The Alchemist

This post first published July 17, 2012.

Author: Paulo Coelho
First Published: 1988
Publisher: HarperSanFransisco
167 pages (paperback)
 
This book is pretty famous and I think it has reached “classic” status despite being just a little more than two decades old. I enjoy reading classics and “must-reads”, so when I saw a used-but-great-condition copy of this book at the thrift store, I figured it was time to give this book a shot. I was expecting to be really moved or swept away by the book, since there are so many professional reviews singing its praises. However, I felt kind of underwhelmed instead. I didn’t dislike it, but I didn’t think it was as great as others said it would be. Overall, though, I did enjoy it, just nowhere to the extent I thought I would.

The Alchemist is about a young shepherd who lives in Spain. After visiting a gypsy fortune teller, he is told that he should travel to the Great Pyramids of Egypt in order to seek his treasure. During his journey, the shepherd meets an old king, a crystal merchant, an Englishman, his one true love, and an alchemist. To get to Egypt, he has had to work hard for money and endure the merciless desert.
The entire book reads sort of like a children’s fairy tale or fable, for adults. It’s a pretty short book, for one, and the writing style is simplistic and straightforward in the way many children’s books are. The story is also one that contains a moral or inspirational message in the end. This is by no means a complicated novel with deep and profound prose. This is a simple story with simple messages, like follow your dreams, listen to your heart, your home is where your treasures are, and so on and so forth. With that in mind, I didn’t find the book revolutionary or deeply inspirational because such messages have been embedded in countless stories before The Alchemist, many of which I read as a child.

I think the best way to describe this novel is that it’s cute. It has good, if not overly familiar, inspirational messages. I think if you are experiencing troubles in your life, or if you’re down on your luck, you may take away more from this novel as it almost feels like a self-help book. In my own personal life, I’m quite happy and am indeed working towards my life goals and dreams, so there is not much in this book that left a mark on me. Basically, when I read it, I read it only to enjoy the story. I did end up enjoying it, in the same way I could go and read a novelized version of Cinderella (or some other fairy tale) and enjoy it. I didn’t really feel like I read a novel, more like a fairy tale.
The one message this book tried to express that I didn’t quite agree with was that everyone has a destiny and the universe will help you reach your dreams as long as you have faith. It just totally doesn’t mesh with my own life philosophies, it feels way too idealistic and simple.

Overall, it was alright. I kind of liked it, though I’m nowhere as impressed as I was told I would be.

My Rating: 3/5