Eleven Minutes

Eleven Minutes is the story of Maria, a young girl from a small village in Brazil. She is disillusioned by her failures in love. She moves to Geneva, Switzerland, aspiring to live the life of her dreams - a life filled with fame and fortune. Her dreams are shattered when she is introduced to the harsh realities of life.


One day, a chance encounter with an Arab man earns her a thousand francs for one night. Lured by the prospect of easy money, she ends up becoming a prostitute in a brothel in Geneva’s red-light district. Once there, she quickly learns the ropes and becomes quite successful, not to mention the envy of her colleagues. She shuts the door on love and only has time for the demands made by her body.


Her life is thrown into disarray when she meets a young Swiss painter named Ralf. She falls in love with Ralf, who is completely different from her. Her carnal feelings for Ralf and her true love for him vie for supremacy. She finally decides to move away from Geneva because she sees no future for them. But just before she leaves, she discovers the beautiful blend of sex and true love with Ralf.


Maria’s journey begins with disillusionment. It brings about her sexual awakening and eventually, almost brings her to the point of self-destruction. She sinks to the depths of despair before her phoenix-like rise to self-discovery and the heights of love.


Maria’s story explores the concepts of sex, prostitution, sadomasochism, and true love.


Eleven Minutes was published in 2003. It was originally written in Portuguese, and has been translated into several languages since then. 

Author: Paulo Coelho 

Publisher: Harper Collins

Released Date: 2019

ISBN: 9788172235635