Get the target of a shortcut on Windows desktop

shortcut.py

import os
from win32com.shell import shell
import pythoncom

# Create an instance of the shell
zsh = pythoncom.CoCreateInstance(shell.CLSID_ShellLink, None, pythoncom.CLSCTX_INPROC_SERVER, shell.IID_IShellLink)

# Query an interface of the persistent file
persist = zsh.QueryInterface(pythoncom.IID_IPersistFile)

targetOfLink = os.path.abspath('target.doc')
linkName = 'shortcut_to_target.doc.lnk'

zsh.SetPath(targetOfLink)
persist.Save(linkName, 1)