Book Review: The Alchemist

 

 

It’s 11:47am, I have been thinking about the unique purpose of a book I read a week ago. Ever wondered what life will be without living the dream?
The Alchemist is a novel written by Brazilian author Paulo Coelho, first published in 1988 which has been translated into 80 different languages. The 25th anniversary edition which I read has a page number of 208.

Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist, is a story about an Andalusian shepherd boy known as Santiago who believed in a recurring dream about treasures lying in the Pyramids of Egypt.

The boy takes the initiative of finding the treasure which indirectly leads him to pursue his personal legend. The book centers on the journey and encounters of the boy highlighting intriguing philosophies of life.

My thoughts 
The book is unputdownable and I like how the author crafts his diction figuratively in some pages. Among the many inspirational messages relayed in the book, I find the use of a “shepherd boy” peculiar. The author could have used any personality or character for such role rather a shepherd boy which might not sound fancy or fortunate to disseminate a thought provoking idea that everyone needs to fulfill their goals or aspirations, owing to the fact that the whole universe will conspire in aiding to achieve it.

I strongly feel the character symbolizes anyone regardless of their peculiarity to pursue their dreams against all odds. The prologue is fascinating and immediately captured my attention as it focused on the legend of Narcissus. It also draws a critical perspective of what the remaining pages of the book holds.

Favourite quotes in the book

“When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too”
” It is said that the darkest hour of the night came just before the dawn”
“You must understand that love never keeps a man from pursuing his personal legend. If he abandons that pursuit, it’s because it wasn’t true love…the love that speaks the Language of the World”

” The secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world, and never to forget the drops of oil on the spoon”

You should certainly take a read because the author connected my aspirations to pursue my dreams like the boy!
Do well to recommend other good reads !