Soulmate: A Novel of Eternal Love (Chopra, Deepak) [Paperback]

Deepak Chopra (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 5, 2004 | Series: Chopra, Deepak

One of the world's foremost leaders in the field of mind-body medicine turns his talents and vision to fiction with an absorbing, mystical tale of a love that conquers death itself...

Gifted young doctor Raj Rabban is about to have his whole world turned upside down-when a chance encounter on a subway introduces him to the kind of happiness he never thought possible.

But life with his true soulmate is cut short by tragedy, and Raj must undertake a courageous journey beyond the scope of his five senses to regain it.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Mind-body healing guru Chopra takes another swing at fiction, although earlier efforts, including 1995's The Return of Merlin, never matched the huge success of his nonfiction titles like The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success. Appropriately, his latest tale tries to dramatize the way every soul must live through countless lifetimes, repeating particular experiences and lessons until it lets love, truth and bliss flow freely. Rajah is a young Indian-American intern in a psychiatric ward at a busy contemporary New York City hospital. Although he is engaged to Maya, who's Indian, educated and lovely, Raja falls madly for beautiful red-haired actress Molly, who seems to him to be a soul mate and a teacher, with her uncanny intuition and healing powers. The affair is at a fever pitch when Molly drops dead. Lucky for Raj, his lover returns, not as a ghost but as a huggably attractive soul who pops up to spoon-feed him just the right advice to heal psychiatric patients who have resisted every other method. Putting aside his cold Western medical training, Raja learns to heal with touch and love, counseled by Molly that "the soul wants to be seen." Predictably, Raja is put on leave by the hospital. He doesn't mind, however, that the incredibly tolerant Maya agrees to learn to be his soul mate in spite of his love for the invisible Molly. "You won't have me until you see through Raj," he counsels. "I won't have you until I see through Maya." Unfortunately, many readers will see through this wish-fullfilling fantasy and realize that it offers few of the pleasures of accomplished fiction. (Sept.) Forecast: Despite Chopra's high profile, and despite the proven appeal of similar otherworldly guidance novels like James Redfield's The Celestine Prophecy, this cerebral fable's lack of drama and excitement and the staleness of its message make it doubtful that it will click with a lot of readers.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

This is Chopra's second foray into fiction, following the forgettable Return of Merlin (1995). Although packed with lots of Chopra-type alternative spirituality, this somewhat awkward romance also lacks the appeal of the author's nonfiction. Raj Rabban is a young intern working in a psychiatric ward at a New York City hospital. He is happily engaged to Maya, a beautiful, selfless Indian woman, but suddenly falls madly and inexplicably in love with Molly, a beautiful young actress he meets on the subway. Unfortunately, Molly, a somewhat spooky person who comes complete with intuitive and healing powers, dies suddenly of an unexplained ailment. She isn't gone forever, though, because her soul-ghost returns to comfort Raj and provide him with the wisdom and teaching he needs not only to become a great and wise doctor but also to achieve absolute freedom and spiritual bliss. Chopra has written more than 26 best-selling books and has significant name recognition, both of which will generate demand. Kathleen Hughes
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Signet (October 5, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451213319
• ISBN-13: 978-0451213310
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,079,618 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Deepak Chopra, M.D.
Founder of The Chopra Foundation
Senior Scientist, The Gallup Organization
www.deepakchopra.com
www.facebook.com/DeepakChopraCommunity
www.twitter.com/deepakchopra

As a global leader and pioneer in the field of mind-body medicine, Chopra transforms the way the world views physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social wellness. Known as a prolific author of over sixty books with eighteen New York Times best sellers in both the fiction and non fiction categories.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deepak's Best Novel Yet, November 6, 2001

By 

George Brown "Diogenes" (Santa Fe, NM USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Soulmate (Hardcover)

Deepak Chopra has been making inroads in the fiction field for several years, and this is his best novel to date. Its theme is definitely inspiring and New Age, a love story that brings two people together, only to separate them after the heroine dies suddenly. The first part of Soulmate is about the romance between Raj, a young doctor in New York, and Molly, an actress he meets on the subway. The second, more metaphysical part of the story, takes place after Molly's death when she apparently returns to tell Raj about the true meaning of love and death. I found the style very readable, a real page turner. But the most enjoyable part was to hear Deepak discuss the great question of how love survives death. This is a story of personal redemption that really touches the reader.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Chopra's fiction second to non-fiction, April 17, 2005

By 

Lynn C. Tolson "author of Beyond the Tears: A... (Colorado) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Soulmate:: A Novel of Eternal Love (Paperback)

Review of "Soulmate" (a novel) by Deepak Chopra. Published by Putnam, 2001, 290 pages, ISBN: 0-399-14798-5.
I chose to review this book because I've been a fan of the mind-body-spirit leader and author Deepak Chopra. I had the pleasure of attending an event featuring him at the Unity Church in Dallas, TX. Dr. Chopra had a charismatic stage presence, and a message of healing that riveted the audience. After reading several of his non-fiction works, including "Creating Affluence" and "The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success" and "The Path to Love," I wanted to discover how this esteemed author handled fiction.

The main character of the book is a New York City doctor named Raj who is doing an internship in psychiatry. His days are full, yet he feels empty. Although the first paragraph states that Raj "had yet to fall in love" he is already engaged to a social worker named Maya. Call it coincidence or fate, Raj rescues a woman dressed for a wedding on the subway because she is being harassed by "a couple of punks." The opening conversation between the two characters is trite and incredulous. The narrator describes Molly as a popular Broadway lead actress who was a "frantic bridesmaid stuck in midtown traffic with a beat-up car that dies at the worst possible moment. Unable to resuscitate it, she ditches and runs." If you've ever been to New York City, you'd know that taxis are readily available. If a Broadway actress indeed owns a car (most NYC residents don't even drive) the vehicle would be a more reliable ride than the jalopy he describes. Furthermore, Molly claims "to plead with someone to give me subway fare" indicating that she did not carry money. Thus, the knight (Raj) rescues the damsel in distress (Molly) which (in my opinion) is a cliché rendered in fairy tales.

Raj has an affair with Molly, which causes him to question the meaning of love. Chopra offers bits of his ubiquitous wisdom as the love story progresses, making the entire book worthwhile. He writes: "The man who surrenders is always open, always observing. You seek detachment not so that nothing can touch you, but so that you have enough space to find out what is real." That information is an example of why I read his books. As a psych intern, Raj tells Molly, "Therapy is a way to give people better ways to be human...I really believe that." As a facilitator of group therapy and a recipient of counseling, I really believe that too. Occasionally, Chopra gives the reader good metaphors, as with this sentence in reference to a psych patient: " Her shipwrecked mind drifted before it found any port of calm." As for romance, Raj discovers that "He loved Molly and Maya equally" and he has to answer the question "Is it possible to be deeply in love with more than one person at the same time?" You have to read the book to see how the author answers that question.

I would recommend any book written by Deepak Chopra. He has filled a void in our society by teaching us about health and healing, peace and love. If a romance novel gets his message across, then there's no reason not to give "Soulmate" a try. However, my personal preference will be to keep his non-fiction work on my bookshelf.
review by Lynn C. Tolson

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars one of the best, July 6, 2002

By 

Jean - See all my reviews

This review is from: Soulmate (Hardcover)

I truly loved this book. Its a fast read, but a great story. I havent read anything else by Deepak Chopra but this is among my top favorite books. I am an avid reader!