Celestine Prophecy
The Celestine Prophecy, by James Redfield, was the beginning of a series of books. Some are better than others.
I was not impressed with the writing style of the initial novel, The Celestine Prophecy. Even on the first reading, it seemed trite, dated and fairly tedious. More than once, I muttered, “Get to the point!”
The plot devices seemed contrived and, at times, even downright silly.
So, you’re probably wondering why I’m bothering to review this book at all. It’s more than ten years old, it’s written like something from the 1970s, and I didn’t enjoy much of it.
The answer is simple: The brief sections of the book that were good… they were (and still are) brilliant, timeless, and a breath of fresh air.
In my opinion, it’s worth struggling through the rest of the book just to get to the good parts.
Most of the “insights” were good but not great. However, by the time the story built up to the concluding insights, my attitude towards the book improved.
Since you can find a used copy of this book for under $1, and your public library probably has a copy, I recommend reading this book… if only as a foundation for the better books that followed it.
That said, I still remember the recognition I felt when Redfield described a garden in The Celestine Prophecy. He was talking about something I fully understood, and it was one of the first times anyone had represented that kind of experience with such clarity.
It’s okay to skim the boring parts. As long as you have a general understanding of what’s going on at each step in the story, the important, concluding sections will still make sense.
When you reach the part of the book that rings authentic, and if you’re like me, you’ll be glad you didn’t give up on the book altogether. The Celestine Prophecy’s delightful moments of brilliance, though few and far between, make the rest of the journey worthwhile.
Rating: 
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2 comments
Nadene on April 28, 2011 at 2:48 am
Your review just illustrated the preoccupation mentioned in the book. The funny thing about insight is that it only happens thru reflection when you are not yet in flow.
Sarah on April 28, 2011 at 12:25 pm
Thank you Nadene!
You are absolutely right. I’m glad my review resonated with part of the intention of the book. That’s what I was aiming for, because my reviews are intended to reach the people who need those particular books… or to re-read them.
I’m reminded of various adages along the lines of, “If it’s easy, you’re not learning anything.” Basically, some of the greatest lessons are learned and absorbed when we’re challenged.
Of course, at the peak of the challenges, we’re so busy coping we don’t always have time to learn anything.
It’s when we’re past the crisis — not yet in flow with what’s changing in our lives — that we still have the forward-moving energy generated by the crisis, and the peace of mind (on our way to flow) to turn the lesson from the caterpillar to the butterfly.
Thanks again!