A review by dragonlilly
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

adventurous hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing medium-paced

3.0

The writing is charming enough, yet at the same time I haven't really connected with it or any characters. This book is good for people seeking something inspiring and hopeful, especially in terms with finding one's true calling, or being in the process of discovering what they truly want. There are some nice informational moments in the story, but I just don't find myself loving it. Maybe it is my lack of ambition, which opposes the book's central theme. There are a lot of Abrahamic religious elements in this book, and it features people and moments from the works of religion. I definitely liked the inclusion of the Roman Centurion story the most, and I see why Paulo Coelho chose it as a Catholic, since the Centurion speaks a sentence that would later be integrated into Catholic mass. However, for the non-religious, this might make the book less enjoyable because religion is pretty consistently mentioned, although the religious stories are explained in a way that doesn't necessarily scream religion the whole way through. This is also definitely one of those lessons where the journey was the treasure all along and you always had access to the original 'treasure' in the first place. My personal favorite part of the book was the very last line, probably because I love expressions of love, so I found the line quite lovely. 
Overall, I didn't fully connect with this book, but I see why it is adored, and I would recommend it for those who like the sound of the above themes, and don't mind a mostly two dimensional story that serves as an inspiration piece with some sections of wisdom and a general dedication to God and the world.