The Valkyries is an autobiographical tale of Paulo Coelho’s journey to the Mojave Desert to meet the legendary group The Valkyries, told in a third person. It is a story about the author’s spiritual journey to try and eliminate the negativity of his own past while following the voice of his spiritual leader.

It is the English version of the Portuguese original ‘As Valk?rias’ by Paulo himself and despite being a translation, the novel holds up just as nobly as the original in terms of passing inspiring messages and walking us through sweeping visuals. It also contains supernatural and magical elements that draw the book towards the fantasy realm. He uses various elements to bring out the best in the characters he meets and the settings he establishes.

The Valkyries is part fiction and part biographical, which allows the author to indulge us in real life traditions of the group of warrior women who traverse the deserts on their motorbikes. Understanding traditions and values while drawing comparisons to more contemporary values provide a unique insight into life that only the author can draw forth.