Reviews

I would have given this book a 5/5 if only for one thing near the end of the novel. I don't see how it is just for a benevolent leader to be justified in letting a teenage boy get the living day lights kicked out of him - because it is all part of the plan and his Personal Legend. I guess the symbolism is that you are going to get beat down from time to time, but it's okay because that is how it is written.

Other than that I must say I took much away from this book! It causes one to cast an introspective glance at your spirit and talk to your "heart/soul" to ask it what it really is trying to say. From an existentialism point of view, this novel is great - it causes us to question and solidify the foundations of our existence through the depictions through the journey of the hero to get to what really matters - us - and our Personal Legends; why we are here.

This was my first Coelho novel, and I am looking forward to reading a great deal more of his.

zoeyoey's review against another edition

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5.0

Maktub. It is written. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is an enthralling novel that talks of fantasies and adventure through following one’s dreams, destiny, and omens.

The Alchemist takes place over many locations, starting in the town of Tarifa, Spain. Here is where our main character, Santiago, is from, and where the beginning of part one of the story takes place. The rest of part one of The Alchemist takes place in Tangier. Part two of the book takes place in Tangier, as well, and the Sahara desert when Santiago travels with the caravan and finally makes it to Egypt. Santiago meets many people while he travels. Most importantly, though, there are Melzchizedek, the crystal merchant, the Englishman, Fatima, and the alchemist. Melzchizedek encourages him to travel to Egypt, and keeps Santiago inspired to persevere towards his goals. The crystal merchant hires Santiago while he is in Tangier. It is through working with the crystal merchant that Santiago is able to regain funds for travel, as well as make self-discoveries about his wants and his commitment to his dreams. The Englishman is his company while they travel with the caravan, and he introduces Santiago to alchemism. The alchemist travels with Santiago to Egypt, and teaches Santiago about alchemism and his dreams. Lastly, Fatima is Santiago’s love, who waits for Santiago while he finishes his travels and accomplishes his dream.

The story starts with Santiago, a shepherd, travelling to the marketplace to shear his sheep for a merchant with a beautiful daughter that Santiago would like to marry. As Santiago makes his trip to the marketplace, we learn that he has had a recurring dream of being lead to the pyramids of Egypt by a child who tells him to find his treasure. On his way to the marketplace, he speaks with a gypsy woman, who tells him he has to go to Egypt. In the marketplace, Santiago meets Melchizedek, the supposed “King of Salem”. He, too, tells Santiago that he must travel to Egypt because it is his destiny. He talks to Santiago about being aware of omens and following them, of remaining committed to his destiny, and he provides Santiago with two rocks, Urim and Thummim, to help provide him with answers about his destiny and omens. Melchizedek reminds him, though, that he must make his own decisions. In Tangiers, Santiago’s money gets stolen from him, and he must find work. He works with the crystal merchant, and when Santiago has saved up enough money over the year, he determines that he will continue searching for his destiny, but that he can always go back to shepherding if what he is trying to accomplish doesn’t work out. He then furthers his quest for his destiny through travelling across the desert with a caravan. Here, he meets an Englishman, whose dream is to become an alchemist. The caravan that they are travelling with makes an extended stop in the oasis of Al-Fayoum due to intense tribal wars. Here is where Santiago meets Fatima, who he falls in love with. She tells him she will wait for him, that she knows he must travel and that he may not return because of this. Santiago also has a vision on the oasis. He sees one hawk violently attack another, and immediately recognizes the omen, which is interpreted as a sign that there will be an attack on the oasis. It is because of this that Santiago gets to meet the alchemist, who convinces Santiago to finish his journey to the pyramids. On their journey, the alchemist and Santiago get captured by Arab soldiers. The alchemist gives their captors all of Santiago’s money, and tells them that Santiago is a powerful alchemist who will turn into wind in three days. Santiago is anxious, because he does not know how to turn into wind. However, when the day comes, Santiago communicates with the wind and the sun, who help him to create a colossal sandstorm, which impresses the soldiers and convinces them to let Santiago and the alchemist go free. When Santiago makes it to the pyramids, he begins to dig for his treasure. However, while this happens he is approached by two men and beaten. He begins to tell them of his dream, and they decide that he must be poor and crazy. One of the men mentions to Santiago a dream he’s had of buried treasure in an abandoned church in Spain where a sycamore tree grows. Santiago then realizes that he must return to the church with the sycamore tree where he had his dream to find his treasure. When he returns to the church, he digs up the treasure, which was buried under the tree. He retrieves the treasure, and plans to return to Fatima, who is waiting for him… as well as give one-tenth of the treasure he found to the gypsy, as he had promised.

I was amazed by The Alchemist throughout the entire book. I find it inspirational and eye-opening. There are many important lessons and phrases to be learned in the book, such as “the closer one gets to realizing his destiny, the more that destiny becomes his true reason for being,” “every blessing ignored becomes a curse,” and teaches of going back to something one understands rather than what they want because they either fear what it might take to achieve their wants, or that their achievement may not satisfy them. The book often addresses fear in relation to destiny, and how people use it to justify not chasing their dreams. I believe that an excellent audience for this book is people with open and curious or influential minds. I say this because this book has many, many opportunities to spark ideas or feelings into readers that may help them achieve a dream of their own, or think about what they want in life. The story has a way with words that makes it so that you can’t help but think about the future, and possibilities, as well as what you gain from opening yourself up to your mind and to the world. I also think a good audience for this book is travelers or people who wish to travel, but just need a little push to get going. This is because the entire plot of the book relies on a boy achieving his dream/discovering his destiny, and he never could have found this without travelling. In searching for his treasure, he got to learn different cultures, different languages, and meet so many people and hear their stories. I think the main purpose of him having to travel all the way to Egypt to discover that his treasure was right at home was so that he could achieve his original dream of travelling. He was able to achieve both of his dreams: travelling (which is why he became a shepherd), and finding the treasure he dreamed of.