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melodyseestrees's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Racism, Racial slurs, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, and War
Minor: Animal death and Violence
e_mm_2's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
2.0
I liked the messages Coelho tried to convey, but overall the story wasn't really interesting to me. I only had two or three instances where I was interested in the story and actually reflecting on what was written. Also why the racial slurs? They could've been left out...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexism, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Death and Violence
meganpbennett's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
After seeing this book pop up multiple times in a short period of time, I decided to give it a try, as I needed a short book to read, one that I could finish before a book list reading challenge started at my library on September 01st.
It was difficult to follow, and the main characters having no names did not help matters. The boy isn't a particularly lovable main character, and he's naive enough that it stops being a good thing and becomes a slog. For such a short book with so much travel, nothing really happens. The boy learns a lot of things, but I felt like I was missing half of the story.
It was difficult to follow, and the main characters having no names did not help matters. The boy isn't a particularly lovable main character, and he's naive enough that it stops being a good thing and becomes a slog. For such a short book with so much travel, nothing really happens. The boy learns a lot of things, but I felt like I was missing half of the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Religious bigotry, Racism, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Animal cruelty, Violence, War, and Sexism
callmebella's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Xenophobia
sxrxh_lenx's review against another edition
Ladies, gentlemen and everyone in between, I thought this would be a good book….mostly Christian propaganda (for some nothing bad that their god is the answer for everything) considering that it also includes manifestation it’s weird and naive….for me a hellenic pagan definitely not
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Xenophobia
puttingwingsonwords's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Islamophobia, Racism, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Violence, War, and Xenophobia
Minor: Death, Alcohol, and Drug use
gothmiku's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs
Moderate: War
juliane_knf's review against another edition
0.25
I really disliked this book. Couldn't finish it
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Misogyny
booksthatburn's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Santiago is a shepherd who has a dream and travels to Egypt on the basis of that dream. He processing the world through the idea that everyone has a "Personal Legend" that must be fulfilled, a concept that is both insightful and useless. It's mostly wielded to explain bad things by saying someone must not be taking actions in alignment with their Personal Legend, and that good things are from pursuing it.
I am reading a translation, so it’s possible that it’s more dazzling in the original language, but the version I’m reading is flat and boring. People think things, do things, then think about how they did things. It’s plodding and just shy of dull, I only finished it because I’m reading it for a book club.
Santiago is boring and insipid. I don't like him, neither as a character nor as a narrator. Santiago gets to know a few people but the descriptions of them are simple, categorical, and frequently xenophobic. He spends the longest with the crystal merchant, and that was the best section of the book. His interactions with women are flat and centered around his idea of them in a way that was off-putting for me.
I’m not sure how much worldbuilding was actually accomplished, and how much the book relied on me as a reader to know, for example, where Andulsia (in Spain) is in relation to Egypt. It uses the real world for its setting and relies on Biblical references for its fantastical elements, exploring new places through the naïve gaze of its protagonist.
The ending is so breathtakingly simple that I don’t know whether to applaud or be upset. It’s a journey story, which normally I would like, but this just didn't appeal to me at all.
I am reading a translation, so it’s possible that it’s more dazzling in the original language, but the version I’m reading is flat and boring. People think things, do things, then think about how they did things. It’s plodding and just shy of dull, I only finished it because I’m reading it for a book club.
Santiago is boring and insipid. I don't like him, neither as a character nor as a narrator. Santiago gets to know a few people but the descriptions of them are simple, categorical, and frequently xenophobic. He spends the longest with the crystal merchant, and that was the best section of the book. His interactions with women are flat and centered around his idea of them in a way that was off-putting for me.
I’m not sure how much worldbuilding was actually accomplished, and how much the book relied on me as a reader to know, for example, where Andulsia (in Spain) is in relation to Egypt. It uses the real world for its setting and relies on Biblical references for its fantastical elements, exploring new places through the naïve gaze of its protagonist.
The ending is so breathtakingly simple that I don’t know whether to applaud or be upset. It’s a journey story, which normally I would like, but this just didn't appeal to me at all.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Xenophobia
Minor: Vomit, Death, and Racial slurs
orcgrotto's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Listened as the Jeremy Irons-read audiobook. The Alchemist has big "my potions are too strong for you, traveler" energy. Read this book as a kid and didn't understand anything that was going on. Glad to re-(listen) as an adult and finally make sense of it. Honestly? Was more inspiring than I would have expected.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs