believe she choose this life, she reacted to a string of horrific events; rapes, beatings, betrayals the only way she could, with seduction and deceit. While she temporarily found fame and notoriety, she never found requited love. Her extraordinary life was retold many times in many ways through films, plays, musicals, books and even an Opera. Some works focus on her archetype as a femme fetale and others as a victim and scapegoat. While I think Coelho gets her portrayal largely correct, and I valued the retelling of her life, his book falls short of my sky high expectations in terms of exposing the lessons of her tragic life.
The Spy by Paulo Coelho
2017
This book is based on real events that occcurred in Paris 1917 when Mata Hari was executed.
I enjoyed the historical perspective of this book from the views of Margaretha Zelle, known as Mata Hari. It is written from her perspective and that of her attorney through “letters” in which they describe the events of her life and eventual conviction. She hopes to explain the ambiguities and misconceptions that followed her throughout her life. She honestly admits her flaws and bad decisions which ultimately led to the suspicions of her being accused a spy. She is a strong independent woman who is always very much in charge of her life. She used her sensual beauty and manipulative seduction to forge her life from “nothing” to a woman with power, fame and money.
“And that was me, Mata Hari, for whom every moment of light and every moment of darkness meant the same thing.”
Her attorney notes, “You were beautiful, known worldwide, always envied—though never respected—in the concert halls where you appeared. Liars, what little I know of them, are people who seek popularity and recognition. Even when faced with truth, they always find a way to escape, coldly repeating what had just been said or blaming the accuser of speaking untruths.”
“My dear Mata Hari, what spy in their right mind would mention such barbarities with the enemy? But your desire to call people’s attention, at a time when your fame was in decline, only made matters worse.”
This story has no spoilers since it’s historical fiction with unclear circumstances even to this day as further records are due to be unsealed 2017 after 100 years.
I didn’t understand what I was supposed to think or feel throughout this entire book.